YTAS Business Plan 2018-21 · Page 5-7 Organisational Background and Track Record Pages 8-11 Developing Beneficiaries and Partnerships - Developing Participants - Developing Leaders

2018-21

Business Plan

Contents Page 1 Introduction, Vision, Mission Values

Page 2 Beneficiaries

Page 3 Strategic Aims

Page 4 Context: Scotland’s Youth Theatre Arts Infrastructure

Page 5-7 Organisational Background and Track Record

Pages 8-11 Developing Beneficiaries and Partnerships

- Developing Participants - Developing Leaders - Developing Artists - Developing Audiences

Page 12 Developing Sustainability and Resilience

Pages 13-18 Programme of Work: Activities, Goals and Milestones

Page 19-20 Governance, Delivery and Organisational Management

Page 21 Financial Management

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Introduction Youth Theatre Arts Scotland (YTAS) is the national development organisation and umbrella body for Scotland’s youth theatre participants, leaders, artists and audiences. It delivers its work through a combination of:

• youth theatre projects, • training and professional development, and • information and advocacy.

YTAS’s Vision Scotland is a world leader in the development and delivery of youth theatre.

YTAS’s Mission To transform lives through youth theatre arts by supporting, connecting and inspiring young people in Scotland and the adults who work with them.

YTAS’s Values � Helping Others

We are dedicated to supporting, enabling and championing the work and impact of Scotland’s youth theatre sector; young people, professionals and volunteers alike.

� Community

We are passionate about building a confident, diverse and inspiring sector. � Collaboration

We work with, and connect, a broad network of partners, groups and individuals who all share our motivation to develop talent and nurture achievement.

� Excellence

We celebrate and encourage ambition, experimentation and progression, striving for quality in all that we do for and with our sector.

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YTAS’s Beneficiaries YTAS is the key agency for developing Scotland’s youth theatre sector; which comprises those who choose to sign up as members of our organisation, as well as a broader network of youth, arts and education stakeholders. As a whole, this sector supports the creative passion of tens of thousands of young people across the country. In carrying out its work YTAS seeks to support and help develop the following beneficiaries:

� Participants of youth theatre activity in Scotland.

� Leaders of all levels of experience, including; aspiring young people, adult volunteers, emerging and mid-career professionals and creative learning managers.

� Youth theatre artists, including: young theatre-makers and adult practitioners, both

professional and voluntary.

� New and existing youth theatre audiences.

YTAS believes that youth theatre arts are an ideal medium to encourage the dreams and visions of young people and to nurture their self-confidence. It is our aim that all youth theatre activity in Scotland aspires to the highest standards of practice, ensuring that young people can enjoy a safe, inclusive and rewarding experience. YTAS considers a youth theatre as:

A group or organisation which engages young people as active participants in the performing arts and where their participation is central to the motivation of the creative process.

The term ‘youth theatre’ can therefore be applied to a whole host of groups and organisations across Scotland who may not instinctively call themselves a youth theatre.

YTAS’s members typically focus their activities on participants up to the age of 25.

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YTAS’s Strategic Aims

1. To strengthen Scotland’s youth theatre arts infrastructure.

- Act as the central hub of information, support and guidance for Scotland’s

youth theatre sector and as its spokesperson, advocate and leader.

2. To provide a variety of youth theatre opportunities which inspire young people in Scotland.

- Improve the sustainability and impact of our participatory projects and establish

new audience development activity.

3. To improve access, progression and ambition in the field of youth theatre arts in Scotland.

- Increase the number, type and level of aspiration of youth theatre participants, artists and leaders who engage with YTAS’s network.

4. To develop leadership in Scotland’s youth theatre sector.

- Improve the sustainability and impact of YTAS’s year-round skills development programmes and networking opportunities.

