Youngsters "Sleeping Out" To Highlight Homelessness

13 November 2014, 16:02 | Updated: 13 November 2014, 16:37

A group of 9 young people have organised a sponsored sleep out, which will involve them sleeping out in Bristol to get a taste of what it's like to be vulnerable and without a home.

Through Young Bristol they have recently taken part in National Citizen Service  - a Government programme that supports young people to take on challenges and make a difference to an issue they care about in their community.

The group spent the last few weeks visiting and learning about youth homeless from 3 Bristol organisations (1625 Independent People, Nightstop, and Crisis Centre) and volunteered at Wild Goose - a cafe for Bristol's vulnerable and homeless. They have really enjoyed challenging their own preconceptions of homelessness and want to make a difference to the issue in Bristol and raise awareness.

They have chosen the project and will be working alongside an organisation called Bristol Nightstop that help people aged 16 - 25 who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. They have decided to organize a sponsored sleep out, which will involve them sleeping out in Bristol to get a taste of what it's like to be vulnerable and without a home. The money they raise will go to the charity Caring in Bristol that supports Nightstop.

This will take Place at Ashton Vale Youth Club on Friday 14th from 6.30pm till Saturday 15th 9am. During this sleep out they will have the challenge of building a shelter with limited materials and dealing with the November weather conditions.

You can sponsor them HERE

Alongside this they are also collecting donations from local shops to put together 15 care packs for young people that use Nightstop's service, including items such as tooth brushes, soap, snack items, warm clothing and positive messages.