YMCA Exeter is calling on local residents to come together for the 10th anniversary of Sleep Easy and sleep rough for one night in March to support local, homeless young people.
YMCA Exeter is one of several YMCAs across the country that have joined forces to raise awareness of youth homelessness on Saturday 14th March.
The campaign will see donors sleep out for one night all over England to raise awareness of the hundreds of young people who sleep rough every year and raise funds to help YMCA Exeter continue to support residents and young people in their services.
This year’s local event will take place at Barnfield Crescent from 7pm to 7am on Saturday 14th March. Participants will spend the night sleeping out and take part in a range of activities from providing hot soup and cakes to those genuinely sleeping out, to learning Bear Grylls-style survival skills from an ex-marine. Registration costs £10 and participants are being asked to raise at least £250 to take part.
YMCA Exeter is proud to be hosting its 10th year of Sleep Easy and has raised over £160,000 in that time. Money brought in has helped YMCA Exeter provide ongoing housing support to over 1,000 young people, empowering them to experience fullness of life in body, mind and spirit.
While there is recognition from the public that homelessness is going up, research from YMCA has found that just one in four young people who are homeless (26%) believe the public care about youth homelessness.
When thinking about themselves and their personal situation, even fewer young people who are homeless believe the public are concerned. Less than one in five homeless young people (19%) believe the public care about their situation.
YMCA Exeter are hoping that this event will act as a way of showing young people in our community who are homeless that the public do care about them and that they are trying to tackle the problem of homelessness by raising vital funds.
Gareth Sorsby, YMCA Exeter Joint Chief Executive, said: “We’re delighted to be hosting our 10th Sleep Easy event at Barnfield Crescent on Saturday 14th March.
“Many of our residents have slept rough prior to moving to YMCA Exeter and this is a chance to raise much needed awareness of the plight of rough sleeping among young people.”
“The funds raised on the night will go directly to supporting local young people who need it the most.”
Every year YMCA Exeter provides supported accommodation for over 100 young people coming out of homelessness and needing the support of a loving community to move forward. If you think that YMCA Exeter might be a good option for you, or someone you know, then you can get in touch with us. Find somewhere to live.
