1. Nightstop Volunteer Training
Day / Month / Year

2. What we will cover today
Welcome
An introduction to Nightstop
What is homelessness?
Break
4. Who uses Nightstop?
Lunch
5. How Nightstop works for young people
6. How do I host?
7. House rules and boundaries
8. Confidentiality and Safeguarding
8. Supporting you
Welcome group, thank them for their time. Introduce trainers.
Housekeeping – share with group fire exits, smoking, toilets, name badges.
Ground rules – phones off / silent. Keep everything confidential. Respect one another
Go through programme for the day. Tell them the training will be lots of real life scenarios, case studies, and discussion to help get you ready to be hosts. Welcome any questions they have. You’ll leave today with the knowledge and tools to be a Nightstop host.

3. ? Any Burning Questions? Activity: Burning Questions. (5 mins)
Ask group what burning questions they have about hosting. Could be anything from what do I cook them, to how are they homeless. Group together into themes. Pick off questions as they are answered throughout the day.
Activity: Hopes and Fears (10 mins)
Two colours of post its, one is what you hope to get out of volunteering, the other colour is what you are worried about. Write on your own them down & then stick on board. Trainer to go through each post-it starting with fears, and address them.

4. An introduction to Nightstop
We will cover;
Brief history of Nightstop
National impact of Nightstop
What we do locally
Important to stress they are part of something much bigger

5. A brief history of Nightstop UK
Go through history.

6. What does Nightstop UK do?
Nightstop UK lead the national network through:
Regularly providing Quality Assessments for all Nightstop services
Accrediting all Nightstop services which pass the Quality Assessment
Providing resources for marketing, procedures and training
Holding regular forums and an annual conference
Providing national publicity such as:
The Nightstop 30th Birthday event at the Houses of Parliament
The Guardian & Observer 2017 Charity Appeal
The ‘Would you take in a stranger?’ documentary on More4

7. In 2017 Nightstop services in the UK and Canada…
placed
For
With the help of
1,403 young people
11,070 nights
823 volunteers
The young people then moved on
and 68% found positive accommodation options
supported & private accommodation, back home, with friends and other

8. Example Nightstop We are run through the organisation Depaul UK
And launched in 2015
Since then we have hosted 200 people
For 2,000 nights
In the homes of 57 wonderful volunteers
Change information & photos for your Nightstop service

9. Meet the Example Nightstop team
Nicola Harwood
Head of Nightstop
Ian Forster
Nightstop Network Manager
Change photos and description for your Nightstop (appropriate if your Nightstop has more that the person/people leading the training)
Explain each person’s role and how they work in the Nightstop team
Ben Witcombe
Nightstop Network Officer
Shelley Green
Communications Co-ordinator

10. What is homelessness?
We will go through some of the causes of homelessness, what local authorities are required to do, and some of the myths and stereotypes surrounding it.

11. When you think of homelessness?
Do you think of this…
Or this…
Ask the group to think in your head what homelessness looks like to them? Show pics. Say for many the image people have is chaos, alcohol, drugs, begging, violent, poor hygiene. Show next pics – they have all been homeless. Homelessness can happen to anyone who hasn’t the support network around them in a moment of crisis.

12. Homelessness Statistics Over 300,000 people in Britain are homeless
That’s 1 in every 200 people
Source: Shelter, Nov 2017

13. Homelessness Statistics
And it is estimated that 83,000 young people experience homelessness every year in the UK…
Of which 42% are in Education, Employment or Training
Source: Centrepoint, Oct 2016

14. Homelessness Statistics
The most common reason for youth homelessness is that parents are unwilling or unable to let the young person stay
Source: Youth Homelessness Database , 2015/16

15. Homelessness Statistics
45,000
People aged went to local authorities for help with homelessness in the past year
Source: Guardian, Dec 2017

16. Homelessness Statistics
But this doesn’t account for hidden homelessness
Which can involve sofa surfing, sleeping rough,
squatting or sleeping on public transport
and can leave people at risk of abuse, assault and exploitation

17. Homelessness Statistics
Rough sleeping in England has risen by 15% over the past year
and is more than double the figure recorded five years ago
Source: BBC News, Jan 2018

