NIGHTSTOP
PREVENTING YOUTH HOMELESSNESS COMMUNITY HOSTING
Launching Spring 2025!
What is Nightstop?
Nightstop serves as a safety net for young people forced to leave their homes, offering emergency accommodation. It places them in a secure, welcoming home for the night, hosted by carefully vetted and approved volunteers.
Nightstop addresses youth homelessness by offering emergency overnight shelter to young people at risk of spending the night on the streets or in unsafe conditions. Compassionate volunteer hosts from the community welcome these young individuals into their homes, providing a safe place for a short-term stay.
The program has been operating successfully for over 30 years throughout the UK and is now in Canada. Rebound is proud to be the 3rd organization in the country to provide this innovative approach to shelter diversion. With no youth shelter beds available in Northumberland County, Nightstop engages the local community to open their spare rooms and act as volunteer “Hosts” to youth with nowhere to go.
Once the youth is safely in the Host home, Nightstop staff will work to provide wrap-around support while the youth is working toward reintegration with their family (if safe to do so) or longer-term housing options.
Nightstop is for youth ages 16 and above, considered low-to-medium risk i.e. no high-dependency needs such as unmanaged physical or mental health conditions, or addictions, no recent history of arson, sexual assault, violent behaviour, or other serious crime. Substance use is not permitted while in the Nightstop placement.
How Nightstop Works
Community Hosts
Nightstop can’t operate without Volunteer Hosts!
All Nightstop Volunteer Hosts are vetted, must be able to provide a clear police and vulnerable sector check, and are provided with extensive training.
Ongoing support is provided by program staff, who will contact the host to determine if the youth is a good match for the family.
Hosts may pause their participation or withdraw from the program at any time.
*Host applications will open in January 2025
2. Youth Referred or Apply
Referrals to Nightstop are received 3 ways:
Internal
External
Self-referral
Nighstop staff will meet with the youth for an intake meeting, where they will review the young person’s situation and assess their eligibility for the program.
Youth must successfully pass the risk assessment before moving on to the next step.
*Beginning April 2025
3. Host Matching
Once matched, the youth will be taken to the Volunteer Host, who will provide a safe place to sleep, laundry and bathroom facilities, along with 3 meals (breakfast, dinner, and a packed lunch) per day.
Please email Krystyne Gillespie, Outreach & Fund Development Manager, to express your interest in being a VOLUNTEER HOST.
