Positive Steps
Positive Steps is a Dundee-based Scottish charity founded in 1989 that delivers housing support, crisis outreach, harm reduction, and supported accommodation services to vulnerable adults in Tayside, supplemented by a social enterprise arm (PSI) providing research and evaluation to NHS Boards and Local Authorities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersDundee, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Positive Steps does
Positive Steps is a Scottish non-profit Christian charity founded in 1989 and headquartered in Dundee, with a registered office at Swan House, Upper East Wing, 2 Explorer Road, Dundee, DD2 1DX. It supports vulnerable adults in the Tayside region (Dundee and Perth) who face barriers to independent living, including mental health issues, learning disabilities, substance misuse, offending behaviour, homelessness, and poverty. Its service portfolio comprises Housing Support (the foundational, Care Inspectorate-registered offering), the Crisis Response Outreach Service (CROS) with a 72-hour response commitment, the Non-Fatal Overdose Pathway (NFOD), the Cuckooing Outreach Service, the Custody Assess Referral Service (CARS) co-delivered with Police Scotland and Dundee City Council Community Justice Services, Chance to Thrive (furnished accommodation with sticky support), Supported Accommodation, and a Service User Involvement Group. Service users access support free of charge via self-referral or agency referral through phone (01382 561 822), email, and online forms.
The organisation's underlying technology stack is lightweight: a proprietary 'Online Outcome Review System' supports case management and produces personalised feedback to service users, staff, management, and stakeholders. No APIs, SDKs, mobile apps, or AI capabilities are disclosed. Positive Steps Initiatives (PSI) is a wholly-owned social enterprise trading arm that generates earned revenue through research, evaluation, and consultancy engagements with NHS Boards, Local Authorities, third-sector organisations, and private clients, in collaboration with the University of Abertay Dundee.
Its business model is a hybrid of charitable donations and fundraising, government and institutional grants (notably £1.11 million from SASC Tayside in 2024 to purchase housing for vulnerable adults, and approximately $2.26 million from Social and Sustainable Capital in January 2021), and earned income from PSI's professional services. Services to individuals are provided free of charge; there is no consumer pricing. The organisation is registered as a Scottish Charity (SC 028252) and Company Limited by Guarantee (SC 188155), employs 51-100 staff, operates within a 35+ year brand legacy, and additionally runs international development projects (currently in the Sangli region of India and historically in Brazil, Malawi, and Kenya). Leadership includes Chief Executive Derek Sharkey and Service Manager Rachel Prophet (Duty of Candour lead).
Positive Steps firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Positive Steps
- Legal name
- The Positive Steps Partnership
- Website
- https://positivesteps.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Positive Steps is a Dundee-based Scottish charity founded in 1989 that delivers housing support, crisis outreach, harm reduction, and supported accommodation services to vulnerable adults in Tayside, supplemented by a social enterprise arm (PSI) providing research and evaluation to NHS Boards and Local Authorities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Positive Steps industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Social Support and Housing Services for Vulnerable Adults
- NAICS
- Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Community Housing Services (62422), Social Assistance (624)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Disability Services & Independent Living Support (BPAGACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Substance Use Recovery & Harm Reduction Support Services (BPAGAEAO), Reentry & Justice-Involved Support Services (BPAGAEAN), Disability Services & Assistive Solutions (Accessibility, Assistive Tech) (BPAGALAM)
Keywords
Where Positive Steps is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dundee
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Positive Steps business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Charitable Donations and Fundraising: Positive Steps relies on donations from individuals and organizations to fund operations and services for vulnerable adults. Donations are described as transformative contributions that enable the organization to extend support to more individuals in need.
- Government and Institutional Funding: The organization receives funding from government bodies and institutional partners including SASC investments for housing purchases and potentially other public sector commissioning for social services.
- Social Enterprise Revenue (PSI): Positive Steps Initiatives (PSI) operates as the social enterprise arm offering research, evaluation, and agency services to NHS Boards, Local Authorities, and private organizations, generating revenue through professional services engagements.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Positive Steps product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Positive Steps is a Scottish non-profit Christian charity that provides person-centred social support services for vulnerable adults, including Housing Support, Crisis Response Outreach (CROS), Non-Fatal Overdose Pathway (NFOD), Cuckooing Outreach, Custody Assess Referral Service (CARS), Chance to Thrive, and Supported Accommodation across Dundee and Perth. Through its wholly-owned social enterprise arm PSI, the organization also offers research, evaluation, and consultancy services to NHS Boards, Local Authorities, and other public and third-sector organizations.
