Young people in Dorset at increased risk of homelessness due to cost-of-living crisis
A Dorset charity is urgently seeking volunteer host families
A Dorset charity is desperately appealing for volunteers to temporarily house young people struggling with the cost of living crisis.
Action for Children's Dorset Nightstop say the situation is the worst they've ever seen and are set to see a record breaking year for people needing their services.
The project provides emergency temporary accommodation to homeless young people aged 16 to 25 from across the region, placing them with volunteer host families, usually for up to three nights, while local agencies find them a long-term solution.
Volunteer coordinator at Action for Children Simon Keys said: "Rents are soaring as landlords have had to pass on all the inflation costs to their tenants. This is also preventing young people in supported accommodation from moving on, which in turn, lengthens the waiting lists for that housing."
"This is the worst we've seen things since we started in 2009 and sadly means more and more young people are faced with no choice but to sofa-surf or sleep rough."
According to Dorset Council, the average house prices are 11 times higher than the average earnings in Dorset.
Emlyn, 23, from Dorchester found himself homeless last year and spent many months either sofa surfing or sleeping rough in a makeshift shelter in a wood on the edge of the town. Action for Children’s Dorset Nightstop was able to find Emlyn short-term accommodation with its volunteer hosts for a few weeks until Dorset Council found him a permanent solution.
Describing his volunteer hosts, Emlyn said: ‘It was the first proper bed I’d slept in for months. To see that sort of kindness from people I’ve never met let alone owe me anything was absolutely overwhelming. It was also such a breath of fresh air and an extra motivator for me to try and get to a place where I could get to a semi-long term let. It was a steppingstone that I’d needed for a very long time.’
Emlyn was able to secure a rent deposit loan from the council and move into his own flat and is now working full-time.
Volunteer hosts Heather and Kelvin from Alton Pancras (pictured below) helped Emlyn and regularly make up a bed in their spare room for young people who would otherwise have nowhere to go.
Heather said: ‘Young people end up homeless for a myriad of reasons and often don’t feel safe in their own homes. Some are fleeing abuse, others have left due to relationship breakdowns at home.
‘But it’s brilliant when you see their shoulders literally drop as they relax. They’ve been on tenterhooks about what’s going to happen next. But now they don’t have to worry because while they’re here – they’re safe.’
Kelvin said: ‘If someone is instantly homeless, you can’t magic anything up quickly. While the authorities are going through their due process and trying to make provisions for the young people there is nothing for them.
‘We provide a safe, warm environment for them while their next step can be taken. We don’t always know where they go next but at least we know they’ve gone off full, with a warm meal inside them, with clothing if they need it and some toothpaste and a toothbrush.’
Simon Keys from Dorset Nightstop adds: " I just expect it to get worse. So the more host families we have available, the more we're able to offer to young people. Young people are really being squeezed so we're seeing more young people we're having to help since the Covid lockdown since the 13 years we've been running"
"It's incredibly difficult to be homeless and it's very expensive. You're not able to access a kitchen and a fridge and a freezer to get the ingredients to cook yourself meals."
"Young people are finding it harder to access supported accommodation because people in supported accommodation are finding it harder to move on into private rented accommodation. It's got a trickle down effect."
How to become a volunteer
The next weekly training sessions for new volunteers start on Monday 7 November and run every Monday evening for four weeks (with a break on Monday 28 November).
To find out about becoming a volunteer host for Dorset Nightstop or offer your driving services, call Simon Keys on 07779 029 292 or email simon.keys@actionforchildren.org.uk