YOUNG ROOTS
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Mission Statement
Supporting young refugees to realise their potential
About This Cause
Founded in 2004, Young Roots works with young refugees and asylum seekers aged 11-25, supporting them to improve their lives and fulfil their potential. Our delivery areas are Croydon, Brent and Kings Cross although we support young people from all London boroughs. As of 2023, we are now supporting around 1000 young refugees annually, from 45+ different countries, with our largest groups being from Afghanistan, Sudan, Eritrea and Iran. This year is an important milestone for Young Roots - our 20th anniversary. Twenty years ago, we couldn’t have imagined the detrimental developments to the asylum system such as the ‘Illegal’ Migration Act or the proposed Rwanda Scheme – and in this context, our work with young refugees and asylum seekers in London is more vital than ever. We hope you will join us this year as we recognise our impact over the past two decades, look to the future, and celebrate the incredible young people who are at the heart of all we do. We work holistically and taking a trauma-informed approach to supporting young refugees through the following services: *our Youth Development programme incorporating weekly youth clubs, women-only groups, sporting activities, English-language learning programmes, work-readiness and youth leadership, an annual programme of trips and residentials, and one-to-one youth work support; *our intensive one-to-one Casework service providing expert support, advice and advocacy to young people facing complex challenges, enabling them to access high-quality legal advice, welfare and housing support, mental and physical healthcare and education; *our holistic Advice & Support Hub model, integrating our established youth and sporting activities and English-language programmes, with our one-to-one Casework service and access to specialist therapeutic support and legal advice; *our Youth Welfare project addresses the practical and mental health needs of young refugees placed in asylum hotels. Building on the learnings from our pilot Wembley project, we are now replicating this successful model, using our combined youth work and casework approach, in Croydon and Kings Cross. Our aims are to support young refugees and asylum seekers to: understand and access their rights and entitlements; reduce social isolation and loneliness; improve their mental health and wellbeing; improve their confidence, communication and leadership skills. Young Roots has particular expertise in supporting the transition of young refugees from childhood to adulthood, enabling them to understand and navigate their changing rights and entitlements, as well as supporting their emotional development during these crucial years. “(They provide) excellent wrap-around support for young people. They allow for friend-making, casework and therapy to happen in a supportive environment and allow for some needs to be quickly met, and challenges to be worked through on an ongoing journey with staff and peers. I know that young people feel very safe there which is vital.” External evaluation, 2022 More than 80% of the young refugees and asylum seekers we support are here in the UK alone. Without the support, care and guidance of their families they are particularly vulnerable and isolated, and at increased risk of exploitation. They have fled war and persecution and have very often experienced traumatic and extensive migration journeys, many as victims of slavery or trafficking. The backlog to asylum decisions – currently standing at 175,000 - has left many young refugees living in limbo for extensive periods, experiencing high anxiety due to the uncertainty of their situations. and often housed in inappropriate accommodation, leading to significant isolation, destitution and fragile mental health. Far too many cannot access the care and support needed to rebuild their lives. On arrival in the UK, they are frequently disbelieved about their age and their experiences. This leads to them being housed alongside adults, denied the support they would be entitled to as children in care, and missing out on education. The age-assessment process in itself is hugely retraumatising and can in some cases take years to resolve. On 20th July 2023, the ‘Illegal’ Migration Act was passed, heralding an overtly and intensely hostile era for young refugees seeking protection and to rebuild their lives in safety in the UK. In addition to being an asylum ban, the Act endangers children and young people through new rules around determining children’s ages; puts the use of asylum hotels for accommodating lone children on a firmer legal footing; and allows for the routine detention of children. This comes alongside fast-paced changes to policy and practice since the passing of the Nationality and Borders Act in 2022 and varying frameworks impacting the life chances of those we support, depending on their date of arrival.