Does Someone Need a Bed?

Nightstop accommodation is EMERGENCY bed and breakfast. Subject to risk assessment, accommodation can be made available within a few hours. Normally a Nightstopper will stay overnight with the same host up to a maximum of 3 consecutive nights.

The service is for YOUNG SINGLE HOMELESS PEOPLE ranging in age from 16-25 years.

Getting Help

Nightstop schemes do not accept self-referrals, and you must be referred to us by one of our referral agencies. Other sources of help include housing advice projects, social services departments, youth services, council housing departments, the probation service or local schools or colleges.

The Nightstop scheme is not appropriate for everyone. The agency you contact may ask you questions to determine whether you can use the Nightstop scheme in your area. You may need to give permission for information about you to be passed to the Nightstop organisers in confidence (this would not be to volunteers, but to professional personnel). Any agency feeling that a problem of homelessness needs to be dealt with urgently may phone the local scheme and ask for help.

Guests and Hosts

The local Nightstop needs to know that you would be happy and comfortable to stay in the home of a volunteer host if this can be arranged. Nightstoppers and hosts are carefully matched. It may be you are a vegetarian, or have cultural or religious needs to be taken into consideration. Host and guest must show mutual respect.

The Nightstop host offers you a comfortable, clean and private room to yourself. You may have a hot evening meal, and breakfast before you leave next morning. You will always be able to take a shower or a bath. Your room is in a private home, with a host volunteer family. You are never asked to telephone your host direct and must always use the service through the proper channels.

Safety for both hosts and guests is of paramount importance. CRB (criminal records bureau) checks on the hosts are in place, back-up systems are in place, and Nightstoppers and host families are carefully matched. We use only approved volunteers. The quality of the South Holland local scheme will be constantly monitored using the expertise and help of NIGHTSTOP UK.

Restrictions

The NIGHTSTOP scheme is not suitable for young people who have a recent history of violent behaviour, or who have a serious criminal record, particularly in the area of sexual offences or arson.

No one under the influence of drink or drugs at the time of the referral will be offered accommodation under the Nightstop scheme.

Any young person with a serious medical condition, either physical or in the area of mental health, who is unable to take personal responsibility for this, will be excluded from the scheme.

Volunteer hosts are ordinary people in ordinary homes. They are fully trained, but they are unable to cope with uncontrolled illness or extremely challenging behaviour. Within these limits, Nightstop hosts respect diversity and personal freedoms. We do not discriminate directly or indirectly in the provision of service, or use of volunteers.