Alight exists to inspire and unleash the abundance in every person, by collaborating with displaced people to build full and fulfilling lives— lives which are alight. We use our 45 years’ worth of insights and expertise to help displaced people thrive, by focusing on emotional and physical care, safety, shelter, education, financial security, and human connection. At Alight, our services are co-created with the communities we serve – our programs are designed alongside and informed by the insights we gather from displaced communities we provide humanitarian aid to. Creating collaboratively places local communities at the center, deferring to their expertise and lived experiences to inform our initiatives. We know that our unique approach to working with refugees allows us to have a deeper understanding of their journeys and their needs, which leads to meaningful solutions that are loved by those we serve.

Over 89 million people are displaced globally, this humanitarian crisis will continue to grow due to climate change, economic insecurity, and violent conflicts. At Alight we strive to deviate from how NGO’s work with displaced people. We see these communities not as beneficiaries but as clients we are serving. Refugees deserve more than just having their basic survival needs met – they deserve human worthy services. Alight’s pillars were created from the insights of displaced people; we believe that every human being deserves a home, wholistic care, a sense of safety, the pursuit of education, work and financial security, and loving human connection. Displaced people should be the architects of their own futures and co-creating alongside these communities is essential. Our vision is to amplify this model of human-centered design and co-creation, to revolutionize the experiences of those facing displacement and redefine what quality means in our industry.

Source: Nonprofit submitted responses

Goal One: Alight will move from inconsistent use of participatory program design tools to consistent use of co-creation, human-centered design, and quantitative and qualitative insights to inform all programs.

Goal Type: Grow, expand, scale or increase access to the existing programs and services.

Goal Two: Alight will move from a broader focus on fragile states to focusing on populations forcibly displaced (by conflict, climate, and/or mass social and economic exclusion) as our core customers.

Goal Type: Focus on core programs to achieve mission and scale back on programs not seen as core.

Goal Three: Alight will seek to significantly increase private funding to allow for the delivery of more comprehensive and higher quality programs, unrestricted by the constraints of institutional funding.

Goal Type: Invest in the capacity of our organization (financial, management, technical, etc.).

Describe an investment in leadership

Globally Alight introduced several growth & development opportunities this year specifically supporting 170 Country Directors, Country Senior Leadership Teams & emerging leaders, as well as our US/Roving team Managers. The offerings centered on management and inclusion skills development. In June, Alight provided an additional thirty teammates from around the world with the opportunity to take part in a Borderless Leadership Development program. Alight committed to investing in development across the organization and partnered with LifeLabs Learning to launch this program. The Borderless Leadership Development program provided participants with practical tools and techniques throughout a five-session series. The sessions focused on adaptivity, resilience, influential communication, feedback skills, productivity, prioritization, and career growth. The program was successful in continuing to cultivate a shared understanding and culture of leadership at Alight.

This organization mobilizes for mission in the following ways:

• Strategic Partnerships

• Networks of Collective Impact Efforts

• Thought Leadership

• Raising Awareness

• Community Building

What are this organization’s external mobilizaton efforts?

Alight’s external mobilization efforts include prioritizing thought leadership opportunities, strategic partnerships, community building/training, network participation and raising awareness. Recently, Alight partnered with Airbnb.org to supply more than 22,000 nights (and counting) of safe housing for displaced Ukrainian families. Our CEO Jocelyn Wyatt presents Alight’s work at convenings, such as the Skoll World Forum. Alight utilizes social media platforms, newsletter outreach, and events to maintain active audience engagement and donor participation. As an organization that co-creates programs alongside the people we serve, Alight focuses on community building, and is currently launching several community programs for newly settled Afghan families. Alight is also engaged in recruiting and training American sponsors for Ukrainian families. Alight continues to participate in collective impact efforts as a member of InterAction, the largest alliance of international NGOs in the U.S.

With the sudden outbreak of war in Ukraine families began to flee, crossing borders on foot in frigid temperatures, weighed down by their belongings and dealing with unimaginable trauma. Before the war Alight did not have a presence in Europe, but we quickly mobilized a crisis response team to meet displaced Ukrainians at the Poland/Ukraine border. In the U.S, Alight began large fundraising campaigns to supply medicine, medical supplies, and food shipments to hospitals, bomb shelters, and orphanages in Ukraine. Alight also provided winter weather essentials, sanitary supplies, mobility assistance and outdoor heaters for those waiting to cross the border each day. By utilizing the insights of Kuja Kuja – an Alight subsidiary that collected and analyzed data from Ukrainians crossing the border, we were able to assess their needs. The primary concern for externally displaced Ukrainians was housing, Alight partnered with Airbnb.org to meet that need and created the Alight Guides program to help people navigate what their next move would be. We launched Alightguides.org to recommend the best cities for families to settle in Poland based on Alight’s vetting of housing, employment, and services available to Ukrainians. Additionally, Alight’s Aid2Art program is collaborating with Ukrainian artists and designers to ensure their families have food, shelter, and the services they need by providing a $1,000 cash transfer. The artists are creating and donating works of art for Alight to sell on their behalf. The proceeds of the sales provide further support for the creators and Alight's ongoing relief efforts. At the beginning of 2021 there were no plans to begin an Alight Europe program, but in responding to the crisis, and adapting our response to meet the needs of Ukrainians, Alight now has a strong presence in Poland staffed by Alight Guides who are Ukrainian and Polish.