In an effort to (quite literally) expose another side to homelessness, the Depaul charity has launched a unique new poster campaign for its Nightstop service, which helps in finding emergency accommodation for young homeless people. Nightstop is an initiative based around volunteers who offer up a spare room for a night or two to young people in need, and the campaign seeks to explain the project in a transparent and effective manner. The idea is to get more volunteers involved by dispelling negative perceptions around homeless youth and volunteering. It also hopes to get across how anyone with a spare room and a big enough heart can get involved by texting “Nightstop” and their postcode to 70660.
Depaul has launched a unique new poster campaign for its Nightstop service, which helps in finding emergency accommodation for young homeless people
The poster campaign was created by Publicis London, and is made up of a series of six-sheet posters, which explain how the service works. They will be fly-posted around the corners of buildings in London, in the very places homeless youths tend to find themselves without accommodation. One side of the corner explains the negative preconceptions people might have about giving up their spare room to a homeless youth, but when both sides are read together the message transforms, showing the benefits of volunteering. The idea is to quite literally show that, “There is another side to the story.”
The central message of the campaign is that the perception of the stereotypical homeless youth battling with drug and drink issues is far from the truth
The central message of the campaign is that the perception of the stereotypical homeless youth battling with drug and drink issues is far from the truth, as is the idea that you have to be a social worker, or go through substantial training, in order to volunteer and help out. It's a difficult and complicated message to put across in such a manner, but the clever use of perspective and the emotionally engaging copy helps make the point clear and concisely. There are three poster designs, which can be found in various locations across London from this week.
The poster campaign was created by Publicis London, and is made up of a series of six-sheet posters, which explain how the service works
Depaul UK CEO Martin Houghton-Brown, said “Nightstop volunteers are ordinary people helping those with nowhere to stay the night.” He explains that “More young people than ever are sleeping in unsafe places,” which means demand their our emergency accommodation services soared by over 300% in London last year. What they hope to underline with the Street Corners campaign, is that “More volunteers to come forward so people don't get turned away.” Nightstop has been running for over 20 years, and is a safe and positive experience for volunteers and for young people who come to stay with them. It also helps to make a lasting change in young people’s lives.
