Who will answer your calls?

Monday to Friday, 9.00 am - 5.00 pm - our staff.

Only they can set up a Nightstop stay for you.

Monday to Friday, 5.00 pm - 9.00 am and weekends - Volunteers of our on-call team

They are there to help you with any problems you have during your Nightstop stay. They will call you 30 mins before you are due to arrive at the host's home to check-in and make sure you are okay.

Please call if you:

• no longer need to stay with our hosts
• are running late or have got lost
• need any other help regarding your stay including feeling anxious about staying

Nightstop - a service geared to YOUR needs!

Nightstop is here to provide you with a safe and temporary place to stay while you look for a suitable longer-term accommodation, with the support of a Housing Adviser or until returning home is suitable. We have to be confident that a realistic move-on plan is in place and that you are doing what you need to do for that to be successful.

We understand that every person is different – and we’ll work with you in the way YOU need it. We want you to have a good experience while you stay with our volunteer hosts and everything we do is designed to ensure that happens. It's important to note that Nightstop doesn't offer long-term accommodation or Council housing.

What can you expect from us?

• Setting up your Nightstop stay(s): 
  • Arrange your stay with the host.
  • Provide the necessary information to make that stay go well.
  • Support with transport arrangements to reach the host’s home.
• Continued support throughout the entire process:
  • We'll keep in touch with you consistently.
  • Arrange regular face-to-face check-ins.
  • Encourage you to openly communicate any concerns.
  • Connect you with relevant services (GP, Mental health, youth programs, etc.) within the city to provide additional support depending on your needs.
  • Help you make an appointment.
• Talk about your short and longer-term goals:
  • Support you where possible.
  • Liaise with your Housing Adviser regularly.
• Stay in touch with you beyond your stay:
  • Check on you one month, six months and a year after you've moved on from your stay with us.
• Keeping you safe:
  • We will ensure that you have access to any of the necessary infection control items you need such as hand sanitiser, anti-bacterial wipes and face coverings so please let us know if you’re feeling unwell.

Know more about us  I   Meet our team

Who are our hosts?

Our volunteer hosts are people from the Brighton & Hove community that have a spare room. Your safety is our priority and therefore our hosts undergo a rigorous recruitment process including DBS checks, references, home visits, license checks and safety assessments. They are also trained in various aspects - maintaining boundaries, practical tips and safeguarding rules.

What you can expect from our hosts?

• To have a warm welcome, a safe place to stay and somewhere you can have a wash.
• Use of a private bedroom.
• An evening meal, breakfast in the morning & a packed lunch.
• Access to clothes washing facilities.
• Privacy if you need it, or a listening ear if you wish to talk.
• To be treated equally and with respect; Sussex Nightstop will challenge, as appropriate, any discrimination against race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion or belief system, from anyone taking part in the scheme, which includes guests, Nightstop staff, hosts and volunteers.

What happens if a host doesn’t do these things?

We expect our hosts to comply with the conditions of their volunteering role at all times and this includes compliance with our COVID-19 measures, when required. If you have any concerns with regards to your hosts, please tell us immediately.

What you can do

• Try and keep to a structure in your day. We’ll support you with that.
• Keep connected with your friends and tell us if you’re lonely of if anything is worrying you be it work, training, employability – there are lots of services we can signpost you to.
• Try not to think too far ahead. We find that when people break down their stay into small chunks it can help them manage better.
• Connect with your housing advisor as asked, since your longer term plan is the key.
• Contact your GP, if required.
• Eat food at the hosts or take packed lunch that our hosts are more than happy to provide.

