Heroes Against Homelessness

Porchlight, Kent’s local homelessness charity, has launched a brand new fundraiser which provides primary schools with a meaningful and fun way to deliver and evidence the Social Moral Spiritual and Cultural curriculum. 

About Porchlight

Porchlight supports more than 7,000 vulnerable and homeless people a year through a range of services including street outreach, supported accommodation and community based prevention services. Working across Kent, we help vulnerable and isolated people get support with their mental health, housing, education and employment. We provide children, young people and adults with the advice, guidance and skills to live independently in the future, play an active role in their local community and fulfil their potential.

Year on year, Porchlight’s Rough Sleeper Team helps hundreds of people off the streets and into a safe and stable home. With rough sleeper numbers in Kent increasing from 148 6 years ago to 752 last year, we really need the local community to help us to continue our work and we believe the youngest generation can have such a real and tangible impact. 

How Your School Can Get Involved

Heroes Against Homelessness is based on a non-uniform day with a twist! Each child receives a superhero mask to decorate and dress up as a hero for the day. As well as the masks we offer a range of exciting and relevant fundraising activities, assembly content, a writing competition, KS1 and KS2 lesson plans and other educational resources. Heroes Against Homelessness can take place on any day that suits your school, or with activities throughout the year. 

We would also be happy to visit your school and talk about homelessness in Kent and how your pupils can make a difference on their doorstep. This will help to develop your pupil’s social and moral awareness in a fun and engaging way. 

For faith schools, participation will also contribute to their Section 48 inspection by enabling pupils to explore and articulate ethical issues and develop courageous advocacy. For independent schools it will contribute to their ISI inspection by evidencing the active engagement of children with a charity in their local community. 

The money raised by your pupils will transform local lives;

• £50 could answer 10 calls to our 24 hour helpline from people in crisis, starting their journey to get the help they need and get their lives back on track. 
• £100 could provide 4 basic welcome packs of food, toiletries and cleaning products for people moving off the streets and into one of our hostels. 
• £500 could pay the rent deposit for someone who is moving into their own flat after we have helped them to develop the skills and confidence to live independently. 

"Porchlight engage with pupils of all ages so effectively, delivering age appropriate, relevant and interesting assemblies. I could not think of a better local charity to support." Paul Morgan-Jones, Homewood House Prep School

“An engaging session, relevant to children of this age which challenged preconceptions of homeless people.” Lydia McCorriston, KS2 teacher

“The person who delivered our Porchlight workshop was inspirational and made me think how lucky I am” Hester, 11 years old

Your pupils will love the opportunity to be Heroes in their own community so sign up today to receive your free educational resources and fundraising pack, including a superhero mask for each of your pupils. You will also receive one-to-one support from one of our fundraisers from the planning stages to your event day. 

You can register at porchlight.org.uk/heroes and contact us on 01227 813199 or getinvolved@porchlight.org.uk if you have any questions. 

As Kent’s foremost homelessness charity we hope that you will join us in the fight against homelessness, together we can transform local lives! 

Of course we welcome any support from both primary and secondary schools and are grateful for the thousands of pupils in Kent who have already fundraised for us. If Heroes Against Homelessness is not for you but you have another idea for an activity at your school or would like to nominate us as your Charity of the Year please do get in touch because we would love to do what we can to make sure it’s a great experience for your pupils!

N.B. Please call Porchlight's helpline on 0800 567 7699 if you see someone sleeping rough anywhere in Kent or complete the “Tell Us” form.

On the lookout for resources and lesson plans to shake things up in your classroom? Check out these 3 Free Lesson Plans for Teaching the Periodic Table.