YOUNG people in Belfast will stage a sponsored sleepout next month to help tackle youth homelessness.
With an estimated 3,800 young people presenting as homeless in Northern Ireland every year, the End Youth Homelessness Sleep Out offers a glimpse into the uncertainty others face.
Taking place at Banana Block in east Belfast on November 24, Kate Martin from the youth charity MACS said: “The Sleep Out doesn’t try to replicate homelessness. It would be impossible to recreate the fear, loneliness and discomfort of not having a safe place to call home.”
"Many young people who present for help with housing won’t meet the criteria for statutory provision. Increasingly charities are filling the gap, most of our referrals come via social services or the housing executive, young people leaving the care system are at a disproportionate risk of becoming homeless."
With the housing and cost of living crisis driving homelessness, she said young people could also be pushed this way by a variety of factors including family conflict, abuse and relationship breakdown.
"Once young people experience homelessness their risk of being exploited, of drug misuse, poor mental health, self-harm and involvement in crime increases as does their risk of becoming long-term or street homeless," she said.
The charity supported over 1,000 vulnerable young people last year with housing, education and well-being.
This includes paying rent deposits and a shared tenancy scheme, which matches young people to live together in shared or private tenancies.
Next month's sleep out will include hot food and entertainment from comedian Micky Bartlett, TikTok star Jelvis Pelvis and singer songwriter Stephen Rafferty.
From 11pm, the sleepout begins but those unable to attend can also donate via justgiving.com/macsni.