Agree to our Placement Conditions

You'll need to have signed up to ALL of our placement conditions before a Nightstop stay can be set up. Please have a good read of them and we’ll talk through them with you and answer any questions you've got. The following are conditions of staying in our service which keep you and the host safe and help us to support you in the best possible way:

• The host address is confidential, please do not disclose this to anyone.
• There are no visitors and no overnight guests, including family, allowed at the property.
• Be considerate when using communal rooms.
• Ask if you want to use/have anything.
• Clear up after yourself.
• There is no smoking in the property, but the host will tell you where you can smoke outside of the house.
• There is no using controlled drugs, New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) or alcohol prior to going in to Nightstop, or while staying at the property.
• You will not be able to stay in the house when the host is not there.
• Do not leave belongings at the property unless there is prior agreement for this made with your coordinator.
• You must arrive at the property at the time stated, this must be before 9 pm. Please do not turn up early or late, this may result in you not being able to stay.
• Once you have arrived at your hosts you are not permitted to leave and come back again. If you need to leave the placement will be cancelled for that night.
• Do not ask for host contact details or share yours, or connect on social media with Nightstop volunteers & their families.
• Any criminal activity may be reported to the police.
• Observe the actions asked of you in relation to Covid-19 at all times.
• Please turn up to your Nightstop appointments as agreed and provide feedback on your experience of the service so we can make it the best for you and others as possible.

Talk to us if:

•  you have any difficulty understanding what is asked of you while staying with a host.
•  you are lost, worried or have decided not to stay please call us on: 07500 770996 or 07887 492872

If our on-call team need to phone you it will show as an ‘unknown number’. Please ensure you answer these calls whilst staying in Nightstop.

Give us feedback

To ensure that your experience remains at the forefront of our priorities throughout your stay, we value your input and would like to engage with you in a meaningful way. We'll ask for your feedback through a brief three-question online rating after your first night, and a more detailed survey later on. Your input is crucial in guiding improvements and enhancing our services. Your comments, shared anonymously, also provide encouragement to our hosts.

We value your privacy.

The information you give to Nightstop will remain confidential within the organisation and will not be passed to anyone without your permission. We will not pass on information to hosts unless we feel there is a need to do so for your safety or for the safety of the hosts. The exception to this is if you tell us something that indicates that you or someone else is at risk of harm. In this situation we will have to pass the information onto the relevant agencies to ensure the safety of yourself, or the other person. In all circumstances we will try and let you know what we intend to do, so that you can be involved in the process.

Your safety is important to us.

Sussex Nightstop maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards abuse. If you find yourself feeling worried, anxious, or upset about a situation affecting you or someone else, we are here to provide a listening ear. Even if the details are unclear, or if something simply doesn't feel right, and you believe you might be at risk of harm, please speak to a member of the Sussex Nightstop team. We promise to listen without judgment, take your concerns seriously, and work collaboratively with you to find a resolution.

Feel free to approach anyone you feel comfortable talking to, whether it's your Service Coordinator or any other member of our dedicated staff and volunteer team.

If your concerns specifically involve a Sussex Nightstop staff member or volunteer, please contact our:

Designated Safeguarding Officer, Alison Marino, directly at 07887 492 927 or [email protected]

Trustee Safeguarding Lead, James Kilmartin, at [email protected]

We are inclusive!

At Nightstop, we aim to promote environments and communities which are respectful, inclusive, and welcoming to everyone. We believe in treating everyone fairly and making sure our services are open to all. We know that fairness doesn't mean treating everyone exactly the same – it means understanding and respecting each person's unique needs. No one should be left out or treated unfairly because of their race, ethnicity, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion/belief, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity. We're here to make sure everyone feels accepted, no matter who they are.

If you feel your experience has been not as per this please let us know.

Tell us what you think!

At Sussex Nightstop, we value and encourage your feedback on our services. Your opinions matter, and we are committed to actively listening and responding to your comments or concerns.

If you wish to express a complaint or share your thoughts about any aspect of the Nightstop service, its staff, or volunteers, please don't hesitate to reach out to a member of our team. If you prefer, you can seek support from another trusted individual, such as your youth worker or social worker.

Your well-being and satisfaction are important to us, and we are committed to addressing your concerns promptly and effectively.