18. #wehearyou
Click on image to go to Youtube video

19. Who uses Nightstop?
Who uses Nightstop, what their background is, some examples of real referrals

20. Why do people need Nightstop?“ “
Because my Dad was going out with this girl... and she kept beating me up for certain things that I’d do, like if I had a fag, she’d beat me up, or took something that weren’t mine, she’d beat me up.
I think some young people just leave home because they want the freedom, not because it’s better for themselves and that’s where they go wrong. ” ” “
Read out quotes from young people who were interviewed for Depaul’s hidden homelessness research Danger Zones and Stepping Stones.
Explain that typically young people come to Nightstop following family breakdown. Most young people don’t come to Nightstop following long periods of sleeping on the streets, but rather come to Nightstop because of their parents kicking them out. It could happen to anyone.
Some young people go back home after using Nightstop and for some families just knowing that Nightstop is there and can be used if needed can decrease the tension between parents and young people.
If I was there, I wasn’t allowed to go to my room, I had to sit in the living room all day... there’d be no conversation in the room whatsoever... I wasn’t allowed to have my bedroom door shut at night, just stupid little things that made me really unhappy.
That’s why I had to leave. ”

21. What does home mean to you?
Write one word on each side of the box template explaining what ‘home’ or ‘going home’ means to you and glue it together
Activity Sheet 1: What does home mean to you?
Give the group building blocks and ask them to write on / draw what home means to them. Trainer to do the same on own with words such as scary abuse, lonely etc. Explain that’s what many young people think of home, and that hosts have to bridge the gap between the young people’s idea of home, and the home they are going into on Nightstop.

22. Max’s Story
Read out Max’s Story to give volunteers an idea about the journey a guest might go through and why staying in a host’s safe, supportive and secure home through Nightstop is so important to them. This is a real story of a previous Nightstop guest.

23. How Nightstop works for young people
This section will practically go through how Nightstop works – from the moment someone needs Nightstop to the moment they have somewhere safe to move onto. We will cover;
The journey of a person through Nightstop
How young people find out about Nightstop
Safety and risk assessment

24. Nightstop Pathway A young person has nowhere to go They find out about
Nightstop through a
local statutory or
voluntary agency
Pathway
The Nightstop
team carry out a
full risk
assessment and
take references
And are referred
or self-refer to
a local Nightstop
service
The guest is
placed in a host’s
home for the
evening
And call
hosts to see
if they are still
available
The Nightstop
team and local
agencies
look for long term
housing
solutions

25. How do young people find out about Nightstop?
We promote Nightstop locally through leaflets, Facebook and local media
We also work with local partners who refer guests to us
Change slide and pictures for how you market your Nightstop and who your referral partners are, being specific about the names of colleges or organisations etc. Stress they are trained to understand Nightstop, and the fact it’s low risk due to the nature of placing young people in volunteer homes.
Stress that ultimately both young people and partners refer with respect to Nightstop as they know we will not place again with them should any information be with-held.
We remind referral partners of Nightstop rules and ensure that they know who would be and would not be appropriate for Nightstop
Then referral partners fill in a form with the guest’s details and background

26. How do we make sure it’s safe?
We thoroughly risk assess all potential guests
And don’t take anyone who:
…is under the influence of drugs or alcohol
…has significant physical or mental health issues
…has a recent history of violence or arson
We then take two references such as a tutor or youth worker to clarify the information we have
And make sure that all guests understand the rules whilst staying with Nightstop
Stress the hosts safety is important.
This slide may need localising.
Activity Sheet 2: Who uses Nightstop? Give the group the activity 2 handout (splitting them into groups of 3 or 4 if you have a large group). Ask them to discuss the case studies and make a pile of guests that would be placed on Nightstop and guests which wouldn’t be placed. Explain at the end they were all real examples of referrals to Nightstop, albeit anonymised. If possible change these examples for ones of your own.

