A SCHEME which gives homeless young people supported lodgings is urgently looking for more Bolton householders to get involved.

Bolton Young Persons Housing Scheme annually provides short and long-term rented accommodation for local youngsters aged between 16 and 25.

They do this in several ways including supported lodgings but currently need local people with a room to spare to get in touch.

“Supported lodgings is basically a householder providing a room for a young person for any time ranging from three weeks to nine months,” explained the charity’s chief executive officer Maura Jackson.

“We pay them £140 a week, which wouldn’t affect any benefits, to provide a room and some basic support around routines like cooking, laundry, time-keeping – basic things that can help the young person go onto independent living.”

BYPHS offers full support to the householder as well as the young person, carefully matching up individuals with suitable young people beforehand and meeting regularly with them both afterwards.

“We fully realise that householders may have their own house rules. We discuss all this beforehand, write it all down so there’s no confusion, and pair them with a suitable young person,” added Mrs Jackson.

Accommodation can be any type: in a house or apartment, with a single person or a couple. Adults at the accommodation have to be DBS checked, which BYPHS arranges and pays for.

The scheme’s rewards are enriching all round. As one householder involved for eight years explained: “I love knowing that something I am doing promotes independence and gives young people who are having a tough time a future.”

For 21 year-old Amy, supported lodgings took her off the streets. “The worst thing about being homeless was not knowing who I was, what I was going to do next, being lonely and wondering what was going to happen to me,” she stated.

“Supported lodgings helped me get through a lot of barriers. It helped me to get the knowledge of different responsibilities and to gain the confidence and skills to live on my own and look after myself.”

Added Mrs Jackson: “Some householders want a straightforward lodger arrangement with some support and others more or less take the young person into their own family. It’s what suits individuals.”

The charity currently wants to recruit eight householders to provide much-needed supported lodgings for vulnerable young people. To find out more, call manager Susan Holt on 01204 520183.