This winter, there are thousands of young people in the UK with no safe place to live or regular bed to sleep in.
Many have been through family breakdown and violence. Others have nowhere to go because of soaring rents and unaffordable bills.
Some may be visible on the streets, but more often their homelessness is hidden. And so are the dangers.
They might turn to friends for a place to bed down, stay with people they’ve just met, or simply find ways to stay out and awake all night – riding on buses or socialising all hours, only to find themselves in unsafe situations.
Jasmine, a student from the North East, slept in her car for a week after a family breakdown meant she had nowhere to go: “I didn’t know who to turn to, I was struggling mentally, and I felt really lonely.”
Living like this poses extraordinary risks for young people. Young people like Jasmine can become easy targets for abuse and exploitation.
Nightstop is our national emergency service for young people at risk of homelessness. Trained and vetted volunteers’ welcome young people into their own homes, provide a safe and warm place to sleep, a hot meal, and a listening ear. Nightstop can arrange a comfortable and safe place for a young person to stay within a few hours.
Watch the video to find out how Nightstop supported Jasmine out of homelessness.
*The story is told in Jasmine’s own words. An actor was used in the photography and film, and names have been changed to protect their privacy.