Halton YMCA Night Stop Project

football-nightstopThe Night Stop project, which was established in Halton by Halton YMCA in 2008, provides two broad services; emergency accommodation for young people who require it and mediation support targeted at the young people and their families where there is a risk of the young person becoming homeless and requiring emergency support or other forms of accommodation.

The service is committed to young people and their right to access safe and secure accommodation appropriate to their needs. The emergency accommodation for the single homeless people aged 16-25 year olds is offered by approved volunteers within the Halton Borough community who the Night Stop project staff have identified and worked with since the projects inception.

Since April 2009 some 60 young people requiring emergency accommodation have accessed 599 bed nights.

In establishing the project locally Halton YMCA have worked in close association with DePaul Night Stop UK and is affiliated to this organisation.

Since 2008 Halton YMCA, and in particular the dedicated Night Stop project staff, have established strong, effective and progressive links with the Halton community which has had a positive impact on the excellent performance of the group over the last 3 years.

Currently the Night Stop project receives referrals from agencies and organisations who understand the criteria and purpose of Night Stop. From April 2012 it is understood these will come via the New Gateway service.

Action Plan

The Action plan allows us to:

  • Identify any additional support needs the young person may have. This should identify if referrals to partnership agencies is appropriate such as support for previous addictions, self-harm &counselling.
  • Assess the young person on a holistic and individual approach to make sure we can support them in the way that fits best for them.
  • Work with partner agencies such as Connexions, JCP and Y's UP, to identify the young persons need in education, training and employment and seek to access different resources and establish the young person's needs. Night Stop has worked hard to build relations with other agencies and housing associations and other training providers to make sure we can effectively support the young people in this.

Support and Advice

Night Stop works with young people for up to a six-week period. Within this period of time we work closely with the Housing Solutions team and other hostel providers to successfully accommodate the young people if they require additional support needs. Should the young person be able to hold their own tenancy we work with RSL's to pursue the young person gaining their own tenancy.

Since developing the service in 2008 Halton YMCA and the Night Stop team have developed a wealth of experience and expertise which we believe puts us in a prime position to continue to run and manage this successful and much needed service in Halton. Additionally we have worked with numerous local, regional and national organisations and agencies to establish excellent operational links and develop good practice which supports the delivery of the service to the young people.

For individuals requiring accommodation, the night Stop service provides:

  • Access to safe secure accommodation – Night Stop provides appropriate accommodation via Host volunteers who can provide beds for the night and main meals.
  • Provide emergency interim accommodation – in general Night Stop arranges accommodation for up to six weeks on a nightly basis.
  • Provides advice, guidance and mentoring support – during the time the young person is in emergency accommodation Night Stop works with the young person to discuss their options, seek to support them (where appropriate to return to their family accommodation) or identify accommodation in a supported living service such as Belvedere, Orchard House, Halton Goals or the Halton YMCA Hostel

Who We Help

Typically the project works with young people aged 16-25 who are vulnerable and have low support needs. These young people will generally:

  • Have been made homeless recently
  • Be at crisis point and at serious risk of being made homeless
  • Be living with their family but who, because of chaotic relationships, could be at risk of being made homeless

Assessment of Need

Individuals who are referred to the Night Stop service receive bespoke support. Each individual is assessed to understand what their specific needs are. The assessment will involve looking at the individual's circumstances looking at their housing status, family arrangements, health (both physical and mental), Basic skills levels, involvement and participation in learning employment status etc. This assessment will then drive the need of an Action Plan which, in the case of individuals requiring emergency accommodation will support them to meet their own aims and objectives.

For individuals identified as requiring mediation support, the Night Stop service provides:

  • Work with both the young person and the family to understand the range of issues that exist and what the factors are that risk the young person becoming homeless and help them to resolve any issue they may have.
  • Mediation support to both the young person and family to work through issues that might result in the young person becoming homeless