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Context: Scotland’s Youth Theatre Arts Infrastructure Scotland’s youth theatre arts infrastructure comprises a wide range of people, places and networks; both formal and informal, real and virtual. It may be best described as a community of practice operating at a local and national level. This infrastructure serves the needs and ambitions of Scotland’s youth theatre participants, leaders, artists and audiences and YTAS’s mission is to support, connect and inspire their work. In 2015, YTAS’s Sector Mapping Report revealed that:

16,500 young people take part in youth theatre activity in Scotland each week

- An increase of 270% since the previous national survey in 2002

265 organisations were delivering this activity

- Almost half described themselves as ‘independent’

- A quarter were ‘affiliated to schools or education bodies’

- A quarter were ‘affiliated to theatres’

- A fifth were ‘voluntary run’

- 11% were ‘local authority run’ and 6% were ‘commercial ventures’

341 venues were hosting this activity

- A third did not charge participants

- Half charged between £1-£5 per session

- A third offered financial support

- The vast majority provided activities for those aged 5-18 years

YTAS’s members account for a third of all venues and half of all participants

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Organisational Background and Track Record The Scottish Arts Council’s 2002 ‘Review of Youth Theatre’ recommended that: “ a network of linked organisations is created to provide momentum and focus for the youth theatre sector”. As a direct result, ‘Promote YT (Scotland)’ was incorporated in 2004 and rebranded as Youth Theatre Arts Scotland (YTAS) in 2013. Since 2004 YTAS has played an instrumental role in building and supporting a vibrant and vital youth theatre sector in Scotland. As a result of this work:

� At least 16,500 young people now take part in youth theatre activity every week

� They are supported by a network of 1800 adult staff and volunteers

� 1,250 sector professionals and volunteers have attended YTAS training and

networking events

� YTAS has over 100 members operating throughout Scotland’s 32 local authorities

“YTAS is a key reason that people in the sector know each other so well. They provide an invaluable way for the sector to develop. Particularly useful for

freelancers who often work alone and can feel detached from the sector.” - YTAS member

As youth theatre has evolved as a practice and an art form in Scotland, YTAS has listened to the changing needs and aspirations of its sector. In its development role it has identified and responded to gaps in provision, provided participatory youth theatre opportunities which have transformed young lives, and led the way in delivering training which has galvanized and professionalised the sector. YTAS has achieved this success by forging strong regional, national and international partnerships and by steadily developing its income streams.

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YTAS’s work has grown and developed in the following two phases:

Phase 1: 2004-2015

YTAS established and delivered core events and activities

The National Festival of Youth Theatre – The largest annual gathering of youth theatres in the UK, held annually since 2005

Interchange – A skills-development conference for all those who use drama and theatre in their work with young people, held annually since 2005

A Sector Symposium where young people, professionals and volunteers come together to discuss the priorities for youth theatre development across the country, held annually since 2011

Chrysalis – A micro-festival showcasing the most innovative work by young theatre-makers, delivered in partnership with the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh and held annually since 2015

International exchange and partnership projects

The provision of information, support and guidance, as well as research and advocacy on behalf of Scotland’s youth theatre sector

Phase 2: 2015 onwards

YTAS initiated and continues to deliver multi-year outreach and development projects to complement its core events and activities

Sector Mapping research and a review of YTAS’s Membership scheme

Regional development activity in underserved or disengaged local authority areas

Young Critics’ training and exchanges and a Young Leaders’ training programme in priority areas of multiple-deprivation

Managers’ and Directors’ Forums to help develop experienced leaders in the sector

Longer-term international partnership work including developing best practice resources

Increased advocacy with other national youth, arts and education organisations

During the next phase of its work, between 2018-21, YTAS will consolidate its core events in order to sustain and grow its essential support and development projects. By moving former annual national events to a new 2-year (biennial) cycle it will ensure that the scale, reach and diversity of YTAS’s activities continue to be responsive and sustainable for the sector.

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The following table demonstrates YTAS’s track record of growth and delivery since 2005.

