Give up your spare room this January?

While most people give up alcohol, chocolate or smoking at part of their New Year’s resolution, the local charity is asking people to give their spare rooms for a good cause, putting up vulnerable young people at risk of homelessness in the city.

All host volunteers will be trained and vetted to support these young people, while safe, permanent accommodation is being sorted for them.

Nightstop manager Amy Smith said: “We’re always on the lookout for new hosts, and what better time to take up volunteering than in January? Lots of people make New Year’s resolutions to turn over a new leaf, and we think this is an easy way to give back to the local community.

“Our hosts might be giving up their spare bedrooms, but they gain a lot from volunteering too – we offer full training, support and advice and the opportunity to turn a young person’s life around.

“Facing homelessness can be a turning point for many young people, and by offering them a safe and secure place to stay we can help them to get their lives back on track.”

Nightstop South Yorkshire was set up earlier this year thanks to funding from Players of People’s Postcode Lottery and has been hosting young people since November. Twelve households are currently hosting, or in the process of becoming hosts, but the service is always in need of more volunteers.

“We’d love to have the availability to place every single young person who comes to the service,” said Amy.

“But we need more hosts to be able to do that.”

Volunteer host Diane sai:, “Being a volunteer host is very rewarding, opening your door to someone and seeing them leave comforted and hopeful that the world will continue to be kind to them.”

Email [email protected] or call 0114 2787152 for details.