Gloucestershire Nightstop has been providing emergency accommodation to prevent youth homelessness for nearly 20 years in the spare rooms of volunteers. Our core services have served us well, but times are changing and its time for us to change
with them.
A new team. A new face. A new hub. A new service. On 27 November, we are introducing a New Nightstop, where #ANewNight just hits differently.
Under the leadership of Executive Director Elaine Pearson-Scott and a new Board of Trustees, our services are evolving to meet the needs of young people now and in the future. We have a refreshed team, an exciting new brand and a new physical hub in Gloucester allowing us to build wrap-around support services that are best placed to create a strong foundation for a stable and successful life post-Nightstop. Our new DayStop service provides a safe place to go in the day to learn vital skills, engage in enrichment activities and access washing facilities.
As homeless young people in Gloucestershire face ongoing turmoil in the housing market, we are stepping in to provide longer accommodation placements to prepare young people for independence as they wait for suitable accommodation to become available. Our emergency Shortstop service, combined with our new Longstop solution, provides flexible options for ever-changing needs in an ever-changing housing landscape.
Our new befriending service is making it possible for young people to receive guidance and reassurance as they navigate our services, homelessness and settling in to independent living. We’re connecting current homeless young people with young adults that have experienced homelessness themselves, providing mutual support and showing that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Whilst many essential services are on their knees, Gloucestershire Nightstop is growing to plug some of those gaps and achieve success for vulnerable young people across our county.
Elaine Pearson-Scott, Executive Director, said:
“Our holistic, integrated approach to service development and delivery forms part of our mission to work with partners to design youth homelessness out of society for good. We used to provide a bed for a night in a volunteer home, now we provide a foundation for a successful life. That’s why A New Night just hits differently.” The goodwill of the community is the reason why we can help some of the 800 young people that present as homeless every year, that is why we need your help. The pandemic hit our host numbers hard and, with your spare room, you could change a life forever. All it takes is one night a month to help a young person build a brighter future. Can you help?
Visit Gloucestershire Nightstop now to find out more and end youth homelessness for good: gloucestershirenightstop.org.uk