Period Creative Scotland funding

Increased turnover Projects Delivered Other Achievements

2005 to

2009

£50k per year

£70k to

£113k

- 4 x National Festivals of Youth Theatre (NFYT) - 6 x training events

2009 to

2013

£75k per year

£95k to

£165k

- 3 x larger NFYT festivals - 4 x training conferences - Sector Symposium

- Fife micro-festival

- Young Carers Project

- Co-produced multi-partner international exchange in Norway

- Made national events D/deaf accessible

- Established YTAS Membership Scheme

- Created sector ‘Training Framework’

- Consultancy work in Perth, Glasgow, Falkirk and Norway

2013 to

2015

£105k per year

£201k to

£250k

- 2 x NFYT festivals - 2 x training conferences - 2 x Sector Symposiums - YTAS Membership Scheme - Hosted multi-partner international exchange

- Achieved significant European funding

- Company rebrand

- Recruited new patron, Scottish actor Sam Heughan

2015 to

2018

£133k per year

£292k to

£340k

- 3 x NFYT festivals - 4 x training conferences - 2 x Sector Symposia - YTAS Membership Scheme - 3 x Chrysalis festivals

- Young Arts Leaders’ year-long training scheme

- Young Critics’ projects

- International resource development project

- Participated in international exchanges in France, England and Ireland

- Sector Mapping research

- Membership Review

- New Regional Development role

- Achieved significant European funding

- Twice achieved Cashback for Creativity funding

- Set up YTAS Managers’ and Directors’ Forums

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Developing Beneficiaries and Partnerships Scotland’s youth theatre participants, leaders, artists and audiences have benefitted from YTAS’s role and activities since 2004. However there still remains a number of key areas of development that our Programme of Work will target between 2018-21.

Developing Participants YTAS provides access to information, support and guidance for Scotland’s youth theatre participants. They can also take part in YTAS’s national performance projects and developmental youth theatre opportunities. YTAS will maintain this provision while targeting specific communities of ‘place’, ‘interest’ and ‘practice’ to develop access, diversity and progression in the sector. YTAS will do this by sustaining and building on its established regional development role and associated activity, securing funds to develop the next stage of this work (including maintaining a regional development post as part of its staff team) from 2019.

Specific partnership activity:

Staging national performance projects and developmental youth theatre opportunities in different regional venues in Scotland

Traverse Theatre The Gaiety YTAS Members YTAS’s wider network

Supporting the work of specialist youth theatres engaging young people from the most deprived regions of Scotland.

Toonspeak Ignite Theatre

Strengthening inks, partnerships and activities with formal education

Education Scotland Scottish Drama Training Network Skills Development Scotland Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

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Developing Leaders YTAS will continue to develop the content of, and sector engagement in, its new online resources portal, including creating tools which help embed YTAS’s Membership Values and promote best practice.

The creation of a new Members’ CPD fund will further extend YTAS’s support for the sector.

In terms of training, YTAS will capitalise on the impact and legacy of its national events with activities that ‘feed-in’ and ‘follow-up’ to Interchange and the Sector Symposium.

YTAS has also identified a need for ‘Youth Theatre Essential Skills’ training days focussing on important areas such as child protection, first aid or basic workshop skills, aimed at new youth theatres, volunteers and practitioners.

Finally, YTAS will develop its Managers’ Forum to become a key steering group and development incubator for the organisation and the sector.


Developing the training and resources YTAS offers sector volunteers

Voluntary Arts Scotland Scottish Community Drama Association

Advancing YTAS’s sector leadership and advocacy, increasing awareness of the role that participation in youth theatre plays in young people’s social and civic life in Scotland

YouthLink Scotland

Progressing practical improvements to sector Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, environmental best practice and digital best practice

Birds of Paradise Creative Carbon Scotland A new digital ally/partner (to be identified)

Developing international partnership work with the aim of setting up a new European Network of Youth Theatres

Youth Theatre Ireland Theatre NI Rogaland Theatre, Norway

Continuing to support a cross-sector approach to cultural advocacy

Federation of Scottish Theatre (FST) Culture Counts

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Developing Artists

YTAS will dedicate attention to the training and networking of youth theatre directors in the belief that this area is key to ensuring work created by young people in collaboration with professional artists in Scotland is of the highest international standard. We know that directors often sacrifice their own artistic ambitions to prioritise the development needs of their junior colleagues, so by drawing on multiple partnerships increasing the profile, visibility and support of youth theatre directors in Scotland YTAS will help increase the ambition and momentum of the work produced across the sector over the next three years.