27. How do I host? This section will cover; The role of the host
Practical tips of being a host
Communicating as a host
Applying equality and diversity as a host

28. What is hosting? Dinner, breakfast and a packed lunch
A shower or bath and access to toiletries
Activity:
First : Split volunteers into two groups and ask them to write on flip charts what they think is the role of the host? Re-group and compare the two lists, filling in gaps and clarifying.
Explain that all hosts have different ways of hosting and that they should have a think about what works best for them.
For food it is useful to have a frozen pizza or spaghetti bolognaise in the freezer. The guest may be vegetarian or vegan too, so good to have some options that are easy to whip up
The Nightstop service will provide toiletries for the hosts before the guests arrive
Important to stress that the Nightstop service provides advice and longer term support. Volunteers can listen to the guests but shouldn’t act as counsellors, that’s not their role
A place to wash their clothes
A listening ear
(but not advice)
A warm and safe room

29. Host Q&A
Leave the room and let one of your hosts explain a bit about their hosting & let group ask them questions. Give about 20 mins – often gets the best feedback!

30. When listening… When talking…
Active listening
When listening…
When talking…
Pay
attention
Reflect
or clarify
Ask open
questions
Activity: Active listening – Ask people to split into 2s. One person should tell the other person about something that they feel really passionate about and then the other person should do everything they can to ignore it (about 90 secs). You can even write person A’s role and person B’s role on a piece of paper so that the speaker doesn’t know that the listener is trying to ignore the speaker. How did this make the listener/speaker feel?
Active Listening:
Pay attention – Really listen to what the guest is saying. Put aside all other thoughts or things that you are doing and don’t think about what you’re going to say next. Listen to the guest’s body language too.
Use body language – look the speaker in the eye, smile and open your posture, nod occasionally
Allow silences – Don’t feel the need to fill silences. Quiet moments can be good and can give the guest time to think about their feelings and what they’d like to say next
Reflect or clarify – summarising what the guest has said and clarifying details can be useful to show that you’re listening and engaged, and also encourage them to keep talking
Ask open questions – rather than yes/no questions, ask things in the way that will help them to give more detailed answers
Encourage – phrases like ‘I see’ or ‘go on’ can encourage guests to keep talking
React – it is important to react to guests to help them know that you’ve acknowledged and understood the situation. This doesn’t mean comparing it with your own experiences or saying that you know how they feel, but, if they have had a tough time just saying ‘it seems like you’ve had a tough time recently’ can be helpful.
Activity continued: Try the activity again but this time the listener should listen as if it is the most interesting story they have ever heard, trying some of the techniques above. (about 90 secs). Ask the group, what is the difference?
Alternative activity: Have 2 people at the front, one actively listening and one talking. How many of the points above did the active listener cover?
Use body
language
Allow
silences
Encourage
React

31. Making an introduction
Activity: Role play between a new host and guest.
Ask 2 volunteers to act the parts of host and guest. How would you welcome a guest into your house. What kind of questions would you ask?
This activity allows hosts to recreate what might be a daunting feature of the hosting process – meeting the guest for the first time and knowing what to talk about
If possible invite a current host to run this activity.

32. What does this mean in terms of Nightstop?
Supporting all young people
No person should be treated less favourably than any other person because of their race, ethnic origin, nationality, religion, disability, sex, age, marital status, or sexual orientation.
What does this mean in terms of Nightstop?
Read Nightstop statement, then ask group what they think this means in practice. What issues may arise where hosts need to respect diversity and accommodate difference?
Make sure they include:
Host having to cook using halal meat or just make vegetarian food because the young person is Muslim
not preaching own beliefs, if young person practices a different religion respect this.
Accept and be open to young people, understanding that different groups of young people are particularly vulnerable to homelessness

33. House rules and boundaries
This section will cover
House rules and Boundaries
Safeguarding
Confidentiality
Personal safety
We think a lot about these areas in terms of safeguarding young people, or the safety of young people. This is obviously important, but as a host we need to safeguard you, and make sure you are safe.

