Changing attitudes Changing lives

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1 Contact us: Head Office 2nd Floor Watling Chambers Watling Street Canterbury Kent CT1 2UA ANNUAL REVIEW T F E headoffice@porchlight.org.uk Porchlight is a limited company registered in England and Wales. Registered company number Registered charity number Changing attitudes Changing lives

2 Porchlight changes the lives of homeless people and those who are vulnerable to homelessness through a pathway of specialist services that promote independence, confidence and inclusion in society. We work to break the cycle of homelessness, helping people to live independently in the future through a focus on education, employment and life-skills. We believe that everyone has a right to a safe and secure home.

3 Our services Comment from the Chair of Trustees Anne Norris Accommodation Services Simon Mead House, Ashford Adult Hostel, Canterbury Young Person s Hostel, Canterbury Craddock House, Canterbury New Town Street, Canterbury Guildford Lodge, Canterbury Shared Houses, Canterbury Fern Court, Dover Prospects, Dover George Culmer Court, Margate King Street, Ramsgate New Wharf, Tonbridge Community Services Rough Sleeper Service Homelessness Prevention (Floating Support) Primary Care Community Link Service Youth Homelessness Education Programme Private Rented Sector Team Porchlight Adolescent Support Service Senior Management Team Mike Barrett CIHCM Chief Executive and Company Secretary Gill Bryant CIHCM Head of Operations Gillian Field Assoc CIPD Head of Human Resources Catherine Keen FCCA MAAT DChA Finance Director Lisa Oeder MInstF Head of Development and Communications Board of Trustees Anne Norris JP Chair Stuart Chapman Treasurer Graeme Bosley Deputy Chair Jenny Bough Celia Glynn-Williams Sue Hornibrook Glenn Miller Ian Roe Adam Rowe John Townend Pat Unwin Colin Wright Patron Tim Brett JP DL Dedication, commitment and professionalism have remained key to our success, as the charitable sector continues to face devastating cuts. We remain determined to change people s attitudes and the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in our communities. We continue to see high demand for our services with an average of 744 calls to our 24-hour helpline each month and we have helped over 1,975 people to change their lives this year through rough sleeper, accommodation and homelessness prevention services. Our focus on education and employment is breaking the cycle of homelessness and helping people to live independently. Working or gaining qualifications and essential life-skills are all routes out of poverty. This year we have helped 742 people to participate in training, informal learning or work-like activities with a further 53 successfully entering paid employment. Being able to support people to achieve these goals really has changed lives. We have also continued to work hard to address the complex issues faced by our service users. This year we have helped 832 people in managing their health, whether it is physical health, mental health or substance misuse issues. In addition, we have helped 81 people to better manage self-harm. Behind these statistics are individuals who have made significant steps forward in their lives after feeling that a bleak future was all they had to look forward to. The people we help can often be sidelined by society and ignored in their own communities. We work to change negative misconceptions about homelessness not only through the media but also by engaging face-to-face with different audiences. This year our Youth Homelessness Education Programme has reached 17,500 young people in schools and youth groups throughout Kent who are now more aware of the causes and reality of homelessness. On behalf of the Board of Porchlight and our service users I would like to sincerely thank all of the staff at Porchlight for keeping the values of the charity at the heart of everything they do. Despite having to overcome tough times and uncertainty in the sector, the support given to vulnerable people has never faltered. For that, the staff have my utmost respect and admiration. They are a credit to themselves and the organisation.