Product overview
Positive Steps operates as a single unified service portfolio centred on social support and harm reduction for vulnerable adults. The core offerings include Housing Support (the foundational service), Crisis Response Outreach Service (CROS), Non Fatal Overdose Pathway (NFOD), Cuckooing Outreach Service, Custody Assess Referral Service (CARS), Chance to Thrive, Supported Accommodation, and Service User Involvement Group. Positive Steps Initiatives (PSI) functions as the social enterprise division, providing research, evaluation, and social business expertise to N.H.S. Boards, Local Authorities, and other organisations. The services collectively address mental health, homelessness, substance usage, and social exclusion in Dundee and Perth, Scotland.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Housing Support Service
Quantifiable outcome
- CROS responds within 72 hours to crisis situations
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Positive Steps
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Positive Steps technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Positive Steps partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.
- Dundee City Council Community Justice ServicescorePositive Steps operates the Custody Assess Referral Service (CARS) in partnership with Dundee City Council Community Justice Services and Police Scotland. This partnership helps Dundee residents who are arrested and taken into custody, providing assessments and referrals to additional services.
- Police ScotlandcorePolice Scotland partners with Positive Steps on CARS (custody assessments) and Cuckooing outreach services. The Cuckooing team works closely with Police Scotland and other expert partners to safeguard vulnerable individuals affected by county lines, cuckooing, and exploitation.
- University of Abertay DundeecorePSI collaborates with University of Abertay Dundee as a key Higher Education Institution partner. This collaboration is crucial to the social enterprise, providing real solutions through evidence-based research and evaluation for a healthier Scotland.
- NHS BoardssecondaryPSI provides social research and evaluation services to NHS Boards as part of its professional services offerings. The engagement focuses on evidence-based action research for improved social outcomes.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Positive Steps competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Turning Point: UK-wide social enterprise providing health and social care services including substance misuse, mental health, housing, and criminal justice support — closely overlapping PSI's vulnerable-adult portfolio and operating model.
- Penumbra: Scottish mental-health charity supporting people with complex mental health needs through outreach, supported accommodation, and self-harm services — direct overlap with PSIs Dundee/Scotland focus and service mix.
- Cyrenians: Scottish charity tackling the causes and consequences of homelessness through housing, prevention, and education services — directly comparable supported-accommodation and outreach model in Scotland.
- Centrepoint: UK charity supporting homeless young people through supported housing, learning, and employability services — comparable supported-accommodation model, though focused on youth rather than adults.
- Single Homeless Project: London-based charity working with single homeless people through housing, health, and justice services — closely comparable supported-accommodation and vulnerability-focused model.
- SACRO: Scottish community justice charity providing restorative justice, mentoring, and throughcare services — directly comparable to PSIs Custody Assess Referral Service (CARS) and reentry support niche.
Broad incumbents
- WithYou (formerly Addaction): Large UK charity delivering drug and alcohol treatment and harm-reduction services — direct overlap with PSIs Non-Fatal Overdose Pathway but at vastly greater geographic scale.
- Shelter Scotland: National housing and homelessness charity providing advice, advocacy, and housing support — comparable mission in housing instability but operating at policy-advocacy scale.
- Sanctuary Housing Association: Major UK housing provider offering supported housing and care for vulnerable adults including those with mental health needs — comparable supported-accommodation footprint at much greater scale.
Regional players
- Homeless Network Scotland: Scottish umbrella/connector organization for homelessness services, policy, and training — comparable regional focus but functioning more as network and policy body than direct service provider.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Positive Steps social profiles
Digital presencePositive Steps compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Positive Steps financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Positive Steps leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Positive Steps subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Positive Steps funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Positive Steps M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Positive Steps
What does Positive Steps do?
Positive Steps is a Scottish non-profit Christian charity that provides person-centred social support services for vulnerable adults, including Housing Support, Crisis Response Outreach (CROS), Non-Fatal Overdose Pathway (NFOD), Cuckooing Outreach, Custody Assess Referral Service (CARS), Chance to Thrive, and Supported Accommodation across Dundee and Perth. Through its wholly-owned social enterprise arm PSI, the organization also offers research, evaluation, and consultancy services to NHS Boards, Local Authorities, and other public and third-sector organizations.
Is Positive Steps a public or private company?
Positive Steps is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Positive Steps founded?
Positive Steps was founded in 1989. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Positive Steps based?
Positive Steps is headquartered in Dundee, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Positive Steps make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Charitable Donations and Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are government and Institutional Funding and social Enterprise Revenue (PSI).
Who are Positive Steps's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Turning Point, Penumbra, Cyrenians, Centrepoint, Single Homeless Project and SACRO. Broad incumbents are WithYou (formerly Addaction), Shelter Scotland and Sanctuary Housing Association. Homeless Network Scotland is listed as a regional player.
Does Positive Steps have an API?
No public API is recorded for Positive Steps.
What industry is Positive Steps in?
Positive Steps's product category is Social Support and Housing Services for Vulnerable Adults. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGACAG, Disability Services & Independent Living Support, with a secondary code of BPAGAEAO, Substance Use Recovery & Harm Reduction Support Services. Its NAICS code is 624190 and its SIC code is 8300.