Grace House
Enriching the lives of disabled children, young people and their families.
What is the mission of your charity, and what inspired its creation?
The mission of Grace House North-East is to provide a safe, welcoming and inspiring place for children and young people with a range of disabilities and life-limiting conditions, while also supporting their families. The charity was established by the late Kathy Secker, who believed passionately that every child should have the opportunity to enjoy life to the full. Kathy’s vision was simple yet powerful: “Children deserve to have an amazing place where they can come to laugh, learn and live life to the full.” That vision remains at the heart of everything Grace House does today.
What are the biggest challenges your organisation faces in achieving its goals?
One of the biggest challenges Grace House North-East faces is securing the funding needed to meet the growing demand for our services. We are seeing an ever-increasing need, not only in the number of children and young people requiring support, but also in the complexity of their needs and the support required by their families. Last year alone, referrals to Grace House increased by 59%, highlighting the scale of this growing demand. Ensuring we have the capacity, resources and funding to support every child and family who needs us remains one of our greatest challenges.
Can you share a success story that highlights the impact of your work?
This case demonstrates the positive impact of Grace House North East’s whole-family approach. Through 15 weeks of tailored one-to-one support, we developed a clearer understanding of ‘X’s sensory, learning, motor and social, emotional and mental health needs, enabling practical strategies to be introduced at home and in school. Further specialist assessment was also secured, while counselling supported the family’s own mental health and wellbeing. The Head Teacher highlighted Grace House’s commitment, compassion and partnership working, noting improved communication and understanding between home and school and that ‘X’s wellbeing and development remained at the centre of decisionmaking. This demonstrates how Grace House helps children and families achieve positive, lasting outcomes.
How do you raise funds, and what are the most effective fundraising strategies you’ve used?
Grace House North-East raises funds through a combination of grant applications, fundraising events and a wide variety of community and individual fundraising activities. We are continually developing our approach and exploring new and innovative ways to generate sustainable income, ensuring we can continue to meet the growing demand for our services. As the funding landscape becomes increasingly challenging and competitive, diversifying our income streams is more important than ever. We are committed to building new partnerships, engaging our supporters and finding effective ways to raise vital funds that enable us to continue making a difference to children, young people and their families.
What role do volunteers play in your organisation, and how can people get involved?
Volunteers play a hugely important role in the work of Grace House North-East. They support us in so many ways, from helping at fundraising events and community activities to supporting our wider fundraising efforts and contributing to the day-to-day running of the charity. Their time, skills and enthusiasm make a real difference and help us to reach more children, young people and families. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who gives their time to support Grace House. If you would like to get involved and become a volunteer, we would love to hear from you – simply get in touch with us.
What partnerships or collaborations have been most beneficial to your mission?
All of our partnerships and collaborations are incredibly valuable to Grace House North-East, with each partner playing an important part in supporting the work we do. By working together, sharing knowledge and expertise, pooling resources and increasing our capacity, we can create new opportunities and develop projects that have a greater impact on children, young people and their families. We are always keen to build new partnerships with organisations that share our values and vision. Collaboration enables us to explore new ideas, expand what we can offer and, ultimately, work together to improve outcomes and experiences for the families we support.
How has your charity adapted to recent challenges, such as economic downturns or global events?
Grace House North-East has had to adapt to an increasingly challenging funding environment. Access to grants and other funding is extremely competitive, with some funding opportunities receiving hundreds of applications, while much of the funding available is short-term. In response, we are actively exploring new ways to generate sustainable income and deliver our services, including developing more collaborations and partnerships, exploring commissioning opportunities and engaging with commercial organisations that are looking to support charities such as Grace House North-East because of the impact of our mission. We are continually adapting to ensure we can meet growing need and remain sustainable.
What’s next for your charity? Any upcoming projects or long-term goals?
Looking ahead, Grace House North-East is focused on developing new and innovative ways to support children, young people and their families. We are piloting education projects for young children with undiagnosed needs in schools who are at risk of disengaging or have already dropped out of education. We also aim to expand and diversify our holiday activities so there are more opportunities for the whole family to enjoy together. Within the Grace House building, we are increasing our provision through an enhanced VR immersive space and developing our sensory spaces, creating even more opportunities for children and young people to learn, explore and thrive.
gracehouse.co.uk