If you’re thinking of taking in a Lodger, why not help a vulnerable young person at the same time?
With pay freezes and energy price increases, many households are now feeling the squeeze and some look at turning their spare room into a source of income by taking in a lodger. The YMCA Supported Lodgings Project in the Black Country pays over £100 per week to Host families in exchange for a room and meals.
The Open Door Project which places vulnerable 16 and 17 year olds with Host Families in the community, now urgently needs to recruit more Host families in Dudley, Wolverhampton, Walsall and Sandwell. All the young people are fully risk assessed and have to engage in education or employment to be accepted on the project. Full training and support is provided for the Host by the YMCA.
More than a Spare Room
The aim of the scheme is to help young people move towards independence. They learn important life skills such as cooking, cleaning and budgeting whilst living in a safe environment as part of a family.
Yvonne Shaw, a current YMCA Host in Dudley said “My own children, had grown up and I managed to bring them up well. I had a spare room and thought why not? I have had about 8 or 9 young people who have stayed with me. I think it’s brilliant when they want your help and when you can see that they want to do something with their lives.
Sometimes, you can see that have come from a challenging back ground or they’ve had it hard, but they want to do something with their lives. I have even seen one go onto university. It’s lovely to see them grow and develop and achieve what they want to do. It’s a great feeling when they come with nothing and you feeling like they leave with something.”
Hosts come in all shapes and sizes, from single people to large families. If you have a spare room and would like to make a difference in the life of a young person, please contact Jonathan Crust, Host Coordinator at the YMCA on 0121 524 3255 or complete an online enquiry form