View the fireside chat with John and Matt here.
John Verge, CEO of Golden Lane Housing (GLH), joined Matt Sitter to discuss his organization's impact. GLH is a UK-based nonprofit that provides high-quality housing for individuals with learning disabilities and autism. The organization supports over 2,800 individuals across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Founded by Mencap, the UK's largest learning disability charity, its goal is to create a broader social impact by improving housing accessibility and quality.
John emphasized that historically, individuals with learning disabilities had very few choices, often living in inadequate housing, care homes, or even hospital settings. GLH aims to change this by offering independent living options, including properties they own or lease, ensuring that individuals have a stable home with appropriate support.
Challenges & Housing Alternatives
John noted that a significant portion of people with learning disabilities still live with aging parents in care homes or hospital settings. While some prefer to stay with family, research from the Learning Disability & Autism Housing Network found that 70% of individuals desire independent living. Despite growing efforts, only about 25% of people with support needs are currently in specialized supported housing, highlighting a gap that GLH seeks to bridge.
Role in Coordinating Services
Beyond housing, GLH plays a key role in service coordination, working with local authorities and care providers to ensure tenants receive the necessary support. This includes daily care, financial assistance, and wellness monitoring. GLH also serves as an advocate, reporting concerns about the quality of care to local authorities when necessary.
GLH measures success through Tenant Satisfaction:
• Ensuring homes are well-maintained and meet tenant needs.
• Sustainability: Improving housing energy efficiency reduces tenants' utility costs.
• Financial Stability: Maintaining strong financial standing while operating as a nonprofit.
• Impact Growth: GLH housed more people than ever in the past year—280 new tenants—a 10-15% increase in capacity.
Communicating Impact & Accessibility
GLH has taken significant steps to make communication accessible to tenants with learning disabilities. Instead of traditional annual reports, they developed an engaging, easy-to-understand calendar highlighting organizational updates in a user-friendly format. Their approach has been recognized as a best practice for making corporate communication accessible.
Raising Funds & Social Investment
GLH has successfully leveraged traditional and innovative funding methods to finance its housing projects. While it receives some government grants, most of its funding comes from bank loans and social impact bonds. Since 2013, it has raised over £40 million, including bonds on the London Stock Exchange. This funding strategy demonstrates that nonprofits can operate as financially sound businesses while maintaining a social mission. Investors are particularly interested in the tangible social impact of their contributions, which GLH highlights through case studies and social impact reports. Additionally, GLH was the first supported housing provider in the UK to adopt Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting, further strengthening investor confidence.
Leadership Journey & Growth as a CEO
John's journey into housing began with community work during his geography degree. He joined GLH in its startup phase and has since played a significant role in its growth. When he became CEO seven years ago, John transitioned from a development-focused role to overseeing all aspects of the organization. He emphasized the importance of hiring strong leaders, empowering his team, and focusing on strategic vision rather than micromanaging operations.
Managing Organizational Culture & Employee Well-Being
GLH fosters a values-driven culture built on Caring (for both people and the business), Listening, Honesty, Reliability, and Creativity. John noted that every new hire is assessed for cultural fit through interviews conducted by both staff and tenants with learning disabilities. While the work can be emotionally demanding, maintaining a healthy balance between mission-driven passion and business discipline is crucial.
Policy Influence & Advocacy
GLH plays an active role in influencing housing policy and government regulation. John emphasized the importance of:
• Building relationships with policymakers to ensure changes benefit the sector.
• Collaborating with competitors through the Housing Network to present a unified voice when advocating for policy improvements.
• Balancing advocacy with organizational priorities as government policy shifts can significantly impact funding and tenant welfare. John views this work as essential to ensuring long-term sustainability for GLH and the sector.
Personal Growth, Learning & Work-Life Balance
John continuously seeks new knowledge by reading, networking, and attending industry events. He values direct engagement with tenants and employees to stay connected to the organization's impact.
To maintain energy and avoid burnout, he prioritizes:
• Tenant & team visits are a way to recharge.
• Daily walks and podcasts for mental clarity.
• Spending time with family, watching sports, and enjoying films to balance work demands.
He also structures his schedule based on his energy levels, a strategy he learned through leadership development programs.
Final Thoughts
John's leadership at GLH demonstrates how nonprofits can blend business acumen with social impact, ensuring financial sustainability while making meaningful changes in people's lives. His approach to growth, strategic hiring, policy influence, and accessibility is a model for mission-driven organizations.
His biggest takeaway: Nonprofits are businesses, and running them effectively means making strategic choices while staying true to the mission.
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