Archived: Youth With A Mission Sydney Hills Incorporated: mini charity review

Mini charity review of Youth With A Mission Sydney Hills Incorporated (YWAMSH), an organisation that seeks donations online (via this page), and is a member of Missions Interlink. (Including the answers to the questions that the Australian charity regulator, the ACNC, suggests that you ask.)

For the previous review, see here.

Are they responsive to feedback?

• I sent them a draft of this review on 5 September 2017. Like last year, they….did not respond.

Is YWAMSH registered?

• As a charity, yes
• YWAMSH is a NSW incorporated association (No. INC9878517).
• It trades under another name^[1], YWAM Sydney Newtown, a name that is still not registered.
  • According to the Bookers in November 2015, YWAM Sydney Newtown’ have ‘taken over’ YWAMSH. But despite their claim that the new organisation is now ‘government-official’, two years later YWAMSH is still registered and ‘YWAM Sydney Newton’ is still unofficial.
  • Neither YWAMSH, nor YWAM Sydney Newtown are in the list of centres on the YWAM Australia site.
• YWAMSH operates, per the ACNC Register, in only New South Wales. It does not hold a fundraising licence in NSW. Nor in any other state where one might be required^[2].
• The ACNC Register says that it doesn’t operate overseas. It therefore doesn’t need the income tax exemption that its membership of Missions Interlink provides.

What do they do?

• The ways that you can become involved give a good idea of what YWAMSH does.
• This, from the Annual Information Statement (AIS) 2016, is what they said they did in 2016:
  • Hosting teams that are doing a Cert 4 training course, to meet training outcomes while on there (sic) field assignment. While hosting them we have them help in the local community.

Do they share the Gospel?^[3]

• I expect so.

What impact are they having?

• Nothing found.

What do they spend outside the costs directly incurred in delivering the above impact, that is, administration?

• No Financial Report has been made public, and it is not possible to estimate this figure from the limited information required in the AIS 2016.

Do they pay their directors?

• There is no prohibition on this in their constitution.
• There is insufficient financial information disclosed to check for such payments.

Can you get a tax deduction?

• No.

Is their online giving secure?

• www.gofundme.com is used, but their form doesn’t mention security.

Where were your (net) donations sent?

• Your donation will go to ‘Alana Blasé’.

What choices do you have in how your donation is used?

• None

Is their reporting up-to-date?

• Yes (seven and a half months after their year-end, two weeks late, and ten days later than last year).

Does their reporting comply with the regulator’s requirements?

• AIS 2016: Not quite.
  • YYAMSH is ‘known by’ the name YWAM Sydney Newtown, but this is not a business name (or trading name).
  • No outcomes are reported.
• Financial Report 2016: Yes
  • Because of its size YWAMSH doesn’t have to lodge a Financial Report.
  • Although YWAMSH is a member of Missions Interlink, and one of their requirements is that members ‘have available for its members and supporters a clear and appropriate financial statement which has been approved by its auditor [Standards Statement, 4.1], they did not choose to lodge one with the ACNC voluntarily.

What financial situation was shown in that Report?

• No Report (see above), but from the AIS 2016:
  • Almost 100% of the $62K income came from ‘Donations and bequests’.
  • There were no ‘Employee expenses…’, nor ‘Grants and donations made…’.
  • They made a surplus of $29K.
  • It is not obvious how they managed to also pay off $45K of liabilities and maintain their assets.
    • The equity is therefore now positive.

What did the auditor say about the last financial statements?

• No audit report has been published. (One is required though.)

If a charity, is their page on the ACNC Register complete?

• No
  • ‘Responsible Persons’ is still blank.
  • YWAMSH is, at least according to the ACNC, (still) long overdue in selecting an Entity Subtype.
  • ‘Website’ is blank, but this is not compulsory.

Who are the people controlling the organisation?

• Despite the AIS 2015 referring to ‘Responsible Persons’, that section was blank that year and remains blank.

To whom are YWAMSH accountable?

• Not mentioned on the website, but YWAMSH is a member of Missions Interlink.
  • For one opinion on the strength of this accountability, see the section Activities in this review.
• Also accountable to the ACNC.
• And to the New South Wales regulator of incorporated associations.

1. Website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest ↑
2. The law in this area is not straightforward – is an internet invitation ‘fundraising’ for instance? – and advice varies, so check with the charity before drawing any conclusions. ↑
3. “Good living and social concern are important [to the cause of evangelism], but they are not uniquely Christian graces…I’ve met a lot of fine Hindus, Muslims and atheists. Just living the life is not going to bring someone to Christ. There is much more to it than that. We must help people, certainly, but we must also share with them why we are motivated to do so. We must stand against injustice, poverty and need, but we must at the same time point to the One who brings justice and who can meet the deepest need. Until they know our reasons, how can they come to know our Lord?” [Dan Armstrong, the Fifth Gospel: The Gospel According to You, Anzea Books, pp. 13-14. ↑