New three-year partnership will help almost 2,000 young people facing homelessness find a safe place to stay. We are also inviting proposals for an independent evaluation of the Nightstop network.
Depaul UK has secured £740,000 from LandAid, the property industry charity, to grow Nightstop, our national network of emergency accommodation for young people facing homelessness. Over the next three years, the partnership will help almost 2,000 young people find a safe place to stay and the support to move forward.
By the time a young person contacts Nightstop, they may have spent months sleeping on friends’ sofas, with that support having now run out. Without somewhere safe to go that night, they are left vulnerable to rough sleeping, exploitation and poor mental health.
Nightstop offers short-term emergency accommodation in the homes of trained and vetted volunteer hosts, giving young people immediate safety and breathing space while longer-term housing and support options are arranged.
Alexia Murphy, our Chief Executive, said:
The strongest solutions to homelessness are built in communities. Nightstop is a powerful example of that in action as trained local volunteer hosts open their homes so that a young person has somewhere safe to stay for the night, and are then supported by organisations working together to help them move forward.
We’re delighted that LandAid and its supporters are joining us to help prevent youth homelessness. This landmark investment will help us recruit more volunteer hosts, grow the Nightstop network and ensure more young people can access safety and support when they need it most.
The partnership is one of the largest strategic investments in LandAid’s history. As well as recruiting more volunteer hosts, it will help us establish new Nightstop services and strengthen local partnerships so young people can access support before they reach crisis point.
As we look to grow the network, we also want to understand more about the difference Nightstop makes. We are inviting proposals for an independent impact evaluation and social return on investment assessment, examining its impact and the wider social value it creates.
No young person should have to face the fear of not knowing where they’ll sleep tonight,” said Paul Morrish, Chief Executive of LandAid. “Yet every day, thousands of young people across the UK are forced to make impossible choices because they have nowhere safe to turn. Last year alone, almost 124,000 young people reported themselves as experiencing homelessness to their local authority.
Alongside the funding, LandAid will bring pro bono skills, expertise and connections from the property industry, and together we’ll work to raise awareness of youth homelessness.
“Together with Depaul UK, we’re backing a proven approach that gives young people safety and support when they need it most,” said Paul Morrish.
This partnership is made possible by the fundraising and generosity of the UK property industry through LandAid.
To find out more about the independent impact evaluation and social return on investment assessment, including how to submit a proposal, read the full invitation to tender.
Read the Nightstop evaluation invitation to tender
Deadline for proposals: Friday 4 December, 5pm.