Hosting programs connect everyday households who have a spare room with people who urgently need somewhere safe to stay — young people, refugees, survivors of violence and others at risk. A support agency makes the match and stays involved, so it works for everyone.
Across the world there are far more spare rooms than there are safe beds for people in crisis. Hosting bridges that gap with something most of us already have: a little space and a willingness to help.
For a person who is homeless, a stable room and a positive reference can be the difference between a downward spiral and a fresh start. For a host, it's a direct, human way to give back to their community.
Emergency schemes like Nightstop place a young person with a vetted host for a safe night off the street.
Host-home and refugee programs offer rooms for weeks or months while someone gets back on their feet.
Homeshare arrangements pair an older householder with a younger person who helps around the home.
Good hosting programs are never just an ad and a handshake. They're built around screening, agency support and a clear agreement.
Volunteers complete background checks and home-safety steps, and learn what to expect before they ever host.
A welfare or housing service identifies someone suitable, makes the introduction, and acts as an ongoing point of support and reference.
House rules and a simple hosting agreement set expectations on privacy, shared spaces, length of stay and support — protecting host and guest alike.
The agency checks in, helps resolve any issues, and works with the guest toward their next, more permanent home.
In 2018, flatmate.com — an Australian share-accommodation service running since 1998 — launched Community Hosting: a way for hosts to offer a room to people in need, with a welfare agency acting as referrer and reference, and a formal hosting agreement protecting everyone. It was featured on ABC's triple j Hack and backed by partners including StreetSmart, the Big Ideas Homelessness Network and lawyers Sparke Helmore.
Today that idea lives on in a new form: instead of running one platform, Community Hosting shines a light on the many organisations already doing this work brilliantly — so more people can find them.
Read the full story✓ Host posts a room, listed anonymously
✓ Agency vouches for and supports the guest
✓ Eligibility, safety & insurance checks first
✓ Three-way hosting agreement + house rules
✓ A safe stay, a reference, a path forward