What are my choices for accessing support?

All our services are running and have been adapted to reflect the latest government coronavirus safety guidelines.

Support may be offered over the phone, via video call or in-person.

Support for women

We understand that women experiencing homelessness, or whose homes are at risk, often face a range of pressures.

You may be struggling to make sense of a difficult relationship, or going through a relationship breakdown. You may be feeling frightened or trapped by abuse or violence in your life.

Sometimes it can be difficult to get access to the health services you need. You may have feelings of anxiety or depression which are making other things like dealing with a landlord or accessing benefits hard to do, or perhaps drugs and alcohol are a problem but you don’t know who to turn to.

Porchlight’s staff are here to listen whenever you feel able to talk. They won’t judge, some will have lived experience of being homeless themselves, and all have professional experience of helping women through similar difficult situations.

They can talk with you about your options, and help you to choose the best support for you. This might mean helping you find somewhere safe and secure to stay, or supporting in other practical ways with health and wellbeing, finding work, training and volunteering opportunities. Or it might mean being someone you can trust and talk to start to turn things around in your life.

If you aren’t sure where to start, our helpline is open 24/7 and can guide you through your options and tell you more about how to get a Porchlight referral, or they can simply offer a listening ear if you decide to reach out for help.

Community groups

We also run regular virtual community groups for people (known as PIC’s – Porchlight Integrated Communities), as part of the service we offer.

These are available once you are referred to our services to offer a safe and inclusive space where people can take part in as much or as little as they choose. People who attend say they are a great place to build friendships, interact with others and learn new things.

You can join in as part of a small group with social activities like quizzes or music, plus choose to hear from a range of different speakers on topics like finding a job, ways to stay healthy, caring for your mental health and wellbeing, tips on budgeting and money matters, access additional support with addiction and much more.

You can also choose to get support from your coach or keyworker there.

If you have previously been attending our group or face-to-face sessions

For your safety during the outbreak, if you are an existing Porchlight, Live Well Kent, BeYou or Aspirations client, your key worker will be in touch by phone, or WhatsApp. Some in-person support is also available in safe, community spaces, it is best to contact your keyworker for details.