The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Wee ones to help homeless with their Wee Sleep Outs
In the run-up to Dundee’s Sleep in the Park event in Slessor Gardens, youngsters are being encouraged to organise their own
The young people of Dundee are being urged to organise their own “Wee Sleep Outs” in a bid to end homelessness.
Around 3,500 people have already signed up, with youngsters planning to kip everywhere from back gardens and school grounds to community halls, sports centres and even living rooms.
Edinburgh-based homelessness charity Social Bite is calling on those between eight and 16 years old to arrange their very own Wee Sleep Outs on November 9, and hopes numbers will rocket in the coming weeks.
There’s no sign-up fee and no minimum fundraising target, although young folk are encouraged to fundraise as much as they can to contribute to Social Bite’s nationwide movement to end homelessness.
The November event comes a month ahead of Social Bite’s bigger Sleep in the Park event in Dundee’s Slessor Gardens.
Crowds at the event – hoping to will attract 2,000 people – will be entertained by Kyle Falconer, Withered Hand, KT Tunstall and Amy MacDonald.
Money raised from the Wee Sleep Out will go towards the wider Sleep in the Park total, which includes supporting Social Bite’s major Housing First project which is expected to take 800 rough sleepers off the streets by 2020.
Alice Thompson, co-founder of Social Bite and organiser of the Wee Sleep Out, said each Wee Sleep Out puts young people in the driving seat and gives them the opportunity to showcase their skills.
“The success of Sleep in the Park last year was overwhelming,” she said.
“To bring 8,000 people together and raise £4 million in the process was incredible, and this year we want the young people of Scotland to join us.
“There’s been a real appetite from the young people of Scotland looking to get involved, and a number of them got in touch after Sleep in the Park.
“We even had nine-year-old Cody McManus brave the Beast from the East and sleep out in an igloo in his back garden – raising £1,000 for the cause.
“We’re proud to launch the Wee Sleep Out during Scotland’s Year of Young People and give the young people in this country a voice.”
Alice said Social Bite will provide all resources – and organise workshops – for anyone who gets on board.
“Don’t be deterred by the idea that a Wee Sleep Out is a lot of work,” she said.
“We’ll take you through the steps and are happy to do workshops for any group of young people big or small.”
To coincide with the Wee Sleep Out, Social Bite are laying on food challenges tied to homelessness.
“We might challenge people to cook a meal using low-quality ingredients and equipment,” said Alice.
“Ultimately, it’s about bringing it back to homelessness.”
While Social Bite have set the date for Wee Sleep Out as November 9, Alice says this is flexible.
“It’s nice for people to feel they’re doing this together with thousands of others, but if you prefer another date, that’s great,” she added.
Paul Bush, VisitScotland’s director of events, said: “We are delighted to be supporting Social Bite’s Wee Sleep Out as part of Scotland’s current themed year.”