Safe Passage Young Leaders win national campaigns award!

The Safe Passage Young Leaders have won a national award which recognises their incredible achievements and determination in campaigning and amplifying voices. Sheila McKechnie Foundation (SMK), an organisation which champions and capacity builds campaigning organisations and helps them unleash their ‘social power’, selected the Young Leaders as the 2022 winner in the ‘Amplifying Voices’ category, amongst stiff competition.

The Young Leaders won the award for their campaign Safe Routes Save Lives, in which they lobbied parliament; wrote a report to the Government including personal testimonies and policy recommendations; organised events with MPs and Peers and spoke at public demonstrations to call for safe routes for refugees.

On 19th May, Joel and Tekle, two long-standing members of the Young Leaders group and key drivers of the campaign, attended the SMK awards ceremony to accept the award.

Upon accepting the award, Joel said: “Coming from refugee backgrounds, we are experts by experience. We leveraged that, and side by side with Safe Passage, who held us all the way, we lobbied parliament, we didn’t take no for an answer. That’s why we went as far as we did – but we know it’s a marathon, not a sprint.”

Tekle spoke passionately about the importance of campaigns being led by lived experience: “To all those with lived experience who want to change policy – be active. Your first-hand experience matters. You are heard more than you think. Policy makers want to hear real, evidence-based stories. You are the people who can bring that to the table.”

Well done to all the Young Leaders who have fought tirelessly for refugees’ rights through this campaign; we know you will continue to stand up for justice and equality and will never give up.