Strategy 2024
A safe home, better life and fairer future for everyone
We were founded to help people facing the devastating effects of homelessness.
Today, we also tackle the causes and consequences of poverty and inequality.
In 1974, Tom Gifford and his wife Brigid, founded the charity that would become Porchlight.
Having experienced the devastating effects of homelessness, he wanted to create a fairer future for others in the same position.
In 2024, we are still here for people when it matters most. Offering safety, stability and respect; empowering people to live the life they want; and together, fighting for lasting change.
Our strategy has been developed with the people we support, our staff, volunteers, supporters, commissioners, donors and funders.
We've never been more needed
When someone is facing homelessness, poverty or ill health, they can turn to our staff and volunteers.
We hear their experiences; we help people see their strengths and we empathise.
We do everything we can to build trust and help them find the support they need to live the life they want.
We’re here when it matters most.
An increasing challenge
Without proper funding from central government, and in the face of local government funding cuts, our work is becoming harder.
Many of the support services we want to refer people into are no longer there – including some of our own. This comes at a time when the pressures on the cost of living and people’s health are historically high.
More people in our communities are being forced to sleep on the streets. Affordable housing is scarce. People of all ages – including children – are struggling with their mental health.
People in low-income households have been affected the most.
Together, we've achieved incredible things over the past 50 years, but there's lots of work still to do.
Shared solutions, rooted in experience
National policy says ending homelessness and supporting good housing and mental health is a priority.
Yet the data and our daily experience shows that the problem is growing, and public and support services are facing a crisis.
Our communities face increasingly difficult challenges. But with 50 years of experience working in housing and mental health, we know there are solutions.
Our new strategy sets out the steps we will take to improve the lives of the people who need our support.
Objectives: 2024-2029
Our objectives set our priorities for 2024-2029
The first three strategic objectives align with three key areas of inequality experienced by people we support; system inequality, inequality of opportunity and inequality of outcome.
The final two enabling objectives show how our focus on excellence and sustainability will help us deliver objectives 1-3.
1a. We'll use partnership working to improve local services and decision making.
1b. We'll continue to focus attention on the relationship between housing and health inequalities.
1c. We'll work with others to campaign for fair policy and legislation.
1d. We'll increase awareness in local communities and systems of lived experience.
2a. We'll support people to navigate and understand local services.
2b. We'll make sure that people who need support have their voices heard.
2c. We'll build on the success of our local services, replicating these in new areas.
2d. We'll develop services that reach people earlier.
3a. We’ll continue to deliver evidence-based services that help them to build the future they want.
3b. We’ll strengthen our supported housing models to address the range of needs.
3c. We’ll grow our whole-family approach for those at most risk of poverty and inequality.
3d. We’ll support people to make savings and access vital income.
3e. We’ll support people to develop skills and help them into employment.
4a. We’ll continually learn, improve & innovate.
4b. We’ll attract, develop and retain the best people.
4c. We’ll continue to strengthen our transparency, accountability and effectiveness.
5a. We’ll inspire greater engagement and support.
5b. We’ll continue to diversify our income to support our strategy.
