Ilsa, Young Leader

“My immigration status made me feel like an outsider … But everything changed when my brother introduced me to Safe Passage.”

My name is Ilsa, and I’m a young asylum seeker who has been living in the UK for the past 12 years.

Twelve years… That might sound like a long time — enough time to feel at home somewhere, to build a life. But for me, those years were filled with a constant reminder that I didn’t fully belong.

My immigration status made me feel like an outsider. Like no matter how hard I tried, I was never truly part of the place I called home. I was always aware that something about me made me different — and that difference made me hide parts of myself. I was afraid to speak up. But everything changed when my brother introduced me to Safe Passage.

He encouraged me to join the Young Leaders programme. At first, I didn’t know what to expect — but what I found was something I didn’t even realise I’d been searching for.

I found community and safety. I found people who understood. And most importantly, I found my voice.

Through Safe Passage, I was given the chance to not only grow as a person, but to become a leader. One of my proudest moments was encouraging other young people to join too — people who, like me, had felt voiceless for so long.

Together, we built a space where we could be ourselves. Where we could speak freely. Cry, laugh, and tell the truth without fear. I listened to their stories, and they trusted me with their hearts. That’s something I will never take for granted.

Being a Young Leader taught me that safe routes aren’t just about physical journeys — they’re also about emotional and mental safety. About knowing that you’re not alone. About believing that your future can be bright, no matter how dark the past has been.

Safe Passage didn’t just support me — they reminded me that my story matters. That speaking up for justice isn’t something to fear — it’s something to embrace.

I still face challenges, like so many others. But now I know that my voice can be a tool for change. That I deserve to be heard. That I belong.