🎥As part of the Young Volunteering Scheme Level 2, a talented young volunteer created a video of a behind-the-scenes look at our hubs. Through volunteering, young people explore their creativity, grow in confidence, and gain real experience. Watch video here: https://youtu.be/t1U5h0BfKN0

Meet MA. When he arrived in the UK, MA didn’t speak English. He felt completely alone, exhausted from a long, dangerous journey and overwhelmed by a city that felt nothing like home. Things began to shift when another young person introduced him to Young Roots.

Safe routes mean having a way to reach protection without risking your life. But for many young people, those routes are limited or don’t exist at all. Young Roots stands with young people calling for fair, accessible, and humane pathways to safety.

This #StressAwarenessWeek we're highlighting what stress really looks like for young people facing displacement. It’s living with constant uncertainty, about where you’ll stay, who you can trust, and what comes next. @helenbamber.bsky.social

🚨 URGENT: We're launching a campaign to stop this Government tearing families apart – will you join us? A few weeks ago, the Government suspended refugee family reunion. We can't let this stand. ✍️ Email the Home Secretary NOW: act.safepassage.org.uk/email-home-s...

Young people tell us what they’re worried about. 🛂 Uncertainty around their asylum claim 🏠 Being moved with little notice, unsure where they’ll sleep next 🌀 Feeling lost in systems they didn’t choose and don’t understand These are the realities young people share with us every day.

Dodgeball, team games, and a whole lot of competitive energy. This session at one of our youth activities was packed with team spirit. 🏐⚽🏀 Young Roots activities are more than just fun. They’re a safe space where young people can be themselves, try new things, and connect with others.

We believe people seeking asylum should be housed in communities, not camps, barracks or barges. The inhumane living conditions at these sites cause lasting harm and have been described as ‘quasi-detention‘ by a parliamentary inquiry.

Please feel free to share the statement on Instagram to help it reach as many people as possible: www.instagram.com/p/DQMBZ_wDeJ... Thank you ⭐

This December, Young Roots is taking part in the Big Give campaign. 🧡 It’s a chance to double your impact. Every pound raised during the campaign will be matched, helping us support even more young refugees with vital services and community. We’re asking you to fundraise with us.

Refugee family reunion saves lives. Last year, over half of those reunited were children fleeing dangerous situations & joining their parents. But the suspension of family reunion until next spring & plans to tighten rules afterwards could turn temporary separation into permanent loss for many. 1/3

At Young Roots O discovered a community that welcomed him and helped him connect. He went from feeling alone to building friendships and finding a sense of belonging. “My emotions changed from lonely and isolated to being sociable with other people.” This is the impact of belonging.

The Shared Accommodation Rate is failing young people. It’s a lower amount of housing benefit that in theory under 35s can use to rent a room shared housing but in reality, it’s one of the biggest barriers to finding a safe place to live.

On #WorldFoodDay we celebrate the way food brings people together. At Young Roots, cooking meals from home countries is a chance to share culture, spark connection, and build friendships.

When O arrived in the UK, he was age disputed, a process that can be long, confusing, and emotionally draining. While his age was being questioned, everything else was put on hold. The asylum system can take months, even years.

Over the last three years, support from National Lottery has helped us create spaces where young people can do more than just access support. They make friends, share cultures, and feel part of a diverse, welcoming community.

Today is #WorldHomelessDay. Young refugees in the UK are facing a growing risk of homelessness. A sudden policy change has cut their move-on period from 56 days to just 28 — slashing the time they have to find housing, apply for Universal Credit, open a bank account, and access support.

With World Mental Health Day approaching tomorrow, we’re reminded how mental health is shaped by the world around us. When rhetoric turns hostile, policies shift, and safety feels uncertain, young people are left navigating not only displacement but also the emotional toll of instability.

Meet OA. When we first met him at a hotel drop-in session, he had just arrived in the UK. He didn’t have clothes, didn’t know where to turn, and felt completely alone. For many young refugees, arrival can mean isolation. No family, no guidance and no understanding of the systems around them.

This powerful graphic was created by a young person from South Sudan. They shared how coming to Young Roots Hub to play helps them stay active, meet people from different backgrounds, and build strong teamwork.

Ever thought about doing something bold for a good cause? This year, an amazing corporate took on a bungee jump, all to raise funds for Young Roots. Thank you BLACKLIST! Now it’s your turn. Whether it’s a bungee jump, marathon or mountain trek, we’re calling on YOU to take on a challenge event

📝 Today is #NationalPoetryDay, a moment to celebrate the power of words and share the voices that should be heard. At Young Roots, we’re proud to spotlight Croydon’s Poet Laureate Shaniqua Benjamin, whose book Out of Silence beautifully amplifies the stories of young people we work with.

“Family.” That’s what young people told us would make them feel safe. But with the suspension of family reunion, one of the only safe routes to be with loved ones has been shut down. 📣 Share it. Talk about it. Stand with young people for their right to safety.

Anger and division cause tensions in our communities, dividing us and tearing the social fabric of our society. It harms us all. That’s why we’ve signed this open letter with over 100 other organisations calling on the new Home Secretary to unite communities to improve everyone’s lives.

