Giving homeless young people in Brighton & Hove a safe night’s sleep

Brighton and Hove has a long history of homelessness and rough sleeping, with an ever-changing street population and even larger, less visible numbers sofa-surfing. 

Government data reported some 541,000 households in England accommodating someone in 2018-19 who’d otherwise be homeless and the problem is more acute in London and the South East. Cambridge University research from 2016 suggests that 26% of young people aged 16–25 had slept rough at some point in their life and 35% had ‘sofa surfed’.

At some stage or other, we’ve all met or seen someone on the streets and either given them some spare change, had a chat or avoided them and felt remorse. And at Christmas time in particular, when we gather together with business colleagues, friends and family in our warm offices and homes, the concept of homelessness feels even more wrong. 

Thankfully, there’s a citywide network helping homeless people and Sussex Nightstop is part of that. A small but vital charity, they’re on a mission to ensure that young people in particular have the opportunity to sleep safe every night and, crucially, find a secure and sustainable home.

Their model is unusual, but part of a growing national network that’s quality accredited by the larger youth charity, Depaul UK. It’s a simple concept rooted in community collaboration that addresses the problem both short and long-term. 

Sussex Nightstop recruits, checks and trains local people to become volunteer hosts; enabling them to open up their homes and provide a safe, warm place to sleep for young people experiencing homelessness. 

A safe night’s sleep can change a life

It’s amazing how well this collaborative model works. The warm welcome and home comforts provided by Sussex Nightstop combine with local services (mostly via the referral agency, YMCA Downslink) to support young people into more permanent, suitable accommodation and the impact is huge. With a safe night’s sleep behind them, it’s easier to develop a road map to the life they want. 

Key facts

• 90% of young people who stay with Sussex Nightstop go on to find a more suitable home, re-uniting with their family where it is safe to do so.

• 42% of young people staying with Sussex Nightstop are in work, education or training. The provision of this vital emergency accommodation enables them to maintain these essential activities, laying foundations for their future.

What can we do as a business, or an individual?

Sussex Nightstop works with local businesses who want to make a contribution to the homeless problem. This ranges from pro-bono work and one-off donations to adopting the small but impactful charity longer-term, which:

• Covers placement expenses including safe travel to and from the host home.

• Recruits, trains and supports a pool of committed volunteers.

• Maintains a safe, high-quality service that deploys skilled staff in the support of vulnerable young people in complex situations.

Richard Zinzan, director of Archangels Architects, got involved with Sussex Nightstop in 2019, by asking all clients who benefit from a free design consultation to donate £30 to the charity. He has since become the charity’s Business Ambassador and is keen to grow collaborations within the Brighton and Hove business community.

“As an architectural practice that designs homes to improve everyday living, it was a natural choice to support a homeless charity and we liked the fact that Sussex Nightstop is all about working together to solve a problem. 

It’s an intelligent solution, run expertly, that results in a powerful service offer.”

Sam Murphy of independent mortgage and insurance brokers Mortgage Medics chose Sussex Nightstop as their community charity partner in 2020 with an aim to support their fight against homelessness by offering a regular funding commitment and raising the profile of the charity’s work to clients and the general public. 

“We’re passionate about advising our clients in what can be a complex and costly process and accessing permanent housing when you’re in crisis is undoubtedly exponentially more challenging. All our staff are behind this partnership and they identify with the tangible benefits the service provides. We’re proud to support their hardworking team of staff and volunteers.”

If you’re a business, here’s ten ways to help:

• Adopt Sussex Nightstop as your in-house charity

• Sponsor a community campaign – they’re always recruiting volunteers

• Nominate Sussex Nightstop for your industry’s community grants

• Promote Sussex Nightstop through your website and social media channels

• Link a business service or sale to a Sussex Nightstop donation

• Introduce employee payroll giving

• Organise a fundraiser: auction, gala, quiz night, sports event, bingo night or cake sale

• Donate a gift or service we can use to thank our amazing volunteers

• Donate toiletries for young people to use during their stay

• Make a donation 

If you’re an individual, here’s three things you can do:

• If you meet someone who is rough sleeping and in need of accommodation, please share the details with national service Streetlink which routes all reports through to outreach workers who can help.

• Consider becoming a trained volunteer if you have a spare room – visit the charity’s website to find out more and apply

• Organise a fundraising event or make a donation