34. What rules would you like in your house?
House Rules
What rules would you like in your house?
Activity: What rules would you like in your house? Get hosts to spend a couple of minutes writing down some rules and then feedback to the group.
Have they considered things like Wi-Fi, eating in the bedroom, smoking etc.?
Share with them the rules we ask of all Nightstop guests which are;
They are not under the influence of drugs or alcohol,
They respect they are in a volunteers home.
They do not share the host or home details

35. Professional Boundaries
What are they?
Professional boundaries set the framework for a relationship and establish expectations and limits
Why are they important?
Everyone knows what is expected of them
Doesn’t set up any false expectations
Ensures the relationship remains formal
Explain that the relationship between the Nightstop host and guest is a professional relationship and professional boundaries need to be applied. This is especially important in Nightstop due to the potential vulnerability of the guests. Ask group why they are important to the host, the guest and the organisation?
- Everyone knows what is expected of them: Clarifying boundaries means that young people will know if they are breaking them or not. It stops the host from having to ask the guest to do or not do something that they have already been doing. Also it helps the next host if these boundaries have been maintained as they do not have to set new boundaries for the guest and it is easier for the guest to understand consistent boundaries.
Doesn’t set up any false expectations: Not setting a boundary for something that is unsustainable for you or other hosts to maintain could lead to the guest setting up false expectations which will be broken at a future point in time.
Ensures the relationship remains formal: Many young people have had no positive relationships with adults and that you may be the first. Without boundaries it could lead to dependency issues with you. Stress the importance of protecting themselves as volunteers.
Activity sheet 3 – Setting boundaries and sharing personal information - ask the volunteers to complete the sheet with questions about where they would set healthy boundaries and what personal information they would be willing to share with guests.

36. Professional Boundaries
How to set healthy boundaries…
Be confident to say NO when appropriate
Set boundaries at the earliest opportunity
Ensure the guest understands the reasoning behind
every decision
Show empathy and understanding
Respect diversity
Ensure the guest feels supported
Boundaries are assertive and respectful of the rights of others.
They are able to negotiate and compromise, have empathy for others. For example if a young person wants to smoke, asking them to smoke outside sets a boundary and is also a compromise.
They respect diversity and difference.

37. Professional Boundaries
Boundaries for hosts
Don’t share personal numbers
Don’t give money or gifts
Don’t tell the guest directly you can host them again
Treat all guests the same (no favouritism)
No physical contact
Boundaries for young people
No alcohol or drugs at any point of stay
Do not give the host’s address to anyone (no visitors)
No smoking inside the house
Respect volunteers and follow the schedule
Activity Sheet 4 - Breaking boundaries.
Split the volunteers into 2 groups. Ask them how they would deal with the situations (10 mins) then feedback to the group.
1-5) It’s important to set boundaries straight away so it doesn’t become to hard later on. Nightstop are available for support if needed.
6) Offer them alternative options if you have them in (always have a veggie back up!) . Tell Nightstop the next morning so they can pass onto next hosts.
7) Explain that one of the rules is that they aren't allowed out during Nightstop. They have also broken rule of sharing your address with their friend. Call the on call phone, and explain what has happened. Guests wait outside whilst Nightstop determines whether they are allowed in. The friend would not be allowed in, and Nightstop would explain that.
8) Explain to her that she hasn’t been placed with Nightstop evening & if they need somewhere to stay they call Nightstop team. The host should call the Nightstop team straightaway. Tell group that staff always check with each guest to see if they need somewhere to say again that day.
For each answer stress that you always tell the Nightstop team any issues on the catch up call or, at the time to on call if it is an emergency. Make sure they realise they do not make the hard decisions - Nightstop do.

38. Safety in your home
Stress the importance of not setting vulnerable guests up to fail
What do you have in your spare room, kitchen, bathroom? What needs to remain? What should be stored safely away?
All hazardous items should be locked away – think of chemicals or medication. Nightstop staff will discuss this at the next home visit which focusses on health and safety
All alcohol should be hidden or locked away
Keys, phone and wallet should be kept on your person – compensation is available but not when belongings have been left out.
All valuables should be locked away. We are setting young people up to fail if we leave things out to temptation.
Explain about the on call phone number and where this can be found
In an emergency call 999 first & then inform Nightstop via the emergency on call line
Report any incidents, accidents and near misses to Nightstop staff who will deal with it from then (this means anything that causes or nearly causes ill health or damage. From including electric shocks, a dog bite, burning themselves when cooking.)
Activity Sheet 5 – Keeping you safe. Give group the scenarios and ask them what they would do. Reiterate Nightstop should always be informed & Nightstop will make the decision. Explain what can wait till the following morning and what should be shared immediately through the on call phone.

