The past three years have been tough for many in the UK. Coronavirus, and most recently the economic downturn and the dramatic rise in the cost of living have put severe strain on households and family life. For many this financial pressure has become untenable and as winter looms closer it is expected that thousands more will be pushed onto the streets.
Depaul UK, the youth homelessness charity, is launching an urgent appeal this Christmas to raise awareness and gather support and money to combat this issue. Depaul says that “the combined impact of increased debt, spiralling bills and the low incomes that young people are often on could lead to conflict which can exacerbate family and relationship breakdowns. This increases the risks to young people vulnerable to homelessness and can put their lives in danger.”
The Depaul Group was founded in 1989 and has spent the past 30 years supporting the homeless with a specific focus on young people. Today, the charity offers long-term and emergency accommodation services for youths who are at risk of becoming homeless. Depaul provides support and mediation for those whose family relationships have declined – often a principal cause for youth homelessness. They also work with the young to help them overcome mental health issues. Last year, Depaul UK worked with more than 2,000 people, helping them to find accommodation, stability and employment opportunities.
One of their most crucial services is the Nightstop programme. This relies on local communities and, through a network of volunteers, has created a nationwide support service that offers an accommodation lifeline to any young person in need. It operates in 30 locations around the UK and last year provided 6,000 safe nights of accommodation for young people in crisis. Nicola Harwood, Executive Director of Services at Depaul UK, said: “We know that this winter, young people face unprecedented pressures and we are braced to support those who have run out of options,” highlighting the urgent need for support in the coming months.
When I spoke to Daniel, one of Nightstop’s beneficiaries, the necessity for this work became apparent. Following the death of his baby sister in 2016, Daniel’s relationship with his mother deteriorated which led to him having to leave home. “Things were very stressful and intense, it ended in a lot of anger and spite and sometimes things would get physical,” he explains. “It kept getting worse and eventually it got to the point where I realised I couldn’t do it anymore. At that point I felt very lost.”
Having left home Daniel recalled: “I did end up sleeping in a bus station. I felt backed into a corner, that I had no other choice.” I asked Daniel how, if at all, his faith had played a role in this experience. Although his family is Catholic and during his early years he had been a member of his local church club, he admitted he had now stopped attending. However, he remember one incident that struck him as significant. “When I was on the street I went to a local Catholic cathedral and sat there for hours, obviously I’d been sleeping at a bus stop, it was just so peaceful in there and I did feel a connection,” he said.
After a period, Daniel was put in contact with Nightstop and after speaking to them on the phone was set up with accommodation. Initially he was apprehensive. “I have a lot to thank Nightstop for, even though I was very sceptical about it at first. I didn’t really know what to expect,” he explains. Having taken the plunge, said, his choice was vindicated. “The volunteers are just like a family, they want the best for you. They’ve seen how things can go wrong and want to prevent that, for anyone. You’re not in a helpless scenario, like a hostel, it’s a loving family that just wants to help someone.”
Nightstop provided Daniel with accommodation for a number of weeks before eventually helping him to find more permanent long-term housing. This was prompted by a sharp rise in the number of young people coming to Nightstop for help due to increased financial pressures being felt across the UK. As more people are pushed to the brink it is inevitable that these numbers will continue to rise and it is increasingly essential that charities such as Depaul UK and Nightstop get the support they need.
The Depaul UK website offers numerous examples of those that have benefited from the service and also provides the option to donate or sign up as a volunteer. “It’s quite a scary thought for me to think what I would have done without Nightstop,” says Daniel. “I don’t think it would have ended well. So I am grateful.”
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