Nightstop launches Spare Room Challenge (From Redditch Advertiser)

Nightstop launches Spare Room Challenge

3:40pm Sunday 10th March 2013 in Local

REDDITCH Nightstop is launching a new initiative to encourage people to make use of their spare room and help out a young homeless person at the same time.

The charity, which is part of a national network has launched the Spare Room Challenge alongside charity youth homeless charity Depaul UK.

The campaign is hoping to convince people to join more than 700 people who are already acting as volunteer hosts around the country, and make their spare room available to a young homeless person.

Martin Houghton-Brown, chief executive of Depaul UK, said: “The number of young people sleeping rough is accelerating year on year, forcing more and more to sleep in unsafe places, vulnerable to exploitation and harm. These are tough times with homelessness increasing for under 25s as unemployment, increasing rents and cuts to local youth services are leaving many with nowhere to turn.

“Nightstop is a safety net to vulnerable young people at times of greatest need, when they are forced to leave home, most often due to family breakdown, and have no idea where to go. Last year, our network of Nightstops helped over 5,000 vulnerable young people and kept them from sleeping rough, sofa surfing, or in unsuitable accommodation and at risk of abuse. The use of spare rooms makes a huge positive difference to young people in crisis.”

The Nightstop scheme asks volunteer hosts to provide a room, evening meal and listening ear to a young homeless person for a period ranging from one night to two weeks, while the charity works to help them address the issues that caused them to become homeless.

Gillian Groom, project manager of Redditch Nightstop, added: “There has never been a more important time for local people to partner with us and sign up to help Worcestershire and Warwickshire’s most vulnerable young people.”

For more information contact Redditch Nightstop on 01527 66036.