Would you give a room to a rough sleeper?

Volunteers are wanted who can offer a spare room to young people sleeping rough to help them get off the streets.

Seven people in Glasgow have already signed up offer a room in the Nightstop project.

The programme, run by the Simon Community, is being launched today by housing minister, Kevin Stewart.

Volunteers taking part in the scheme will host a young person for a maximum of three evenings over a three-week period.

At the same time they will get intensive support from agencies to try and resolve the issues that led them to become homeless.

Geraldine Feeley one of the volunteers to offer a room to Nightstop said: “I was inspired by the ordinary people on a Channel 4 documentary who opened their homes to provide a safe place for a young person for a night.

“I hope that, in future, any young person that stays at my home will feel safe and welcome.”

The Glasgow project is the first of its kind in Scotland and has been accredited by Depaul UK, which has operated schemes in other UK cities for the last 30 years.

The aim is to allow early intervention and stop someone becoming a regular rough sleeper and get them the help they need as soon as possible.

Pauline Hannigan, head of Nightstop and Volunteering at Simon Community Scotland, said: “Often, young person become homeless through no fault of their own.

“Most young people who have come through Nightstop UK cite family or relationships breaking down as the main reason and, of these young people, over half say violence was involved.”

Lorraine McGrath, chief executive of Simon Community Scotland, said: “We are only able to reach this point of launch thanks to the generosity of the people of Glasgow who have shown their support for the service by volunteering to open up their homes and hearts to young people who need them at a point of crisis.”