Wyre Forest Nightstop is a registered charity that provides emergency accommodation to young people who are homeless for one night at a time within the homes of volunteer hosts.

Wyre Forest Nightstop has been a great success since its launch in March 2005, receiving over 300 referrals and providing 200+ bed nights to date. The majority of the young people placed there go on to find appropriate housing after their stay.

To continue the success of the project and to reduce the number of young people who are turned away because they have no beds for the night, Wyre Forest Nightstop crucially needs to recruit more volunteer hosts.

Volunteering for Wyre Forest Nightstop will involve providing safe accommodation, an evening meal and breakfast for one night at a time to a young person who is homeless. In return their volunteers receive agreed expenses (£15 per night), training and 24 hour support. The project co-ordinator, Annie Watters, prior to taking on the role, was a host herself so is well placed to assist new hosts.

Young people rarely become homeless through any fault of their own. The main cause of youth homelessness is family breakdown, leaving a young person in a vulnerable position and lacking support.

Wyre Forest Nightstop can assist the young person in finding long term accommodation or offer mediation with the young person’s family if appropriate. Once a young person has found accommodation, Nightstop can will soon offer a befriending service, whereby the young person has someone to turn to as a friend to help with settling into their new independent life.

Nightstop is a community response to a community problem and provides the opportunity for local residents to support local young people who are in urgent need. In one 4 week period (1st October 2006 – 31st October 2006) 47 young people presented themselves as homeless to various agencies in the Wyre Forest. This figure was higher than any other ward except Worcester itself. These findings illustrated that homelessness doesn’t just surround the big cities, but it is here in Wyre Forest and we can’t ignore it.

Even if you could provide no more than a couple of Nightstops a month it could make all the difference in the life of a young person. Anyone interested in becoming a host, befriender, wanting to join the management committee or simply wanting to find out more see the website www.wyreforestnightstop.org or contact Wyre Forest Nightstop Co-ordinator, Annie Watters on 01562 820110.