We’ve also created it in the form of a short film to help explain where we’ve come from, what our values are as a charity and how this all fits together with our strategic direction.

A short history lesson

Stay Up Late started was started as a campaign by the punk band Heavy Load in 2006. They were fed up with seeing many of their fans with learning disabilities having to leave their gigs at 9pm (often before the band were on stage).

In 2008 a feature length documentary came out about the band and one of the stories featured was how they started the Stay Up Late campaign. This meant they reached a huge audience of people who shared their frustrations. (Watch the film here)

In 2011 the band launched Stay Up Late as a charity to carry on the work Heavy Load had started and in 2013 we started our Gig Buddies project which is now the main focus of our work as well as continuing our campaign, sharing Gig Buddies with other organisations so they can run it in other places and our quality checking team.

Our values

As a charity we have 6 core values that we work to:

We’re Inclusive

We value the different strengths that people bring. The people we work with are front and centre stage.

We have Fun

We are creative and innovative, using humour as a way of provoking debate and generating change. Our work is serious fun.

We’re Disruptive

We are risk-takers, responsive and resourceful. We are outspoken activists and make change happen.

We believe in Community in everything we do

We promote collective responsibility and belonging. And we mean it!

We work with Integrity

We work in a way that reflects how we want the world to be.

We’re Focussed

We pick our fights carefully. We’re a small organisation so we need to be agile and won’t be everything to everyone.

Our 4 year strategy

So with all this in mind this is our strategy for how we’re planning to work over the next 4 years

Our Campaign aim is:  

To end inflexible support practices that stop people living the lives that they want.

Our Projects aim is that:

More people with learning disabilities and/or autism have active social lives and experience new opportunities to have fun.

Our Sustainability aim is to:

Diversify income through corporate partnerships and other revenue streams and make sure we have a succession plan for key staff.

Our People aim is to:

Have a happy and healthy team culture where people are driven by a common purpose.

Download the easier to read version

You can read more detail about our strategy on our website and download an easier to read version.

We’ve also written a very long action plan that will help us make all these things happen. Of course this is the plan but we all know that things don’t ever go to plan.

That’s why we also always say ‘Keep It Punk’.

Thanks for watching.

PaulR

See Full Bio