4 Shaun Shaun was unable to break the cycle of homelessness before finding Porchlight. He is now rebuilding his life and looking forward to a positive future. The next opportunity I had to turn my life around came when I met my second wife. I moved in with her and we decided to start a family together. I thought things were finally working out but the death of my 3 day old daughter on Father s Day effectively ended the marriage. It was 1995 and I was homeless again. Being homeless is as bad as it seems. I would consider myself to be quite resourceful, finding clothes and food in bins and knowing how to keep warm but it s not an ideal existence. You are a very easy target for attack when you are rough sleeping. Eventually I made contact with Porchlight and the rough sleeper team quickly found accommodation for me. I was brought back from the brink of becoming another homeless statistic, another death on the streets. I truly believe that s where I was heading. The rough sleeper team sorted everything out for me: benefits, access to health care, housing applications. They were able to push down the barriers I faced in society. It can be very disillusioning to lose everything so many times and have doors slammed in your face. Porchlight staff are the first people to treat me how I would have liked to have been treated back in If I had been, perhaps things would have been different. I now have a flat in Folkestone and such a positive outlook on life. I want to train to become a carpenter, learn to drive and start my own freelance business. For the first time in a long time I have the chance to focus on the future. Support on the frontline. The people we help tell us that rough sleeping is frightening, degrading, dangerous and soul-destroying. Not having somewhere to call home can happen to anyone, at any time and for any reason. Relationship breakdown, mental health issues, unemployment and substance dependency are common reasons for people s lives to hit rock bottom. The decline from a normal, stable home environment can be quick or drawn out over months and years. At Porchlight we understand that every rough sleeper has a different story to tell. Our workers are highly skilled at building trust with people who have lost the ability to trust anyone. Once someone is able to reach out and accept help we are there to provide it. Rough Sleeper Service When my first marriage broke down in 1990 I had nowhere to go. I had no choice but to sleep rough. I eventually pulled myself out of the situation and even found a wellpaid job and a new partner. However, history repeated itself and when the relationship ended I found myself back on the streets. 80% - the percentage of positive move-ons from our rough sleeper service. 744 the average number of calls to our 24-hour helpline each month. 1,296 the number of people supported by our rough sleeper and outreach services this year. 776 the number of help and advice drop-ins held across the county this year. 1,622 the number of people who attended those drop-ins. 79% Male / 21% Female the gender split of people accessing our rough sleeper service this year. Some of the images used in this publication are of real service users; others have been changed by request to protect the individual s identity. Dover District Council continues to have an excellent working relationship with Porchlight who were a key agency involved in developing the East Kent Homelessness Strategy. The Porchlight Rough Sleeper Service is a dedicated team who respond rapidly to evidence of rough sleeping. Their presence in the district enhances the work of the Housing Options team and the charity s positive approach to partnership working ensures better outcomes for some of the most vulnerable people in our community. Elly Toye Housing Options Manager Dover District Council

5 I self-harmed on a daily basis and tried to commit suicide twice before I was readmitted to hospital. My parents said they wouldn t feel comfortable taking me back home after that. The hospital suggested Porchlight and I applied for a place in one of the charity s young persons hostels. Luckily, I was accepted. Rosie Rosie, now 18, came to Porchlight after her mental health deteriorated so much that she tried to take her life on two occasions and the family home was no longer an option. The accommodation has given me something stable to build from and the support has been amazing. My keyworker has attended hospital appointments with me to help me to get the right medication. It has meant that I have stopped self-harming altogether. I couldn t do it by myself; I needed someone fighting my corner. This year we have helped 92% of people with an identified support need to better manage self-harm. I feel happier in myself now and much more confident. The staff encourage me to gradually take on more responsibility. I wouldn t go out by myself for quite some time but now I do my weekly food shopping and attend meetings. It s just another little step towards independence. I have just enrolled on a college course to study Health and Social Care. I would like to become an occupational therapist and give something back by helping others. Rosie is now re-building relationships with her family and using her free time to get involved in sporting activities run by Porchlight. Accommodation is just the start. Young Persons Services I was suffering quite badly with poor mental health and eventually I was placed into a psychiatric ward. I felt that because of that my dad started to drink heavily. From there, things at home hit rock bottom. Each young person who needs our help comes to us from a variety of difficult circumstances and with a different set of complex issues. Our supported accommodation projects for year olds provide the stable base for young people to rebuild their confidence and learn essential life-skills. The personcentred approach means that we shape the support for each person and change young people s lives for the better by ensuring they have a positive future to look forward to. The focus in our young persons projects is firmly on education, employment and future independent living. Each individual has a tailored support plan and regular one-to-one meetings with their keyworker to address any issues that may be preventing them from moving forward with their lives. Weekly life-skills sessions such as cooking, money management and working as part of a team are designed to help young people to manage a tenancy in the future. 81 the number of young people we provided supported accommodation to this year. 86% of young people who moved on from our supported accommodation this year did so positively, for example into private-rented accommodation or returning to the family home. Whilst delivering group and drop-in sessions at Porchlight I have seen just how dedicated the staff are to ensuring comprehensive support is offered to young people in a welcoming and supportive environment. Matt Fagg Early Intervention Worker KCA (UK)

