Trustees Report (2009 – 2010)

This last year has been a voyage of discovery. We have continued to enjoy the patronage of AEP UK Ltd who provided the majority of the funds we need to develop our services. We were offered an unconditional licence of their product branded as SNAP4Business. This is a while labelled social networking application platform.
We had to drop out the Zonadream concept and focus on the Friendship Zone.
We are still in the same office which offers us more services to provide. Instead of being worried at the halt of the long march of home ownership, we still enjoy our low rent office.
Friendship Zone is still BETA version – a lot of work has been done but still many things needs to be improved and developed. We will therefore develop platforms to facilitate peer to peer networking, learning and partnerships. We also believe that they are the strongest advertisement to the wider public: to inspire more people to join our website, for us to work for social benefit and to draw in help and funds from the population at large. We will also continue to improve the quality and design of our website and support charitable activities, drawing on evaluations of our programmes and research into what works better for community.
Friendship Zone promotes friendship and helps people to achieve their dreams. Our goal is to foster a healthy work environment that allows our employees to achieve a positive work-life balance and we strive to have an atmosphere of respect and open collaboration, creating the conditions wherein which every employee feels valued, empowered, and part of a team.
Friendship Zone is both a social networking site and a place where interested people can apply for grants to help achieve their dreams. At the moment the project of Birthday Dream Party works only in Northampton but in the nearest future it is going to have a national audience thus giving the chance for others nationwide to use this wonderful opportunity. There is a link to see first Birthday Dream Parties in Red Hot restaurant in Sixfields, Northampton: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheFriendshipZone#p/u
Youngsters also have the opportunity to be involved in the “Youth Sport Infrastructure Development” program. There are many sport organizations for youngsters who need various kinds of developments (renovation, building etc). The main objective of this development program is to improve or develop sport facilities used by youngsters.
Friendship Zone in collaboration with University of Northampton is offering graduates and postgraduates an opportunity to undergo placements/ experience, with the view of having an advantage of future job prospects.
Friendship Zone works closely with Northampton Volunteer Centre to expand its employment opportunities to people who are interested in volunteering, this in the nutshell help improve the community. The Number of Volunteers continues to rise. Future Job Fund helped us to realise potential of training providing.
The Charity is glad to confirm that it is also opened to disadvantage individuals. We are in the final process of obtaining DISABILITY SYMBOL which would intend help us to recruit more interested youngsters with disability.



Friendship Zone is now also a registered member of UK Online centre. We can take advantage of all the great benefits that membership has to offer, we have access to “the Help
is at Hand pages” a website that has been specifically designed for UK Online centre members.
Environmental is an issue that Friendship Zone takes very seriously and is in collaboration with one of the largest collectors of used printer cartridges in the UK Empty Cartridge. Friendship Zone helps to search for companies which do not recycle their used cartridges and old mobile phones to register them with Empty Cartridge.
Friendship Zone was one of the first organisations in Northampton being involved in a national scheme run by Future Job Fund. Friendship Zone has now supported over 60 talented and inspirational people to become Project Administrators through the national scheme, giving them a chance for a 6 month paid work contract. Friendship Zone gives valuable training to unemployed youngsters to achieving better opportunities in the current and future job market as well. As our work grows and develops, we learn more about what can be achieved through supporting individuals to deliver social benefit, and about how best to support them. The commitment, energy and innovation shown by our hard work are remarkable. From local community projects to social enterprises delivering transformational change, more experienced youngsters are a new force for good in our society. We have been delighted with the progress made by Future Job Fund, and inspired by the quality and commitment of the people, from all ages and backgrounds, who have stepped forward to become Project Administrators.
Friendship Zone has demonstrated and still demonstrates to the world that hard work and an innovative approach can be the basis for unparalleled success. Notwithstanding the tough involvement in a Charity as a non-profit organization, Friendship Zone has proven that innovative business model based upon a firm belief in its product can outperform bigger competitors.
Fundraising activities are ongoing; we will now seek to expand the numbers of people we can help, by drawing in additional funds whilst continuing to make best use of the Future Job Fund endowment income.
We are looking forward to this next year as our projects mature. We also look forward to be able to report more specifically about the number of individuals and communities that we have been able to support.