A Swindon woman has been thanked for transforming the lives of over 30 young people over three decades.
The story of Maureen Starks was highlighted by Step by Step, a charity which supports young people who are going through hard times.
Step by Step provides accommodation, personal development opportunities, and specialist support services to empower young people and prevent homelessness.
A spokesperson said: "In 2022/23, there was an estimated 119,000 people aged 16-24 who were homeless or at risk of homelessness in the UK.
"Young people can become homeless for many different reasons, from leaving care to escaping abuse. This is why Supported Lodgings hosts like Maureen are so important. They take in young people who are going through some of the hardest times imaginable and offer them a brighter future.
"This all began when her son brought home a friend who had been kicked out by his own parents. Maureen welcomed him in and raised him alongside her three children.
"By 1995, Maureen’s daughter was already doing Supported Lodgings, a service where hosts offer a safe and caring home environment to young people, aged 16-21, eventually helping them move onto independent living.
"This inspired Maureen to start taking in young people in that official way as well. She has now been a Supported Lodgings host for 29 years, and currently does so through local youth homelessness charity Step by Step Partnership."
Maureen said: "The children keep you abreast of the world. They keep you aware of what’s going on out there.”
In her opinion, the younger generation in Swindon get a bad reputation, when it’s actually a small minority of them giving the others a bad name.
She believes there is no magic formula to the role, but the most important thing is making sure the young people are safe and secure in an environment that they’re happy with. One of Maureen’s biggest strengths is her advocacy for the young people she works with.
She said: “You would step up to the mark for your own child. Why would you move a child on for having issues? You can always sit down with them and resolve those issues.”
The majority of the young people are just getting by and haven’t thought about their aspirations in life when they come to Maureen. She builds up their self-esteem and confidence, and then helps them to find their paths in life.
One of the young people Maureen took in had mental health issues and he didn’t like going to get support on his own. To help him grow more independent, she would start by moving a few seats away while they waited, then she sat out in the corridor, until she was able to tell him she was going to sit in the café down the road and come back for him.
Many of the young people, some now in their forties, keep in contact with Maureen, visit and send her birthday cards. This is a testament to Maureen’s nurturing nature and the meaningful difference she has made to the lives of so many young people.
Maureen’s advice for anyone interested in becoming a Supported Lodgings host is: “Give it a go, you can only improve the child’s life. Whatever you do is a positive thing, and the young people bring amusement to your life.”
Step by Step support Maureen by being there whenever she asks questions, and Maureen says they always come back with an answer immediately and are a great support system for her: “Step by Step give the young people out there a chance in life. Without people like the Step by Step team, where would these children be?”
Step by Step carefully and sensitively match their Supported Lodgings hosts and young people. They offer 24-hour support, ongoing training and guidance, a dedicated support worker, and generous weekly expenses payments in addition to the rent hosts are paid.
Hosts can come from all walks of life; all they need is a spare room and a desire to see young people succeed. Anyone interested in becoming a host should visit www.stepbystep.org.uk/spare-room
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