YTAS will also seek to extend the impact and legacy of Chrysalis and the National Festival of Youth Theatre with year-round activities that ‘feed-in’ and ‘follow-up’ to these events.


Developing and launching a new ‘Script Bank’ resource

Although regular requests are made to YTAS for advice and signposting regarding scripts for young audiences and young theatre makers there is currently no guide or central hub to address this. Scotland is internationally recognised for its plays for young audiences and it is notable that many of Scotland’s most celebrated playwrights have written and collaborated with youth theatres

Playwrights’ Studio Scotland

Working together to develop the quality and ambition of youth theatre as an art form in Scotland

Traverse Theatre National Theatre of Scotland

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Developing Audiences

YTAS believes that up to now Scotland’s youth theatre audiences have not received the level of support and development they deserve. With greater awareness of young people as both producers and consumers of the arts in recent years, YTAS is now ready to play a key role to play in sustained audience development.

YTAS will also continue to develop youth theatre audiences of all ages by including pre and post-show discussions at the National Festival of Youth Theatre, Chrysalis and Interchange.

YTAS will explore the potential that streaming and technology offers new and existing youth theatre audiences.

YTAS will seek to establish a ‘Go See YT’ fund to help youth theatres and artists engage more actively with each other’s work.


Developing a national ‘Youth Theatre Audience Development Consortium’

YTAS Members and Creative Learning Managers from: Eden Court, Aberdeen Performing Arts, Dundee Rep, Traverse Theatre, Lyceum Theatre, Festival and Kings Theatres, Howden Park, Platform, Tron, Citizens, Beacon Arts Centre and The Gaiety

Securing the YTAS Young Critics’ programme as an annual project which benefits the broader theatre ecology in Scotland

Edinburgh Fringe Society Le Grand Bleu, France

Support cross-sector improvements to audience development

Federation of Scottish Theatre (FST) Culture Republic

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Developing Sustainability and Resilience Although the scale, diversity and impact of YTAS’s work has grown considerably since 2004, the organisation still operates with only a small and predominantly part-time core staff team. It is essential that even this minimal level of staffing is maintained to ensure the national reach and impact of YTAS’s work. YTAS’s core funder, Creative Scotland, provides 40% of the organisation’s annual income. This core grant is at a standstill from 2015 until 2021, which in real terms represents a cut of 15%. As this core grant has never covered YTAS’s core costs, i.e. salaries and overheads, the organisation faces an ongoing challenge regarding growth and sustainability. YTAS therefore remains reliant on generating additional sources of income to sustain its work. Over the years YTAS has attracted significant external funding from a range of sources to sustain its work, including: earned income, sponsorship and donations, crowdfunding, European funding, in-kind partnership support and grants from trusts, foundations and local authorities. However, in recent years, YTAS has found that some funders are less willing to invest in its umbrella, development role or in its national festival events, favouring instead more local activity. In addition, many local authorities, who previously provided vital financial support for YTAS’s projects and events held in their regions, are now facing their own funding cuts. As a result, many grant funds have been wound up and key partner local authorities are no longer in a position to provide YTAS with any cash support for partner projects and events. To address all these factors, YTAS will work to develop the sustainability and resilience of the organisation between 2018-21, alongside delivery of its programme of work. This will include:

� Improving how YTAS captures and evidences the impact of its work on tens of thousands of young people across Scotland.

� Prioritising a longer-term approach to core fundraising, focusing on larger funders and YTAS’s national role and impact.

� Streamlining core and activity expenditure and reducing fundraising targets, to reduce financial risk.

