15/10/2025
❤️ & 🏡
AN EMAIL SENT TO HER F B COMMUNITY BY ONE OF OUR AMAZING HOSTS
Could you host a teenager aged 16-18? I do and it's changed my life in so many lovely ways. The fab people at the The Benjamin Foundation are desperately keen for more hosts so I thought I'd tell you a bit about it in the hopes you might be tempted to get in touch and see if it could be for you too... (apologies if any of this is a bit cringe; I'm sharing as they asked me if I knew of anyone who might be interested).
I could not recommend hosting a young person more highly. The pure joy that ***** has brought into my life since I signed up as a host back in August 2020 is unbelievable. One of the sweetest, most innocent, most charming people I've ever met - she is from ****** and, as a vulnerable young person, needed somewhere to stay until she's 18. (At 18, the system decided she was a fully grown adult and could no longer be supported, which makes me furious but that's a matter for another day).
I was a bit apprehensive at what I was letting myself in for, but the team at The Benjamin Foundation are super lovely and supportive and quickly helped me feel confident that I was doing the right thing. ***** left to get her own place a couple of years ago but we're still really close. She cooked for me, (still) calls me mama, danced with me, laughed with me. I adore her and my life is all the richer for her being in it.
I have been blessed to have two young women staying who haven't had the best start in life and need some reassurance and guidance - and love.
Supporting them doesn't usually involve much - being there as a reassuring, stable presence in their lives is usually enough, but we've developed deep bonds which are joyful and sustain me in different ways too.
Benefits for me:
1) I've learned much more about where MY boundaries are and what I feel confident about expecting from life and asking for in general.
2) I feel valued, supported and validated through the work I'm doing with the Foundation.
3) I'm introduced to new music, TV and culture.
4) I'm paid a (tax-free) fee to cover expenses every month, which means I can go on super-nice holidays.
5) My current teen thinks I'm a great cook. I shared a home-made lasagne with her and her boyfriend recently and now they think I'm Jamie Oliver.
6) I know what is and is not peng.
Honestly, the people at The Benjamin Foundation Heart and Home are soooo lovely and the whole process is so easy... If you have a spare room and are considering it, PLEASE give it a go.
