Students Sleep Out to Highlight Homelessness

This week, 10 SERC students are giving up the comfort of their own bed and are preparing to sleep on the streets of Belfast in a bid to raise awareness - and funds – for homelessness.   

The first year students from the Level 3 Uniformed Protective Services at Bangor Campus are taking part in the MACS Sleep Out at Banana Block, Belfast, on Thursday 23 November.   The students, and their lecturer Irwin Pryce, will brave the cold, wintery weather from 7pm until 7am which will certainly bring home the difficulties faced by homeless people in our community.

MACS, a local charity based in Belfast, work with children and young people aged 16 –25 who may be leaving care, experiencing homelessness, substance abuse, self-harm, mental health issues, or they are generally at risk. The sleep out fundraiser is part of MACS’ efforts to help put youth homelessness to bed.

Participation fits with the students’ course, which includes modules on Volunteering, Teamwork and Leadership.   It will also help them accrue hours for both Millennium Volunteers and Duke of Edinburgh Awards which are embedded into the Level 3 Uniformed Protective Services programme.

If you would like to support the students, you can make a donation via Just Giving https://www.justgiving.com/page/sercupssleepout All proceeds will go to MACS NI an no donation is too small.