Charity calls for spare rooms for homeless young people

Depaul UK’s spare room campaign is targeting 7.5 million households who have a spare room, urging them to join its Nightstop initiative.

This currently places 16- to 25-year-olds with around 700 volunteer hosts who have been approved by the charity. Depaul wants to double the number of spare rooms it has available by 2015, to meet surging demand.

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.

‘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.’

Nightstop volunteers offer a room and evening meal to a young person for up to two weeks. Depaul staff can then work with the young people to find more permanent solutions to their problems.

Sir Trevor McDonald, president of Depaul UK, said: ‘Nightstop is a community response to a problem which is all too common in our community. This unique service is made possible by the generosity of inspirational people with a spare room and a desire to make a difference in a young person’s life.’