Tucked away between a church and a primary school on a back street in Lambeth, the Latin American Golden Years Day Centre (Centro Latinoamericano “Los Años Dorados”) is a hive of activity.
On what seems to be a typical weekday morning there are staff and volunteers bustling between offices and a group of eager students readying themselves for an English language class.
In the main room every spare inch of wall space is covered with paintings done by the Day Centre members – many of scenes from their South American homelands – while the numerous musical instruments visible in a side room suggest one of the other favourite activities.
The organisation has been running since 1992 explains Jorge Morales, the Day Centre’s Co-ordinator. Starting as a social gathering for Chilean refugees it soon outgrew its original domestic venue and, with the help of Lambeth council, premises were found. Soon, other South American refugees were joining in, particularly people from Colombia and Peru.
Today, as well as offering important elements of social activities, advice and support for older people, the Day Centre runs classes covering everything from computing to tango dancing and is set to expand its work into the Portuguese-speaking community of the borough – both South American and African.
Governance
Jorge Morales, who has been in post since 2005 and has more than fifteen years experience in the voluntary sector, says that when he came into post his first priority was to develop the board of trustees. "I wanted a board that really worked for the organisation,” he explains. “So I advertised and got people with a good range of skills, background and experience.”
Some trustees are originally from South America, others come from England or other parts of the world. “I like to have a mix of ethnicities and ages,” Jorge says. “It makes for a good balance.”
As well as their regular meetings every six weeks the trustees also help out with a variety of specific tasks, such as proof-reading funding applications. It’s clear that Jorge regards them as a vital foundation for the organisation.
Jorge Morales, Day Centre Co-ordinator
Financial management
One area where Jorge works particularly closely with trustees is financial management. The Treasurer is an accountant so she keeps a close eye on budgeting and accounts. “Every year I draft a budget based on last year’s figures,” Jorge says, “and make any adjustments that are required. We can then estimate how much money will need to be raised.”
He uses Quick Books and Excel and advises others to use these or similar computerised packages. “If you don’t know how to use them then there are plenty of training courses available and lots of them are free.”
Jorge presents updated budgets at each trustee meeting and provides more detailed reports for the Treasurer and Deputy Treasurer.
Fundraising
As with most charities, fundraising is always a challenge for the Golden Years Day Centre. While they have been quite successful over the years, most funding is limited to three years or less, so new sources are always being sought.
The key, Jorge says, is for an organisation to understand its priorities before trying to raise money. “What is it that will enable your project to really move forward? Be clear about what you want to do, find the resources and then do it”.
He also makes sure that trustees are involved in developing fundraising ideas, feeding back on proposals and proof-reading documents. “I’ve been in England 30 years but I still miss certain things in English,” Jorge says.
Future development
Having secured funding from the local Primary Care Trust, the Day Centre was recently able to engage a consultant to help them put together a new three-year strategy. This has enabled them to identify policies that need to be in place and to develop plans to expand their services to reach more of the Portuguese-speaking population of Lambeth.
Jorge, who came to England as a refugee from Chile in the 1970s, is clearly up for the challenge and is also keen to see that, however their work grows, they stay closely in touch with the needs of users. “We always consult users about our work,” he explains, “and they elect representatives to attend trustee meetings.”
The Day Centre will be working with the Basis Project over the coming months to help them take their work on the new strategy forward.