39. Confidentiality and Safeguarding
This will cover recognising the signs of abuse, dealing with disclosures and confidentiality

40. Confidentiality and Safeguarding
Dealing with vulnerable guests, it is important to…
Recognise signs of abuse
Keep all information about hosts confidential
Know how to deal with disclosures
As hosts of vulnerable people you will be in a position where you may recognise signs of abuse, or a young person may open up and disclose abuse.
Resource sheet 6 – Signs of Abuse. Discuss as a group.
Discuss how you might respond to disclosures:
- Inform the guest that although you will maintain confidentiality, if the guest or somebody else is at risk of harm or has been harmed then you will have to share this with Nightstop who may inform the police.
- Stress that you do not probe, stay calm, listen, take them seriously.
- Pass all information onto Nightstop. You may not want to write anything down during the conversation, but could take notes afterwards.
- If disclosure puts anyone in immediate danger, contact the emergency services.
Remember that whilst some of the group may be used to this if they work in care sector, for some this will be completely new.
Resource sheet 6 activity: What would you do? What would you say? What would do afterwards?
If possible then split the volunteers into two groups, asking them to take half the questions each then feedback answers to the who group.
Inform Yousif that while you will keep all other information confidential, if he or somebody else is at risk of harm or has been harmed then you will have to share this with Nightstop who may inform the police
Do not share any details. We don’t know if it’s the actual police. Tell them you’re a volunteer only and that they should call Nightstop if they have any enquiries .
This should be reported to Nightstop. He is a victim of abuse and his siblings may be still at risk.
Inform Jane that while you will keep all other information confidential, if she or somebody else is at risk of harm or has been harmed then you will have to share this with Nightstop who may inform the police
This should be reported to Nightstop. He may be a victim of domestic violence and the Nightstop team will be able to make further enquiries.
Tell Jess that you will have to inform the Nightstop team. The Nightstop team will take the enquiry from there.

41. General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR)
Any information you have about a young person, even if they don’t end up staying with you, MUST be destroyed.
If you write their name, destroy it
If you jot down their phone number, destroy it
Ask the group  what type of information hosts might need to get about a young person and a potential placement. Ask them how they may store that (would they write it, text it , it to anywhere?), how they may share it with other members of their home (i.e do they inform partners of who is placed, how do they do that?). Ask  what happens when that young person leaves the next day.
Explain that this is personal and sensitive data. Most people will have come across GDPR in their working lives. Explain that this also places a duty on the Nightstop service to keep individual information safe and only for as long as it is needed. Hosts should destroy any information they have about a young person when that young person is no longer staying with them including any scraps of paper on which they have scribbled a name or number. They shouldn’t keep anything that identifies a young person.

42. Supporting you Final hurdle – we will go through:
Next steps in becoming a host
Support once you are hosting
Evaluation of today

43. And remember, we’re available via phone, email
Supporting you
What’s next?
We’ll arrange another home visit in the next month
You’ll then be approved by an external panel
We’ll ask you about your availability for placements
And provide you with toiletries for guests and feedback
forms for the guests to complete
Then what?
We will speak after every placement to see how it’s gone
We’ll provide regular additional training and socials
At the end of the year there will be a formal annual review
And remember, we’re available via phone,
or in person if you need us!
Explain the next steps subject to clear DBS and references, should they wish to proceed.
Reiterate the open dialogue
Talk about the need for feedback from guests and volunteers. Volunteers will be send out questionnaires to complete and guests should complete feedback forms after each placement. We want to know how we can best support both guests and volunteers and how we can improve the service so please do provide that feedback to us.

44. Do you feel ready to become a Hosting Hero?
Revisit their burning questions, hopes and fears from start – hopefully all the questions have been removed throughout the day as they have been answered.
Any further questions?

45. Would you take in a stranger?
Finish with clip from ‘Would you take in a stranger’ documentary Click on link to view

46. Thanks a bunch! Thanks for coming
Thank all hosts for their time and ask them to complete evaluation forms before they leave