Tim and Michelle our lovely Nightstop Hosts. We caught up with them to find out why they do what they do.

How long have you been hosts?
We have been hosts since July 2016, however, we would have started a few months earlier if Tim’s DBS check hadn’t taken so long, which when we look back now was quite funny as he had been in law enforcement all of his life.

What made you become hosts?

Michelle read an advert in one of the local papers and whilst Tim says he had reservations, to begin with, once he had been to the training sessions he felt well prepared to give night stop a try.

 We looked forward to being able to give back to society by helping young people who found themselves in a difficult situation through no fault of their own. Both of us have assisted people in similar situations throughout our careers and this is something we both believe strongly in. We appreciate that the young people come to us with varying problems but we are there to support and assist them.

What’s the best thing about hosting?

The best thing about hosting in our opinion is being able to see the young person grow in stature and confidence. We hope that in some small way we are able to watch them fulfil their potential. Whilst they keep us on our toes we have also learnt from them, new languages and new skills.

Once the young person arrives we explain to them that we appreciate they are nervous and we explain to them whilst they are with us they are part of the family. If we go out to a restaurant they come with us and sometimes we are told that this is the first time they have ever been to a restaurant and the smile we get when they are choosing their meal is a real pleasure.

We offer guidance with budgeting and cooking. Recently we took our current young person away to Car Fest North which is a three-day car and music festival run in conjunction with Children in Need. The young person was in awe as they looked at the cars and then in the evening watched as their favourite musicians playing live on stage.

What would you say to someone who’s thinking of hosting?

Whilst we appreciate that the concept is scary and not without its challenges it is one of the most rewarding things we have ever done. The satisfaction and warm feeling inside when you remember the scared, nervous young person arriving to the young confident person leaving is rewarding enough.

To find out more about becoming a Host:

Visit: www.ymcabc.org.uk/opendoor

Call: 0121 524 1974

#HostsofOpenDoor