YMCA St Paul’s Group is seeing an increase in the number of young people struggling to afford the high costs of private rent in South West and West London.
Even for a young person in employment, a combination of low wages and high rents leaves many young people with few or no options when the time comes for them to move on from YMCA St Paul’s Group hostel accommodation.
In partnership with the Royal Borough of Kingston and Ealing Council, YMCA St Paul’s Group is delivering Young People’s Supported Lodgings; a housing scheme which places young people aged 16 – 25 who are in employment and/or education with families, couples or individuals who have a spare room to rent out.
Stability and support
Matthew (23) is one of the young people currently being housed through the Supported Lodgings scheme. He is studying for a degree in Youth Work in University and he is an ambassador for the charity Prince’s Trust. He says:
“The Supported Lodgings scheme has helped me a great deal. It has given me the stability I need to complete my studies and has helped me progress in life. My host family is wonderful and has been very supportive”.
His host Izabel is also very pleased with the arrangement. She states that:
“Matthew has fitted into the household perfectly. He really gets on with my teenage boys and when he’s not around they want to know where he is. He’s so busy with his studies and work we don’t see much of him, but he’s a great role model”.
Hear more from Matthew and Izabel in the video below:
Are you or someone you know looking for lodgings? Find out how to apply in our ‘How to Apply – Supported Lodgings scheme booklet’.
YMCA St Paul’s Group has a wide range of young people who need supported lodgings and is therefore looking for a wide range of people from different cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds to become hosts.
Could you host a young person in your home?
Watch our video to find out more.
Earn £100 a week by renting out a room
Supported Lodgings hosts receive £100 a week in rent which is paid either from the young person themselves or from YMCA St Paul’s Group, depending on the financial circumstances.
Great care is taken in matching hosts and lodgers in order to make a suitable arrangement for everyone involved. The length of the placement is flexible, with the shortest period of stay being a few months and the longest up to two years.
YMCA Surbiton’s Supported Lodgings Co-ordinator Natasha Price says:
“We see more and more young people struggling to find affordable housing solutions, even if they are employed. The Young People’s Supported Lodgings scheme is one of the ways YMCA St Paul’s Group tackles the affordable housing crisis in our local communities.
By matching young people who are in employment and/or education with local hosts with a spare room, the young people will be able to save up money for a deposit, enabling them to get a place on their own. The scheme has been a success so far and both hosts and lodgers are very satisfied with the follow up they get. However, there is a need for more hosts and I encourage more people in South West and West London to register as hosts and help young people getting an affordable place to live”.
For more information on becoming a host, please view our Become a Host – Supported Lodgings scheme booklet
Contact
YMCA Surbiton
Please contact Natasha Price for more information.
E Natashaprice@ymcaspg.org
T 020 8339 4630
YMCA West London