6 Thankfully the council referred me to Porchlight s Floating Support service and now my life has completely turned around. With the charity s help I have secured my tenancy, set up manageable payment plans and paid a lump sum off my debts. 93% of individuals receiving floating support have maintained their independence this year. Debbie Debbie, 40, was faced with the very real prospect of losing her home before Porchlight stepped in. My keyworker has taught me to prioritise my debts and more importantly to keep in contact with the people I owe money to. A few months ago, I didn t have the confidence to talk to the council but Porchlight encouraged me to start by corresponding via and then progressing to speaking to them on the phone. I now call the council on a monthly basis to ask them how much they would like me to pay and we agree an amount. Everything is falling into place. I have started a full time job as a senior care worker and I m studying for my NVQ 3 in order to get a promotion to deputy manager. I am also looking forward to getting a car after not being able to afford one for quite some time. I feel so much better. I m no longer worried when the letterbox rattles and I don t have to deal with bailiffs banging on my door. I have spent too much time worrying about debts and now I m enjoying my life one day at a time. Helping at the earliest opportunity. The well-worn phrase prevention is better than cure couldn t be more appropriate for homelessness. Making a few poor choices or faced with a set of unmanageable circumstances someone s life can quickly spiral out of control. Without the support of friends and family or the safety net of savings, tenancies can be lost and homelessness can become a reality. Homelessness Prevention I got myself into a lot of debt with council tax and rent arrears. At the same time I was dealing with poor health and the breakdown of my relationship. Demands for payment were constantly landing on the doormat and I wasn t doing anything about them. It got to the point where the council said that if I didn t start paying what I owed then they would evict me. At that stage, things were so bad that I thought about just walking away from my home. I don t know where I would have gone. We don t want people to lose their home and the stability it brings. That is why we have specific services that focus on preventing homelessness so we can stop people having to face the frightening prospect of life on the streets. Our floating support service works with people in their own homes to address issues that are affecting their housing security. We also see great value in educating young people about the causes of homelessness and the misconceptions held about people who face desperate housing situations. We hope that by reaching school-age children across the county with our Youth Homelessness Education Programme we can help to reduce the number of people facing a housing crisis in the future. 170 the total number of people we supported to stay in their own homes this year. 58% Male / 42% Female the gender split of individuals receiving support in their own homes this year. 17,500 the number of young people reached by our Youth Homelessness Education Programme this year. With the cutbacks to floating support in Kent we have been fortunate to be able to count on the excellent service that Porchlight provides to some of our most vulnerable residents who might otherwise have faced hardship or immense difficulties in managing their tenancies; which in some cases could have resulted in the loss of their home. Jackie Leyland Neighbourhood Officer Orbit South

7 Michael After fleeing a violent relationship and suffering mental health issues resulting from his time in the army Michael, 53, found himself sleeping rough. Supported Accommodation I came out of the army in 1985 to look after my daughter from my first marriage because my wife had been sectioned with paranoid schizophrenia. I think that all of my problems stem from that time. I was very depressed but totally unaware at that point how much I had been affected by what was going on in my life and some of the things I had seen during my time in the forces. When my daughter was taken away from me by Social Services I tried to take my own life. Within a year I had remarried. I rushed into it really. She used to beat me quite badly. I have scars all over my body. I put up with it for many years. I had to get away. In 2011 I travelled to the Kent coast and got a flat. It was horrendous. When I first moved in the fuse box had an exposed bare wire and I got an electric shock. I was on the third floor and the windows were hanging out. There were no lights in the bathroom and the boiler wasn t working. The kitchen was so dirty it took me two weeks to clean. I also had my door kicked in twice. The conditions forced me to sleep rough for a while. Things were so bad that I took an overdose. Whilst recovering in hospital the staff put me in touch with Porchlight. I now have a lovely flat in a supported accommodation project with staff on-hand to help me out. This year we have supported 311 people to manage mental health conditions. I spend up to 7 days a week at Porchlight s allotment. It s beautiful and peaceful; there is nobody on your back. I also have a good relationship with my daughter and two boys from my second marriage. I know I ll get back to work again but I also know it s going to take a while. I ve worked all my life and give 110% to whatever I do. The stability needed to change a life. The core stabilising factor in most of our lives is the roof over our head. Without it, we couldn t function as we do. Not having safe shelter puts a person s life on hold and in many cases leads to deterioration in mental and physical health. When an individual comes to us from unsuitable temporary housing or the streets they will often have a set of complex issues. Supported accommodation provides the base to begin to address these issues and get a person s life back on track. We have a range of hostels providing different levels of support, from medium to high 24-hour support. We also have specialist services for young people and those with mental health issues. Individuals have a tailored support plan to help address issues that are preventing them from moving forward. All of our accommodation projects have a focus on engaging our service users in education, employment or volunteering to develop their life-skills for independent living in the future. 1,365 the number of applicants for our supported accommodation this year. 282 the number of people supported in our accommodation this year. 89% of individuals who moved on from our supported accommodation this year did so positively, for example, into private-rented accommodation or they returned to the family home. 79% Male / 21% Female the gender split of people in our supported accommodation this year.

