Our Supported Lodgings Hosts do an incredible job. They give young people a safe and supportive home, boost their confidence and self-esteem, and help them work towards a brighter future.
Rocky is one such man. His kindness and empathy has seen him go way beyond what would normally be expected of a Host, and he has made a real, lasting difference to young people’s lives.
Before he became a Host for our Supported Lodgings Service, Rocky had a job looking after summer students. When he retired, he wanted to continue working with young people and Step by Step appeared to be the perfect fit.
“I like the bustle of young people about the house, and the company,” explains Rocky. “I get tremendous satisfaction when I see them relax and develop, and even listen to my advice.”
Since becoming a Host in June 2018, Rocky has supported six young people. Each has enjoyed their time living with him and have demonstrated positive progression at the point of moving on.
Rocky has always gone above and beyond with his support and guidance. This has included paying for activities, buying birthday presents, and converting his garage to a gym so the young people could stay fit and active during lockdown. He puts out fruit every day to keep his lodgers healthy, and is always available to dispense advice.
Rocky is passionate about Supported Lodgings because he can see the difference it makes to vulnerable young people. “At a minimum, they are safe and comfortable, and hopefully in a better state of mind than when they arrived. The practical side is important too – you can help them with benefits forms and getting a driving licence.”
We would like to thank Rocky on behalf of the young people whose lives he has helped turned around. Our Supported Lodgings Service can only help so many young people, and with such an incredibly high success rate, thanks to the compassion and kindness of extraordinary people like Rocky.
Rocky succinctly summarises what his support means to young people: “They have the space and security to think about what they want to do and to concentrate on making it happen.”
If you are interested in becoming a Host for Step by Step, please visit our Supported Lodgings page.
Sam was made homeless when her mum asked her to leave the family home. She lived with her sister temporarily but it was never intended to be a long-term solution. Our Supported Lodgings service was able to help.
Read more