M&S Redditch

Redditch Nightstop Charity was established in 1997 and provides holistic homelessness prevention support, accommodation, and learning. The project supports young people aged 16-35 who are either experiencing homelessness (e.g., sofa surfing, sleeping in a vehicle, living in unsafe or inappropriate accommodation) or at risk of or experiencing homelessness (e.g., family breakdown, rent arrears, insecure tenancy). The project is comprised of a 3-point support and prevention programme with four activity components. The SAS support and prevention programme is delivered by our team of three Homelessness Prevention Officers (HPOs), supported where appropriate by a Volunteer Coordinator, Finance Manager, Charity Manager, and volunteers. The holistic programme is comprised of three points: • Reactive: timely support responding to an urgent need or crisis situation. Our team provides direct support in response to a young person’s urgent need or crisis situation. This includes in-person direct support, access to our resources, and hosted emergency accommodation. • Proactive: stabilisation of the young person’s situation via pre-booked support sessions, access to our resources, learning sessions, and longer term supported lodgings accommodation. • Hosting: training, recruitment, and management of volunteer hosts, who provide accommodation in their family home to young people for whom alternative options are unsuitable. The four components of the SAS project are: • One-to-one support from HPOs. • Our Access to Support (ACTS) facility (previously our ‘drop-in’ service). • Group learning and facilitated wellbeing activities. • Direct provision of accommodation. Referrals are taken Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm; accommodation is provided 7 days per week. Hosts complete an induction and training process enabling them to provide this unique accommodation. Clients self refer or are referred by local partner agencies. Redditch Nightstop is independent, accredited by Depaul, they have no management or financial responsibility.