Residents in Milton Keynes have been opening their homes to young people on the brink of becoming homeless.
Milton Keynes City Council and its charity partner Depaul UK are applauding residents who have opened their homes as part of their ‘Nightstop’ service to provide more than 100 overnight stays for young people.
Nightstop is a joint campaign between MK City Council and charity Depaul UK which recruits volunteers to take in young people at risk of homelessness.
Nightstop prevents young people from facing a night on the streets, with volunteers providing a safe space for one night at a time to 16-to-25 year-olds in need.
Council colleagues and Depaul UK staff quickly work with the young people to find more settled and long-term accommodation.
Depaul UK also runs the Reconnect programme on behalf of MK City Council, which acts as a mediation service between young people and their families who may be experiencing a relationship breakdown.
The partnership has so far supported more than 50 families, helping them find an alternative to a young person becoming homeless.
Both Nightstop and Reconnect provide ongoing support to young people to ensure they’re not faced with a similar situation again.
Cabinet Member for Adults, Healthy Communities and Housing, Cllr Emily Darlington said: “Our work with Depaul UK is just one of the ways we’re ensuring that people are not faced with a night on the streets. Young people in MK have access to wide-ranging support when they face tough circumstances and we’re determined to help them get the help they need.
"We’ll continue this work along with the other initiatives that we’ve introduced to prevent homelessness and end rough sleeping in MK for good.”
Senior Prevention Coordinator, Depaul UK Milton Keynes, Chris Dommett said: “At Depaul UK we are so excited to continue and to grow the support we can offer to families and young people in Milton Keynes who are experiencing difficulties in family relationships and those at risk or experiencing homelessness.
"We are so thankful for our current volunteers who have opened their homes to provide emergency accommodation to young people in need, and professionals who have trusted and supported the work to prevent and end young people experiencing homelessness in Milton Keynes.”