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Programme of Work: Activities, Development Goals & Milestones

AIM 1: To strengthen Scotland’s youth theatre arts infrastructure Act as the central hub of information, support and guidance for Scotland’s youth theatre sector and as its spokesperson, advocate and leader

Activities Funding YTAS Lead

Year 1: 2018-19 Development Goals & Milestones

Year 2: 2019-20 Goals & Milestones


1. Maintaining the YTAS Membership Scheme.

2. Increasing the digital reach of YTAS Newsletter and comms.

3. Carrying out sector research and reviews.

RFO

Projects Co-

ordinator &

Comms & Marketing Manager

• Mailing list and digital footprint increases by 10%

• Mailing list and digital footprint increases by 10%.

• Sector mapping and review updated.

• YTAS mailing list and digital footprint increases by 10%.

4. Introducing new tools and supports to embed YTAS's Membership Values.

5. Developing the content and engagement in YTAS's online resources portal.

6. Introducing new tools that support environmental and digital best practice.

RFO Creative Learning Manager

• Tools and supports to embed Membership Values launched, 5 x member youth theatres using them to develop practice.

• Content of YTAS’s online resources portal updated.

• Engagement in resources portal increases by 10%.

• Strategic partnership and meetings established with Creative Carbon Scotland and YT Sector ‘Green Champions’.

• Digital partner/ally identified.

• 5 more groups using Membership Values to develop practice.


• New sustainability resources and guidance shared with sector.

• Planning meetings held with digital partner and a new Digital Plan drafted.

• 5 more groups using Membership Values to develop practice.


• Review and development meetings held with environmental partners and YTAS members.

• Digital Plan underway and best practice shared with sector.

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7. Developing Scotland’s first online Script Bank with Playwrights’ Studio Scotland.

Heritage Lottery

CEO &

Creative Learning Manager

• Fundraising achieved for initial R&D of Script Bank.

• Script Bank R&D underway.

• Fundraising achieved for full Script Bank development.

• Script Bank build and launch planning.

8. Introducing a Members’ CPD fund; awarding seed grants to youth theatre leaders and artists.

Trusts & Foundations

Projects Co-

ordinator

• Review of similar sector development grant processes (e.g. Imaginate and Puppet Animation Scotland).

• Fundraising achieved for Members CPD fund.

• Members CPD fund launched, 4 awards.

• Fundraising achieved for CPD fund and seed fund.

• Members CPD fund launched, 4 awards.

• Seed Grants fund launched, 4 awards.

9. Maintaining a cross-sector advocacy role and reputation.

10. Progressing strategic partnerships with leading national arts, education and youth bodies.

11. Developing a strategic relationship with YouthLink organisations to increase the role and visibility youth theatre participation plays in young people’s social and civic life in Scotland.

12. Developing strategic partnerships which progress practical improvements to sector Equality, Diversity and Inclusion; and Environmental and Digital best practice.

RFO CEO

• Art form and sector development meetings held with national partners and stakeholders.

• YTAS becomes a member of Youthlink and sits on national steering groups.

• YTAS becomes strategic network partner with Creative Carbon Scotland’s national steering group.

• YTAS establishes new strategic partnership agreements with EDI partners Birds of Paradise, Ignite and Toonspeak.

• Ongoing strategic partnership meetings and actions with: national partners artfom and sector development and stakeholders, Youthlink members, Creative Carbon Scotland steering group and EDI partners.

• Ongoing strategic partnership meetings and actions with: national partners artfom and sector development and stakeholders, Youthlink members, Creative Carbon Scotland steering group and EDI partners.

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AIM 2: To provide a variety of youth theatre opportunities which inspire young people in Scotland

Improve the sustainability and impact of our participatory projects and establish new audience development activity





13. Refining the National Festival of Youth Theatre (NFYT) into a 2-year (biennial) cycle from 2017.

14. Deliver NFYT in 2019

15. Instigating planning for NFYT to move to another region in 2021.

16. Developing the regional youth theatre network in the NFYT region through outreach work.

RFO +

Local Trusts

Projects Co-

ordinator &


• New biennial NFYT model in place.

• Advance planning and outreach underway for NFYT 2019.

• NFYT 2019 event planned and fundraising achieved.

