Case Studies

The Brittle Bone Society (BBS) is the only UK charity supporting people with the rare bone condition osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). As well as offering a free, confidential support service and signposting help on issues such as genetics, education, work and travel, the charity also fundraises for specialised wheelchairs that aren’t available on the NHS and can cost up to £16,000.

"It is an amazing process that makes you look at yourself, your charity and the service users."

“The Pilotlight process can mean the difference between not only survival but building on your charity business in the most challenging economic conditions we have ever seen. It has secured our future.”

“The organisation had grown steadily and we were at the point where we had to decide whether to stay the same size or look at delivering services elsewhere in Scotland.”

“The thing that really impressed me was how extraordinarily helpful my Pilotlighters were. They come from a different sector with a fresh pair of eyes to ask the questions that needed to be asked. I wouldn’t have swapped the experience for the world.”

Safe and Sound Derby helps to protect young people from sexual exploitation. Set up in 2002, the charity provides support on a one-to-one or small group basis to young people who have been sexually exploited or are at risk.

“The primary aim was to have a sustainable strategic policy in place. We realised that we needed an assessment of what we actually offered and have that defined; the by-product of that should be to open up more funding streams.”

"Our plans will make a real difference to the lives of young people in Swansea and the wider community and at the end of the day that’s why we are here.”

“The process helped us to grow up and think slightly differently.”

“The Pilotlighters then advised us on how we could generate extra income from the building. It has a spa and hydrotherapy pool, so we now host well-being days for companies to treat their staff to pamper sessions and we hire out our rooms for meetings.”

“They helped us sharpen our message to tell people quickly and concisely what we are and what we are trying to achieve. They also helped us to focus down a bit: we probably had too many projects in too many stages of development. They encouraged us to concentrate on areas that were less speculative, rather than spreading ourselves too thinly.”

New Choices for Youth (NCY) has over 25 years’ experience working with children and young people in crisis. Based in Plaistow, east London, it has a 10-bed residential centre for children leaving local authority care. It runs youth clubs, workshops for teenage parents and provides volunteering opportunities for young people not in education, employment or training.