Some snaps of young people from our Youth Welfare Project on a rock climbing trip! 🧗 📷 Trips like these offer a break from isolation and a space to build community.

Our newsletter is more than updates, it’s a space for solidarity, action, and hearing from young people about what we do. From policy changes to ways you can make a difference, we break down the headlines and amplify the voices that matter.

For eight weeks, young women came together not just to learn self-defence but to understand their boundaries, build confidence, and support one another.One young woman shared: 🗣️ “I’ve learnt how to say no. I’ve learnt my boundaries. I’ve found my voice.”

On this #InternationalDayofPeace the urgency is louder than ever. With far-right protests and rising racism, it’s more important than ever to stand in solidarity with refugees, asylum seekers, and displaced young people who deserve to live free from fear.

Good quality legal advice is essential in navigating the immigration system. But thousands of isolated people have been forced to turn to false offers of 'support' after decades of legal aid cuts and neglect. We need a fully resourced legal aid system now! 1/ ⬇️ www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

It’s been a deeply painful week. Thousands have filled the streets in support of an event rooted in hate, division, and racism. Politicians who target and disappear people of colour and migrant communities have been lauded, flattered and celebrated.

Today is #NationalYouthMentalHealthDay 🧠 At Young Roots, we know that mental health support isn’t just about services - it’s about trust, community, and being heard. Z, one of the young people at Young Roots shared:

With 63 other expert organisations, we’ve written to Government to strongly oppose the sudden reduction in the asylum accommodation move-on period for newly recognised refugees. Read our joint letter in full in the The Guardian today 👇

The 56-day move-on period was working—giving newly-recognised refugees a fair chance to avoid homelessness. Now it has been reversed, people granted safety in the UK are being pushed straight into crisis. 📢 We need your voice to get 56 days back. Raise awareness, speak out, write to your MP.

A day at the beach in Eastbourne, creating long lasting memories🌊 This beautiful image was captured and edited by one of the young people who attended the trip, they also shared:

Young Women’s Group recently went on a trip to Brighton 🌊 Here are some of the highlights from the day: 👣 Soaking our legs in the sea 🌅 Watching the beautiful ocean view 🏖️ Seeing new things and being together

“When I got my decision, the first thing I thought about was calling Young Roots. I knew they would help me. They helped me to find somewhere to stay which means I am not outside” – Mohammed, a young person who attends Young Roots

Is it groundhog day? In a desperate race to the bottom, the Government now want to warehouse people seeking safety in the UK on military and industrial sites. These are the exact plans this Government condemned when they were in opposition. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

As summer winds down, we’re reflecting on the unforgettable moments that shaped it. This video, made by one young person during our residential trip, captures what these moments mean. "Everything we enjoyed we got to watch back, we worked as a team and we became closer friends"

With figures like Farage and the media stoking fear around refugees, it's clear that the voices of compassion are needed now more than ever. The talk of deportations, the suspension on family reunion and sensational headlines only divides us, but we know the truth: everyone deserves safety. 🕊️

Swipe through to see why 56 days makes all the difference and learn how you can take action and help make it permanent: 👉 Read blog here: www.youngroots.org.u... #56DaysToStability #WriteToYourMP

The suspension of family reunion applications is the shutting down of one of the only safe routes that exists, forcing more people into making dangerous journeys.

"We all deserve to feel safe – and we must give no ground to policies that use human beings as political pawns." Read our piece in ‪@left-foot-forward.bsky.social‬ on why Reform's new plans are a fundamental attack on the right to safety: leftfootforward.org/2025/08/refo...

Home Office plans to slash the move-on period for newly-recognised refugees from 56 days back to just 28—pushing people who’ve been granted safety in the UK towards homelessness this winter. We need you to write to your MP and demand #56DaysToStability now. Everyone deserves a home.

The evidence for the positive benefits of the 56 day move-on period for everyone - refugees, communities, local authorities - is overwhelming. The Home Office has not even completed its evaluation of the pilot scheme. And yet, they have decided to reverse this win-win policy.

Every week brings a new idea that grabs headlines but doesn't actually fix the problem. Only 52% of asylum decisions pass the Home Office’s own internal quality checks.

What a fantastic day at our Young Roots Summer Party at the Croydon Hub! 🌞 Young people came together to enjoy delicious BBQ food, cooked by a staff member and a young person.

At Young Roots, we support young people through this challenging journey, helping them understand their rights, access their entitlements, and providing the emotional support they need in these uncertain times.

"Imagine you’re making a soup, and you add too much salt or too much chilli, suddenly it becomes too much – you can’t eat it, it’s spoilt for everyone. That’s what is happening to society and our communities – it will become worse for everyone if this hostility and hatred continues.

Do you donate at Christmas to your favourite causes? We would love you to pledge now for our BIG GIVE, Christmas appeal. If we get a supporter to pledge by the 29th August 2025 – we can set our Christmas target for £10,000. We need your help NOW to make a real difference for young refugees.

In its asylum deal, this government accepts people seeking asylum via France, but only if it removes those who cross the Channel. This "transfer scheme" relies on other people risking their lives at sea, only to be locked up and sent back. This isn’t what a safe route looks like.