4 years ago I wrote two articles about The Enthusiasm Trust and its controversial founder Joe Russo. It raised many questions about the charity’s internal governance, Russo’s salary, the source and use of funds, and outcome delivery. Since then there have been many changes to Enthusiasm, including the departure of Joe Russo in September 2021.

Enthusiasm Trust is a Derby based charity supporting young people (11-18 years old, male and female) by providing universal activities, one-to-one mentoring programmes, and school support programmes for those at risk of exclusion. Many have complex needs and chaotic lifestyles. They come from areas with high unemployment, poor health and housing, high levels of crime and exposure to gangs and may witness or experience drug and/or alcohol abuse.

It also works with parents and families offering opportunities to gain skills, employment, knowledge, and experience, from a variety of activities.

Young people are principally drawn from Osmaston, Allenton, and Alvaston.

Close to 1000 people have attended at least 1 activity/event over the last year with 250-300 getting involved with some degree of regularity

In September 2022, I was contacted by the new Chief Executive Officer of Enthusiasm, April Allman. She invited me to meet with her and two of the trustees to bring me up to date with the changes in the organisation. At the meeting I was asked if I would consider writing a follow up article; they committed to give me as much access as I wanted.

The most significant change in the last few years is that Enthusiasm, in addition to appointing a new CEO, is supported by 10 Trustees, with a range of professional backgrounds, providing a relevant depth and breadth of experience.

CEO – April Allman has over 25 years’ experience in the Further Education sector and worked for many years as a senior leader, retiring as Deputy Principal at Derby College Group

Trustees:

Pauline Anderson OBE Chair – Board of Trustees. Director of Inclusion and Skills at Derby City Council, chair of trustees for the Traveller Movement London and chair of Derby Cultural Education.

Dean Jackson is the owner, founder, and CEO of HUUB, a world-leading wetsuit, triathlon and cycling apparel design and manufacturer.

David Nelson is a senior partner at the Midlands-based accountancy and advisory business PKF Smith Cooper.

Ryan Duckett has more than 20 years of experience working in professional sport and is currently CEO of Derbyshire County Cricket Club.

Carol Dixon is the director of employer partnerships at Derby College.

Claire Twells is a partner in Smith Partnership, where she is a debt recovery lawyer

Gary Parkin served with Derbyshire Constabulary for more than 30 years, retiring in 2015 as superintendent responsible for policing across Derby, South Derbyshire, and Erewash.

Sarah Le Good started her career as a teacher and has worked in the further education sector for more than 25 years

James Johnson is a solicitor and partner at Smith Partnership Solicitors, based in Derby

Nathan Thaker owns and operates Icons Talent

The Charity has a documented management, governance, finance and safeguarding structure.

Programmes

In Derby, Enthusiasm operates out of a Council building on Cotton Lane ( it also runs a Youth Club in Clifton). It runs programmes and activities most days of the week. The main programmes are:

Universal activities – these are open to all young people and includes the weekly youth club, school holiday clubs, drama/dance, sports/fitness, ‘Grow your own’ food programme, health and well-being activities.

Range of separately funded 1-2-1 Mentoring programmes specifically working with ~65 young people who are either vulnerable, disaffected, disengaged, or “at risk” and who are looking for opportunities to improve. Working with their mentor, the young person will develop a plan of activities; this is regularly reviewed so that progress can be monitored. The “Streets to Success” programme is a collaborative initiative between Derby City Council, the Home Office’s “Safer Streets” Initiative, Empowered Youth Academy and Enthusiasm.

Family Hub – for parents and young people – various group activities, including Boxfit, healthy lifestyle, food parcels

Outreach to schools – attendance at school assemblies to raise awareness of the activities and services offered at Enthusiasm’s Youth Centre.

Residential Outdoor – These activities provide fun, diversionary activities whilst building trust, confidence, self-esteem, team building and instilling aspirations.

These programmes don’t operate in mutual isolation. The team support the young people, not just as an individual, but within the network of the family, the wider community and the statutory organisations ultimately giving a more holistic approach (contextual safeguarding / place-based risk)

Volunteers

There are around 20-30 volunteers working as part of the Enthusiasm team, all of whom have grown and developed from being attendees at the Centre. All volunteers go through a range of training programmes to ensure that they are properly qualified in their role.

Some of the volunteers represent Enthusiasm on the Youth Voice Board and Derby’s Poverty Commission.

Collaboration / Partners

The Charity continues to develop its connections, collaborations and partnerships with Derby City Council, the Police and Schools, the Youth Alliance / Community Action Derby, Derby County Community Trust, Children’s Society, Moorways, Community One, and NWG.

It is supported by:

Funding

In the last financial year to 31st March 2022, the overall funding reduced by about 50% from the previous year. This resulted in a £110k deficit for the year. The future is still a challenge.

“Funding remains a key priority, in securing enough to guarantee the continued good work and operation of the organisation’s charitable aims. Whilst the expectation for the current financial year is another deficit, this is expected to be less than in the prior year, with the future pipeline looking healthier as a result of the new focus.”

April Allman CEO

The Trustees have developed a strategy to increase the funding such that services can expand in line with its planned reach. The Patron’s Club has been developed to secure independent financial and, in-kind contributions, from a range of local organisations keen to support the aims of the Charity.

Professional review

NWG produced a report on Enthusiasm; the summarised conclusions are below.

NWG is a charitable organisation formed as a UK network of over 14,500 practitioners who disseminate our information down through their services, to professionals working on the issue of child exploitation and trafficking within the UK.

Comment

There is no question that the Chief Exec and Trustees wanted a clean break from the past. An inherited obligation to pay a non-contractual termination payment of £30,000 to the previous Chief Exec, Joe Russo, was honoured even though the Charity could ill-afford it. It was felt that it was the price for closing this chapter of Enthusiasm’s history.

The nature of Enthusiasm’s work means that it will always have to rely on external grant funding, or donations. This requires rigour, transparency and integrity in the demonstration of delivered outcomes and careful management of finances. It also requires professionalism and experience. All of which now seems to be in place.

To transform Enthusiasm, 10 Trustees have committed their time, and their reputations to the charity.

There is a positiveness within the organisation and the increasing number of connections, partners, and collaborators is a good sign of confidence being built up by the volunteers, staff, management and trustees.

In a time when many of Derby’s young people need more help and support, it is good news that this capacity in Enthusiasm is being developed and transformed. Being part of the Derby Youth Alliance will help in securing its status and future.