8 Julian Julian is the Community Link Worker delivering a service in partnership with the Northdown, Newington and Eastcliff surgeries. He is available at the surgeries themselves and also holds a weekly drop-in at the Thanet Gateway Plus in Margate. Community Support Poor housing conditions, debt and the threat of eviction affect people s mental health quite dramatically, in many cases leading to regular visits to the GP and prescriptions for medication. In a nutshell, I am there to help people tackle these issues and subsequently improve their mental health. Once I ve got an individual s immediate housing problems out of the way by helping them to access the right benefits, for example, I can look at rebuilding their confidence and offer support to access volunteering, education or employment. I have referred several people to the NHS Health Trainers scheme which not only helps with physical health but has also encouraged my clients to become part of the community, meet new people and reduce anxiety or depression. I am not just there to stabilise a person s housing situation; I give people the tools and knowledge to help them to cope in the future. I want to prevent problems from happening again. I like the fact that my role gives me the flexibility to provide a rounded service in this way. The GPs are very supportive of the service. They like the fact that I save them time by preventing repeat visits to the surgery and that I can help so quickly once a patient is referred to me. I believe the initiative could develop into something even more robust than it already is. It s a model that could be rolled out across the county. 109 the total number of people supported by the Primary Care Community Link service this year. At the heart of the issue. Positioning our services at the centre of some of the most deprived communities in the county means that we are able to tackle the specific issues faced by the individuals living there and reinforce our work to prevent homelessness. Thanet is facing some of the most difficult social issues in Kent. Levels of unemployment, substance dependency and poor mental health are high, with some areas of the district ranked at the highest point on a scale of deprivation. This year we continued to provide a range of services in the community to address some of these issues and change lives for the better. The Primary Care Community Link service continued to work with GP surgeries in Thanet offering advice, advocacy and support to people in the community who were referred to the service by their GP. Doctors at the surgeries identify patients that need help with social issues, such as debt or housing that might be causing or contributing to their mental health issues. We then work with the individual for up to 8 weeks to address problems that are causing them to become isolated, unable to cope with day-to-day life and eventually facing homelessness. We have built a good working relationship with the surgeries that understand that we are there to bridge the gap between medical intervention and the support people need to get their whole lives back on track. The service has contributed to a decrease in repeat visits to the GP. 60% Male / 40% Female the gender split of individuals supported by the Primary Care Community Link service this year.

9 Lee Lee s mental health issues meant that he didn t feel able to go out on his own. Volunteering at a local retirement home has changed all that. Education, Employment and Training Whilst I was in prison, the resettlement team got in touch with Porchlight and made arrangements for after my release. After finishing my sentence I was interviewed and accepted at one of the charity s supported accommodation projects. As part of my individual support plan my keyworker suggested volunteering and encouraged me to go the Canterbury Volunteer Centre. That was a big step for me as I had issues with going out on my own. My keyworker came with me and I explained to the centre that I would like to do something to help older people. A couple of weeks later they found me a placement at a retirement home for 3 days a week. I help with the gardening and some of the activities inside the home. I find it really therapeutic and rewarding. This year we have helped 79 people to participate in work-like activities with a further 53 obtaining paid work. My Nan passed away recently and she said she was very proud of me for helping at the home. She is one of the reasons I keep up the placement. I look at her picture every morning and it motivates me to do something with my life. I have also started to help at Porchlight by visiting the charity s other accommodation projects and getting feedback from residents about the service they are receiving. I wouldn t have been able to do that just a few months ago. The key to future independence. Education and employment are the main routes out of poverty and homelessness. That is why enabling our service users to access training, volunteering and paid employment opportunities is at the core of everything we do. Before coming to the charity our service users have been sidelined by society and lived without hope of a better future. This means it takes a special approach to help an individual to build up enough confidence to reach their full potential. To achieve this we have developed specific learning opportunities to aid our service users towards their educational goals and provide them with the skills necessary to compete in the job market. We offer a comprehensive programme of confidence-building activities, access to formal qualifications, bespoke training courses, sporting opportunities, English and Maths assessments and weekly job clubs which include job searches, CV updating and mock interviews. This year we have been working in partnership with the Canterbury Volunteer Centre to offer our service users a range of group and individual volunteering opportunities. Many service users have expressed an interest in helping the elderly, children and the local environment. By having a member of staff liaising between the Volunteer Centre and our service users, many have taken up opportunities including gardening, working in nursing homes and covering shifts in charity shops. Volunteering is not only helping our service users to build up confidence and skills for an eventual return to paid work, but is also helping them to become part of the community again and break down barriers with the general public. 127 the number of people we helped to participate in training or education. 154 the number of people we helped to participate in informal learning.

