A TEESSIDE charity is appealing for help to find temporary homes for homeless young people in east Cleveland.

The Nightstop Supported Lodgings Scheme, based in Redcar, aims to provide temporary accommodation for young people in the Redcar and east Cleveland area, for short periods.

It may be as short as one night, a couple of nights or even a week, but the service is desperate for volunteers.

Since the scheme appealed for volunteers in The Northern Echo in October last year, just half a dozen families have stepped in to offer their help.

The scheme had hoped to launch in the New Year but staff say they are having to put off the launch date until April, in the hope that more volunteers will come forward.

The scheme is aimed at people aged 16 to 25, but mainly concentrates on people at the younger end of the scale.

The people who use the scheme are often children who have come out of care and who may have been attracted to Redcar under the promise of cheap accommodation only to find there is none available. They may need a little extra help and support as they try to find their feet and get used to independent living.

People who offer to open up their homes are paid a small amount of money and are given full training on what to expect and what is involved. It is hoped they would help the youngsters with domestic skills such as cooking, cleaning and ironing, as well as skills such as budgeting.

Anyone who would like to help should call Sarah Turner on (01642) 290700.