• NFYT 2019 participants recruited.

• NFYT 2019 delivered.

• NFYT 2021 advanced planning and outreach underway.

17. Refining the Chrysalis festival into a 2-year (biennial) cycle from 2018.

RFO +


CEO &

Projects Co-

ordinator

• Fundraising achieved for Chrysalis 2018.

• Chrysalis 2018 delivered

• Fundraising achieved for Chrysalis 2020 • Chrysalis 2020 delivered.

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18. Developing youth theatre audiences by including pre and post-show discussions at NFYT, Chrysalis and Interchange.

19. Establishing a network of audience development partnerships (with YTAS members, venue-based Creative Learning Managers, Culture Republic, FST and NTS).

20. Securing and developing YTAS’s new Young Critics programme as an annual partnership project.

21. Establishing a new ‘Go See YT’ fund awarding small grants which support youth theatres and artists to travel to see each other’s work.

22. Exploring the potential that streaming and technology offers youth theatre audiences.

RFO +


CEO &

Comms & Marketing Manager

& Creative Learning Manager

• Post-show discussions held at Chrysalis 2018 and Interchange 2019

• Fundraising achieved for Young Critics programme.

• Young Critics programme delivered April - Nov 2018

• Research and pilot digital streaming at Chrysalis 2018.

• Post-show discussions held at NFYT 2019.

• Partnership meetings held with key stakeholders for the development of a Youth Theatre Touring Network.

• Young Critics programme delivered Apr - Nov 2019

• Fundraising achieved for Go See YT fund.

• Go See YT fund launched, awarding 4 grants.

• Research into streaming and new technology potential

• Piloting the use of streaming and new technology across multiple strands

• Youth Theatre touring activity piloted.

• Young Critics programme delivered Apr - Nov 2019.

• Post-show discussions held at Chrysalis 2020.

• Fundraising achieved for Go See YT fund.

• Go See YT awards 4 grants.

• Streaming training for the sector.

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AIM 3: To improve access, progression and ambition in the field of youth theatre arts in Scotland Increase the number, type and level of aspiration of youth theatre participants, artists and leaders who engage with YTAS’s network





23. Maintaining and developing YTAS’s regional development post and activity from 2019 onwards.

Robertson Trust


• Regional development post and activity 2016-19.

• Fundraising achieved for new regional development post and activity 2019-22.

• New regional development role recruited and activity begins 2019-22

• Regional development activity.

24. Supporting the work of specialist youth theatres which engage young people from the most deprived regions of Scotland.

Cashback

CEO &

NT Co-ordinator

• Cashback for Creativity partnership project in SIMD areas 2017-20

• Cashback for Creativity partnership project in SIMD areas 2017-20

25. Progressing YTAS’s international partnership work with developments towards a new European Network of Youth Theatres (ENYT).

Creative Europe CEO

• ENYT Creative Europe application awarded • ENYT partnership activity

• International Youth Exchange in 2021

• Launch of the ENYT

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AIM 4: To develop leadership in Scotland’s youth theatre sector Improve the sustainability and impact of YTAS’s year-round skills development programmes and networking opportunities





26. Focused training and networking for youth theatre directors.

27. Refining Interchange into a 2-year (biennial) cycle.

28. Refining the Symposium into a 2-year cycle.

29. Embedding the YTAS Managers’ Forum as a key steering group and development engine for the sector.

30. Delivering ‘Youth Theatre Essential Skills’ training days, aimed at supporting new youth theatres, volunteers and emerging practitioners.

31. Establishing informal networking and support opportunities between YTAS members.

RFO

General

Manager

&


• 2 x Directors’ Forums delivered.

• New biennial model for Interchange in place.

• Advance planning underway for Interchange in March 2019 with fundraising achieved.

• Interchange 2019 delivered.

• Symposium 2019 delivered.

• 2 x Managers’ Forums delivered.

• 2 x ‘Youth Theatre Essential Skills' training days.

• Informal networking opportunities piloted.

• Advance planning underway for Interchange 2021

• 2 Managers’ Forums delivered.

