SASH
SASH is a charity that tries to stop young people from becoming homeless.There can be such a huge impact of homelessness on mental health so it is important to show what support is out there if you require support with somewhere to live.
What do they offer?
Nightstop – their emergency accommodation service and is for young people who have nowhere safe to stay tonight.
SASH aim to arrange a stay in as little as two hours.
Those who need Nightstop are referred to them by Local Authorities and other agencies and they carry out a risk assessment for each young person so we know that they are safe to place.
How does the night stop emergency accommodation work?
- In Nightstop, their hosts give young people a bed for the night in their own room. They provide a hot meal, a shower, maybe a chance to wash their clothes. If the young person wants, the host is there for them to talk to. Or they can just stay in their room – it’s up to them.
- We find a host in the area that the young person is from, so they can continue to get to college or work
- We arrange the travel. Normally the young person will have to get a bus or train and we provide the money for the fare. They also have a number they can call us on in case they are worried or get lost. In the evening we call the host to check they have arrived safely. The host has a 24 hour contact number with SASH should they have any concerns.
- The next day, the young person returns to the agency that referred them. They call the host to check how things went. We continue to work with the referrer night by night until the young person has somewhere permanent to stay. This might be a private let, a return home, Local Authority housing or our Supported Lodgings service.
Supported Lodgings
Supported Lodgings is for young people who cannot return home and do not feel ready to live on their own.
Young people in Supported Lodgings live with a host for up to a year in York. They get intensive support from their support worker and their host. If needed, we help them get back into college, or into work or training. They learn to budget, pay a contribution to bills, shop for food, cook and clean – everything they will need to live a successful independent life. SASH also works closely with other agencies such as mental health services depending on the young person’s needs
Living in Supported lodging can be scary but SASH support you along the journey to help with some of them anxieties.
How to get access the service?
You can’t refer yourself into the services that SASH offer but here’s what you can do if this support is relevant to you.
If you are concerned then you can talk to your teacher or a social worker or the homeless support worker but the referral has to be done on your behalf by a professional.
If you are in York and are 16-17:
Contact Youth Homeless Support workers at City of York Council on
01904 553585 or 07891 853498 or 07717 320102.
If you are in York and are 18 or over:
Go to the Salvation Army at the Early Intervention and Prevention Hub, 63 Lawrence street York, YO10 3BU – drop in 10-12 noon Monday to Friday or ring them on 01904 416562. Alternatively, contact CYC Housing Options team on 01904 554500 or email: housing.options@york.gov.uk
