Households with a spare room and an understanding of the difficulties faced by young people are needed to provide accommodation and a listening ear for 16 and 17 year olds, as part of a Supported Lodgings scheme in Waveney and St Edmundsbury.

Suffolk County Council’s Children and Young Person’s Service and Waveney District and St Edmundsbury Borough Councils’ housing departments have recognised the need for young people to be housed in accommodation, which is both safe and supportive. They have, through a Supported People grant and Tackling Youth Homelessness grant, commissioned St Edmundsbury & Waveney YMCA to provide innovative alternatives to B&B provision for young people.

The aim of the scheme is to provide lodgings as a preferred alternative to Bed & Breakfast, for young people who have left home for a variety of reasons, some of which could be family problems. The young person will receive external life skills training and ongoing support from a YMCA support worker.

Ed Vaughn, Chief Executive of the YMCA explains: “For the past twelve months, we have piloted a ‘Nightstop’ scheme in the West of the county, which is proving highly successful. Volunteer host families house young people for up to three nights in safe accommodation, giving the relevant agencies time to work with the young person to assess his or her needs.”

The Y.M.C.A will now pilot the Nightstop scheme in Waveney, with the assistance of the Local Strategic Partnership. They also run a Supported Lodgings scheme for care leavers in the County, which is to be expanded in Waveney and St Edmundsbury to include homeless 16 and 17 year olds.

Mr Vaughn continued: “Suffolk Social Care and local authority housing departments have been looking at positive alternatives to B&B and are committed to the Every Child Matters Agenda, which highlights the need for staying safe and healthy, enjoying and achieving and making a positive contribution.

“Not all young people have intensive needs and some only require minimal support. This scheme recognises that good accommodation provides a secure base from which all the positive elements in a young person’s life follow on.

“This is where local people can help. If you have a spare room in your house you could become a volunteer for the Nightstop scheme, or if you would like additional income you could become part of the Supported Lodgings scheme; either way we would be delighted to hear from you.”

To take part in the scheme you do not have to be married or have had children and you don’t necessarily have to be a homeowner. All that is expected is that the young person has their own bedroom and access to the bathroom and kitchen. Participants must also need to be willing to support the young person living with them and help them take their first steps into the adult world.

Participants in the Supported Lodgings Scheme will receive rent and financial support for looking after the young person, who will also make a weekly contribution. In addition, they will be provided with support and training. They could also be eligible for a tax allowance on the money you receive under the Inland Revenue Rent a Room scheme.

“Local authorities recognise that use of Bed & Breakfast as emergency accommodation, in many instances does not provide the required support and that housing departments are in some cases picking up the pieces of youth homelessness that are social welfare in their origin and in turn require a more appropriate multi agency response. Local authority housing departments have focussed their time on developing prevention initiatives as well as looking at broadening the range of options that meet the wider needs of young homeless 16 and 17 year olds,” said Mr Vaughn.

Please contact Debbie Scroggins at YMCA on 01284 701697 to discuss how you can make that positive contribution or to request an information pack. Alternatively, you can email ymca.accommodation.projects@googlemail.com .