Nightstop: More than a safe night

Nightstop UK has launched research, supported by the Garfield Weston Foundation, into the social impact of Nightstop. The report, titled More Than Bednights, makes recommendations based on surveys, qualitative interviews and online surveys with young people who use the service as well as volunteer hosts, Nightstop staff, and referring agencies.

Full report

Executive Summary

Appendices

The evaluation “More Than Bednights”, led by Depaul UK with Envoy Partnership, aimed to understand how the Nightstop model is applied in practice, to understand the difference that Nightstop makes to young people and hosts involved in the project, and to examine the social value created by the project.

Outcomes for young people

The research found that Nightstop has a significant impact on the young people who use the service, and has led to short-term outcomes including reduced risk of harm, improved sleep, improved personal care, the ability to eat healthily and the ability to stay warm and dry.

Using the service also leads to changes in service users’ feelings and attitudes, including an increased sense of choice and control, being treated with respect and dignity, increased self-esteem and sense of self-worth, increased faith in others and increased optimism about the future and motivation to make positive changes.

Longer term, interviews with young people who had used Nightstop some time in the past highlighted some potential longer term outcomes for service users. These included improved social and emotional capabilities, practical skills and knowledge, engagement with education, employment and training, relationships, health and access to secure accommodation.

Social Value

The Social Value of the Nightstop model was assessed by developing three hypothetical case studies.

The case studies show that:

• If Nightstop can help an individual avoid depression and/or anxiety, then Nightstop can claim credit for resource savings of £530 per year for the NHS and £50 per year to local authorities, and social value to the young person of more than £1,700.
• If Nightstop supports a client into long-term employment, it creates social value of more than £700 per year for the young person, and resource savings of around £4,700 for the Government.
• For each person that Nightstop supports to improve their physical safety, Nightstop can take credit for resource savings of nearly £1,500 for the Government and social value for the individual of £4,600.

Head of Nightstop UK Nicola Harwood said “We can often underestimate the impact a good night’s sleep or a healthy meal can have on someone’s wellbeing. This research really demonstrates the impact Nightstop can have over such a short space of time, in changing a young person’s life.