• Informal networking opportunities.

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Governance, Delivery and Organisational Management

Youth Theatre Arts Scotland is a company limited by guarantee (No. 269952) and a registered Scottish charity (No. SC035765). It is governed by a Board of Directors who have overall legal responsibility for the running of the organisation in accordance with our articles of association. The Board meets quarterly with additional annual strategic planning days and have delegated the day-to-day running of the organisation to the CEO. The Board maintains a range of lay experience to balance membership within and out with Scotland’s cultural sector and ensure that a good range of skills and experience are brought to bear at a strategic level. The Board has a training policy to ensure all Directors are aware of their responsibilities and equipped to fulfill their duties as trustees. Board of Directors

Rachael Brown Chair Elspeth Hough Vice Chair (until March 2018) Sally Borley Director Zoë Cuthbert Director Ken Gouge Director Gillian Gourlay Director Alan McMillan Director Deborah Rennick McArthur Director Craig Steele Director Hazel Wotherspoon Director

YTAS’s work is supported and promoted by its patron, the Scottish actor Sam Heughan. Staff

Kenny McGlashan CEO Helen Bain General Manager (PT) Vikki Doig Learning and Engagement Manager James Coutts Communications and Marketing Manager (PT) Catherine Makin Projects Co-ordinator (PT) Andy Catlin Marketing Co-ordinator (PT) (From April 2018) Young Leaders’ Mentor & Co-ordinator (PT, fixed-term) Karen Caillaud Bookkeeper (Freelance)

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In addition to its core staff team, YTAS regularly employs freelance artists, producers, technicians and interns to deliver its activities and events throughout the year. YTAS has clear processes and procedures for recruitment, and contractual terms and conditions, which are outlined in its Company Handbook. YTAS takes its role as a best practice employer very seriously. The organisation is an accredited Living Wage Employer and employees’ salaries are reviewed annually. YTAS uses sector research, data and partners to inform industry standards and assure fair pay for the permanent and freelance staff it employs.

YTAS received a Good Practice Award from Investors in Young People for demonstrating the organisation’s commitment to supporting training and employment transitions across its sector; from being a participant, to a student, to a professional. YTAS has a detailed Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Policy and Action Plan which demonstrates how EDI is applied throughout the organisation, from governance to employment, in planned activities and engagement with participants and audiences. The document, published on YTAS’s website, contains focussed research, consultation, baseline figures, aims and procedures. As a committed member of Creative Carbon Scotland’s Green Arts Initiative YTAS has an Environmental Policy and Action Plan. Ongoing monitoring, activity and development of this plan has encouraged the organisation to embed its ambitions across its programme and its membership, as well as informing its future strategic direction.

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Financial Management

YTAS has a strong record of financial management. It has set and delivered balanced budgets, attracted significant external funding from a range of sources and developed prudent reserves in line with the organisation’s Reserves Policy. YTAS has received core, multi-year funding from Creative Scotland since 2009 and has achieved and managed multi-partner international funding, including all planning and reporting requirements. YTAS’s finances are managed by the CEO, supported by a freelance bookkeeper. Management Accounts are presented to the Board quarterly in addition to the annual approval of audited accounts. The accounts are audited annually by McFadden Associates Limited and always filed in good time with Companies House, as are our annual reports to the Office of the Scottish Charity Registrar. Board recruitment and skills audits ensure there is experienced oversight of finances and financial planning at Board level. YTAS account keeping is specified in its articles of association and management accounts are scrutinised at each Board meeting where financial risks are identified, tracked and managed. The Board holds strategic planning days with the CEO where financial planning is discussed in relation to the organisation’s ambitions. YTAS’s risk register is prepared quarterly for Board discussion and includes a financial risks section which is closely monitored and risks mitigated through cost management and expenditure scheduling where necessary.

YTAS Business Plan 2018-21 · Page 5-7 Organisational Background and Track Record Pages 8-11 Developing Beneficiaries and Partnerships - Developing Participants - Developing Leaders

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