A summer sports day brought young people from Brent and Croydon together for ball games, team challenges and sunshine. They made memories and ended the day with pizza and big smiles.🎾⚽

Nearly 100 children wrongly told they are adults by the Home Office, leading to them being held in prison-like conditions in detention centres and facing deportation.

If the government truly intends to end rough sleeping, that must include preventing homelessness among newly-recognised refugees. The latest figures show a 7% increase in homelessness among refugee households yet there are common-sense solutions to prevent this.

“I feel safe at Young Roots.” When a young person tells us this, it means more than feeling welcome at our activities. At Young Roots, young people find trusted relationships and community. But safety should not depend on finding the right charity or the right youth worker.

Our youth hub in Croydon turned into a mini jewellery studio. Young people made earrings, necklaces and bracelets to wear and to gift each other. 💍🧡Craft offers young people the chance to be creative together and make something meaningful.

We regularly run questionnaires throughout the year to understand the impact of our work and hear directly from young people. Feedback like this shows what happens when young people are supported.

We’ve joined over 200 refugee organisations and hundreds of individuals in calling on the new Prime Minister to fix the broken asylum system. Government after government has made life more difficult for refugees. (1/2)

"We must own our role as that of agent of the state, a state which increasingly seeks to control, scrutinise & disempower those seeking sanctuary. My experience is that young people perceive us in this way, therefore anything we can do to redistribute power in this relationship is worth doing."

Community Care@community-care.bsky.social · 3w ago

A social worker supporting unaccompanied asylum seekers reflects on the power professionals hold over children's time

At Rainbow Migration we are very concerned about this change. It comes on top of already very poor-quality asylum decision-making by the Home Office, which is putting LGBTQI+ lives at risk.

DIVA Magazine@divamag.bsky.social · 3w ago

Concerns for LGBTQIA+ people after changes made to Home Office asylum interviews

Summer holidays have begun at Young Roots with a brilliant trip to Brighton beach Young people loved swimming and soaking up the sunshine.🌞🏖️ Your continued support makes days like this happen. Stay connected by signing up to our newsletter. - www.youngroots.org.u...

For 75 yrs, the Refugee Convention has helped protect people forced to flee & its impact reaches beyond the pages of a legal document. It's a promise that's helped refugees - including the young people we work with - move beyond survival towards safety. Until everyone is safe, we keep the promise.

We are pleased that in his first week as Prime Minister, Andy Burnham promised to end rough sleeping. The government must reinstate the 56-day move-on period, which gives people enough time to find somewhere to live after moving out of asylum accommodation.

Want to support Young Roots? If you're a school, college or community group looking to make a difference, we'd love to hear from you.

Bashir fled Afghanistan to seek sanctuary in the UK, arriving alone and facing a lot of uncertainty. When he first came to Young Roots, he was dealing with health issues and needed support to navigate GP appointments, hospital referrals and the everyday challenges of settling into a new city.

We recently visited Esports Youth Club and absolutely loved it! Young people played on different consoles, tried new games, and enjoyed being in a space designed just for them.

The new PM wants to put a stop to rough sleeping - that's great news. We've got a good place to start: extending the move on period, so newly recognised refugees have time to find a home, and scrapping plans to strip people refused asylum support of emergency help to keep them off the streets.

Andy Burnham pledges to end rough sleeping in first speech as prime minister – UK politics live

The new PM said he wants to put ‘the right values and the right standards at the heart of government’

theguardian.com

A new prime minister is an opportunity to change course on the government’s misguided, cruel and unworkable asylum and immigration policies. We need a humane asylum system that means people can be safe and can rebuild their lives.

It’s hot, hot, hot! At our hubs in Croydon and Brent, young people can drop in to do some art, play games, share food, learn English or speak to a caseworker in a cool, airy, welcoming space.

We kicked things off with a day of sightseeing around London, taking in the city's iconic landmarks from the open-top bus and making memories along the way. 🚌✨

When Abdu arrived in the UK, he was experiencing anxiety, confusion and isolation while navigating an age assessment and asylum claim. He began attending Young Roots' youth activities and received regular one-to-one support from a caseworker.

Government plans to force refugees to repay the cost of accommodation and support will hold people back who are trying to rebuild their lives, after they’ve had to leave everything behind.

A new report from @homelesslink.bsky.social shows a 72% increase in newly-granted refugees having to access homelessness services at day centres. homeless.org.uk/news/new-42-...

As our campaign comes to an end, hear from our youth worker Ela as she reflects on the moments of courage she sees in young people, the way they show up for one another, even when they’re carrying their own challenges.

Another immigration and asylum bill being introduced by government, and being rushed through. The Home Secretary must stop fuelling division and trying to grab headlines with announcements of cruel and inhumane policies and laws. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Shabana Mahmood’s immigration and asylum bill to go before MPs next week

Refugee charities fear controversial changes, including on forced removals and age checks, are being rushed through

theguardian.com

We know that young people need stability and safety in order to be able to rebuild their lives - the government's policy of granting just 30 months' refugee leave takes this away, meaning that after being given the right to stay in the UK, young people can't plan for the future and feel secure.

Asylum Aid@asylumaid.org.uk · 2mo ago

We are facing the greatest challenge to refugee protection in decades. Their rights in the UK are being steadily eroded, with the government reducing the length of refugee leave from five years to just two & a half years. 🚨 We are challenging this in court. 🧵 www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...

Refugee Week may be over, but the courage of the young people we support continues every day. Hear from our CEO Paola Uccellari as she talks about the hopes young people have for the next stage of their lives — from going to college to gaining work experience and building towards their futures.

Keir Starmer’s resignation is an opportunity for the government to reset on asylum. Young people seeking sanctuary in the UK need policies that offer stability and give them the opportunity to thrive.

Today is #WorldRefugeeDay & to honour the strength and courage of people who have been forced to leave their home country, we are celebrating the courage young refugees show as they rebuild their lives, and the courage supporters show when they choose welcome in a hostile climate.

Hear from our staff as they share the everyday courage they see at Young Roots. Young people shape our work, inspire our team, and remind us all why safe and welcoming spaces matter. If their courage inspires you, donate to our Refugee Week appeal🧡 www.justgiving.com/campaign/yrc...

We recently spoke to young people at our Croydon Hub about what courage means in their lives. They told us about the people who give them strength - their friends, siblings, parents. One young person said the bravest thing they’ve done was ‘starting a new life in a new country’.