26th October 2026

Could you help a young person transition into adulthood?

There are care-experienced young people and young refugees across Northern Ireland who need a safe and stable home, where they can develop life skills and work towards independence.

What is Supported Lodgings/STAY?

Supported Lodgings/STAY (Supported Transition and Accommodation for Young people) is temporary accommodation for young people across Northern Ireland. They will live within a household, with individuals or families, known as hosts, where they will learn skills, such as cooking, cleaning, managing money and bills, and so on.

It is expected that the young person will engage in education, training or employment, to progress to full-time employment or further education after their supported lodgings placement.

The end goal is to give young people the skills and knowledge to proceed into adulthood with an increased confidence and the ability to live independently.

Supported lodgings is a great choice for people who want to provide care for young people but need a more flexible option to suit their lifestyle.

The Role of the Host

Supported lodgings’ hosts should be able to offer the young person a bedroom of their own and provide emotional and practical support to help them move towards independent living. Most importantly, hosts need to like young people’s company and provide a warm, supportive environment that they can thrive in.

Michael is one of our supported lodgings hosts in the Belfast area. As a host for Gerard, he helped him transition to living with him, taught him how to cook, and supported him throughout his A-Levels, which he has since completed, and will be starting university this year.

Michael said: “I continued to work full-time and have worked full-time throughout the whole process and it’s been doable… it can be busy, it can be challenging, but there is always support at the end of the phone. I’ve been really fortunate with Gerard… he’s a fantastic young lad.” 

Read more about Michael’s experience as a supported lodgings host here.

Get in touch

If you would like to support a young person’s transition into adulthood and want to learn more call our friendly team on 0800 0720 137 or fill out our online enquiry form.