Press release: New charity investigation: Youth Development Summer Camp Project

The Charity Commission, the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales, has opened a statutory inquiry into Youth Development Summer Camp Project, registered charity number 1086721. The inquiry was opened on 2 September 2016.

The charity has objects to provide youth development activities at summer camps to children up to the age of 17.

On 28 August 2016 the Commission was made aware by the Metropolitan Police Service that a charity trustee was arrested under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups and Adults Act 2006. A serious incident report was not made to the Commission by any of the trustees in regards to this matter. The Commission is investigating whether any Disclosure and Barring checks have been conducted.

The charity’s annual returns for financial years’ ending 2014 onwards indicate that the charity has no written safeguarding policies in place, including in relation to risk management or vulnerable beneficiaries. Due to the nature of the charity’s activities, these factors have raised serious regulatory concerns for the Commission and require further examination by way of statutory inquiry.

In order to address these concerns, the investigation is looking at whether:

  • the trustees have properly managed the risk to the charity’s beneficiaries and services
  • the trustees have complied with their legal duties and responsibilities in the governance and management of the charity particularly in relation to policies and procedures regarding safeguarding
  • the trustees have protected the charity’s assets, including its reputation

It is the Commission’s policy, after it has concluded an inquiry, to publish a report detailing what issues the inquiry looked at, what actions were undertaken as part of the inquiry and what the outcomes were. Reports of previous inquiries by the Commission are available on GOV.UK.

The charity’s details can be viewed on the Commission’s online charity search tool.

Ends

PR 49/17

Notes to editors

  1. The Charity Commission is the independent regulator of charities in England and Wales. To find out more about our work, see our annual report.
  2. Search for charities on our online register.
  3. Section 46 of the Charities Act 2011 gives the Commission the power to institute inquiries. The opening of an inquiry gives the Commission access to a range of investigative, protective and remedial legal powers.
  4. The Commission’s decision to announce the opening of a statutory inquiry is based on whether it is in the public interest to do so and with consideration of our objective to increase public trust and confidence in charities.