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35,970 claims
YWCS held a cash balance of £88,212 at the end of March 2025, representing 6.5 months of operating costs.
At the end of 2024/2025 we held a cash balance of £88,212, of which £28,112 were restricted funds. This represents 6.5 months of operating costs.
Financial · Metric statement · From York Women's Counselling Service — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 11
YWCS aims to have reserves equal to six months of operating costs as per the Reserves Policy.
Our aim is to ensure the charity's sustainability and protect the women we support. With that in mind, the Trustees agreed to a new Reserves Policy in July 2021, which outlines our approach and seeks to move YWCS to a position where free reserves are equal to 6 months of operating costs.
Governance · Policy statement · From York Women's Counselling Service — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 11
YWCS grant income totalled £57,129 in the year ending March 2025.
Our grant income totalled £57,129. This represents a 209% increase in last year’s grant income.
Financial · Metric statement · From York Women's Counselling Service — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 10
YWCS raised £48,857 from community fundraising efforts in the year ending March 2025.
From our community fundraising we raised £48,857 - this includes the Lord Mayor of York’s Charity of the Year, our Cook Off event and Betty’s Tea Room Charity of the Year scheme.
Financial · Metric statement · From York Women's Counselling Service — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 10
YWCS reduced client contributions to income from 18% in the previous year to 12%.
Mindful of the cost-of-living increases and the pressures facing our client group, we aim to have a diverse income stream from a mixture of grants, income from external CPS events, room hire, and counselling donations. This year, we have continued to reduce the reliance on counselling contributions from our clients. At the end of 2024/25 these totalled 12% of YWCS income as against some 18% in 2023/24.
Financial · Metric statement · From York Women's Counselling Service — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 10
YWCS secured funding from the National Lottery’s Awards for All and the Purey Cust Trust to establish a Trauma Service.
This year has seen us successfully secure funding from the National Lottery’s Awards for All and the Purey Cust Trust to establish a Trauma Service to support women experiencing severe trauma-related symptoms such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Part of this is offering NICE approved Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) which facilitates faster and more effective healing for clients as well as upskilling all counsellors in trauma-informed practice.
Commissioning · Funding statement · From York Women's Counselling Service — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 9
YWCS provided counselling to 25.6% of clients through The Spring Fund, which has increased by 159% from the previous period.
This year has seen us successfully secure funding from the National Lottery’s Awards for All and the Purey Cust Trust to establish a Trauma Service to support women experiencing severe trauma-related symptoms such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Part of this is offering NICE approved Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) which facilitates faster and more effective healing for clients as well as upskilling all counsellors in trauma-informed practice.
Service · Metric statement · From York Women's Counselling Service — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 9
YWCS clients reported an improvement in their mental wellbeing following support from the service.
Our clients reported an improvement in their mental wellbeing following support from YWCS. On average, our clients started their counselling reporting moderate to severe psychological distress and ended their sessions reporting low levels of distress.
Service · Observational claim · From York Women's Counselling Service — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 9
YWCS received 1085 counselling sessions in the year ending March 2025, a 12.3% increase from the previous year.
In 2024/25 we received 82 new enquiries from women seeking counselling, whilst this number is slightly down from the year before (88), our volunteer counsellors delivered 1085 sessions in the year, a 12.3% increase from 2023/24.
Service · Metric statement · From York Women's Counselling Service — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 9
YWCS has a high-quality CPD programme for its counselling team, including in-person and online training sessions.
We also have a high quality CPD programme which provides our counselling team with a variety of in-person and online training sessions. These are planned with the challenges our clients have often faced, and the skills and knowledge base our counsellors need to help them.
Operational · Procedural statement · From York Women's Counselling Service — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 8
YWCS provides mandatory training courses online for flexible access by staff and volunteers.
We continue to provide online courses to enable flexible access to mandatory training for all those volunteering or working with YWCS, including on safeguarding, GDPR and Confidentiality, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
Operational · Procedural statement · From York Women's Counselling Service — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 8
YWCS is a member of various networks to support its operations.
We are also part of PEPSY, a networking group comprising other York counselling services, and the York Mental Health Consortium, comprised of voluntary sector mental health service providers.
Relational · Procedural statement · From York Women's Counselling Service — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 6
YWCS has a dedicated Learning and Development programme for its volunteer counsellors and psychotherapists.
We are committed to equipping and supporting our volunteer counsellors and psychotherapists to deliver high-quality counselling. Our YWCS Learning and Development
Service · Policy statement · From York Women's Counselling Service — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 7
YWCS aims to provide high-quality, affordable counselling in a confidential and safe setting.
Our programmes are designed to provide the best and affordable counselling in a confidential and safe setting for women who are experiencing difficulties because of current or past emotional stress and trauma, regardless of their ability to pay.
Service · Policy statement · From York Women's Counselling Service — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 7
YWCS conducts initial assessments over the phone to reduce waiting times for clients.
The assessment takes the form of a discussion which covers the key issues facing the potential client and whether YWCS can support them. If counselling is deemed suitable, the potential client is placed on our ‘waiting list’ whilst a suitable counsellor is identified and has capacity to take on a new client.
Service · Procedural statement · From York Women's Counselling Service — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 7
YWCS has a dedicated team of volunteer counsellors who are members of professional bodies and have clinical experience in various specialisms.
Our volunteer counsellors and psychotherapists come from a range of backgrounds and are all members of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) or equivalent. Many of our volunteer counsellors have clinical experience in specialist areas such as eating disorders, domestic abuse, child sexual abuse, pre-and post-natal depression.
Service · Policy statement · From York Women's Counselling Service — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 7
YWCS provides both in-person and virtual counselling sessions to accommodate different client needs.
Whilst most of our clients choose to have in person counselling sessions, we offer sessions virtually to those who need or prefer it. This means that we have the capacity to reach those women who are otherwise unable to access counselling in person - whether due to ill health, cost of travel, limited access to childcare and so on.
Service · Policy statement · From York Women's Counselling Service — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 7
YWCS aims never to turn women away due to inability to pay and offers a Spring Fund for those who cannot afford counselling fees.
We aim never to turn women away because of an inability to pay for help and have our dedicated Spring Fund for women who cannot afford to contribute.
Service · Policy statement · From York Women's Counselling Service — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 7
YWCS offers a range of therapy models to cater to diverse client needs.
Our counsellors can also offer a choice of different models of therapy such as EMDR, DBT, dramatherapy and art therapy. This expands the choice for our clients and where possible clients are paired with a counsellor most appropriate to their needs.
Service · Policy statement · From York Women's Counselling Service — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 7
YWCS provides counselling services without imposing a maximum number of sessions per client, unlike other services.
We are the only organisation in York that does not impose a maximum number of sessions per client. Other counselling services have a cap on the number of sessions, typically 6-12.
Service · Policy statement · From York Women's Counselling Service — annual report and accounts, year ending 31 March 2025, page 7