10 How we spent the money Income & Expenditure Summary Supported Accommodation Floating Support (Homelessness Prevention) Young Persons Services Kent Outreach Service (Rough Sleeper Service) Service User Involvement and Activities Fundraising Governance 24% 1% 2% 1% Income Grants from central and local government 3,440 3,583 Rent / Accommodation charges 1, Grants from non-statutory sources Voluntary donations Investment and other income ,677 4,684 Expenditure % 48% Supported Accommodation 2,093 2,042 Floating Support (Homelessness Prevention) Young Persons Services Kent Outreach Service (Rough Sleeper Service) 1,053 1,132 Service User Involvement and Activities Fundraising Governance ,373 4,405 7% Surplus transferred to reserves p from every 1 goes directly on frontline services to prevent homelessness or help those who are homeless.

11 Donate We make a real difference to the lives of vulnerable people and the communities we live in. Help us change even more people s lives through a regular gift online (porchlight.org.uk/donate) or donation now! I enclose a cheque made payable to Porchlight (please do not send cash in the post). I will help change lives with a gift of: Every gift helps Porchlight change more lives for the better. Title: Surname: Address: First name: Tel: Postcode: I am a UK taxpayer and I want Porchlight to claim tax back on all donations I have made covering the last 4 years, and all future donations*. I am not a UK taxpayer Signed: Date: We would like to send you further information about the charity. If you do not wish to receive this information please tick this box *I confirm I have paid or will pay an amount of Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax for each tax year (6 April to 5 April) that is at least equal to the amount of tax that all the charities or Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) that I donate to will reclaim on my gifts for that tax year. I understand that other taxes such as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify. I understand the charity will reclaim 28p of tax on every 1 that I gave up to 5 April 2008 and will reclaim 25p of tax on every 1 that I give on or after 6 April Please return this form to: Porchlight Head Office, 2nd Floor Watling Chambers, Watling Street, Canterbury CT1 2UA Registered charity number

12 Thank you Porchlight would like to thank all the people who have supported and worked in partnership with us over the last year. In particular we would like to thank: Ashford Borough Council BBC Children in Need BBC Radio Kent BBC South East Bedgebury Foundation Canterbury City Council Canterbury Inner Wheel Church Communities UK The Cleary Foundation The Community of the Presentation Trust CRISIS Croydon Council Dartford Borough Council Dean and Chapter of Canterbury Department for Communities and Local Government Department for Work and Pensions Dover District Council Gravesham Borough Council Heart FM Herne Bay Inner Wheel The R G Hills Charitable Trust Homeless Link Homelessness Transition Fund ITV Meridian KCC Children, Families and Education KCC Families and Social Care Kent County Council Kent Housing Group Kent Joint Policy and Planning Board Kent Supporting People KMFM KM Group KOS Media Maidstone Borough Council Medway Council National Landlords Association NHS Eastern and Coastal Kent PCT Northcliffe Media Pfizer Provian Construction Q Straint Rotary Club of Broadstairs Rotary Club of Canterbury Sevenoaks District Council Shepway District Council Streynsham s Trust Swale Borough Council Thames Wharf Charity Ltd Thanet District Council T K Maxx Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council Tonbridge School Tunbridge Wells Borough Council University of Kent Chief Executive s thoughts for the year ahead Mike Barrett The charitable landscape will continue to go through extensive change this year and welfare reform will have a direct impact on those most vulnerably housed leading to an increase in demand for our services. Add to this high rates of unemployment, increasing debt and economic uncertainty and you have a combination of circumstances that appear impossible to tackle. We also foresee an increase in the numbers of people with complex needs including debt, substance misuse, poor mental and physical health, and abuse seeking our help. Therefore, we remain dedicated to providing quality services that not only address immediate housing needs but also provide each person with the skills and confidence to help prevent and protect them from future homelessness. Further investment this year in helping our service users to gain qualifications, work experience and paid employment will provide many vulnerable people with a realistic and achievable route out of homelessness. Part of our on-going vision is to develop our accommodation-based services into centres of excellence through a pathway of services that address all a person s needs in a holistic way. This approach will use experienced staff and the skills of volunteers who will add value to the service being delivered. The work that the charity is doing with the private-rented sector will be expanded, as this will be the only independent housing option for the majority of our service users. These partnerships are even more important, especially in a climate of increasing competition for accommodation, unaffordable rents and barriers due to unemployment and non-acceptance of benefit claimants. However, despite all of these challenges we will continue to challenge negative attitudes and prejudice, and work to change people s lives for the better. We will continue to expand our fundraising to safeguard and develop our services. The dedication and professionalism of our staff remains strong, as does our vision for a society without homelessness and poverty.