Youth campaigning
Who are the young leaders?
The Safe Passage Young Leaders are a movement of young refugees and asylum seekers, campaigning for a future where no one is forced to risk their life for safety. Too many of us have faced hostility instead of compassion, isolation instead of support. But together, we are building something different.
For many of us, arriving in a new country felt lonely and overwhelming. But the Young Leaders group has become a family; a place where we feel heard, valued, and empowered to make real change.
Everyone deserves safety. Everyone deserves welcome.
“We are not just survivors—we are leaders, changemakers, and advocates for justice.”
What we’re up to
Campaigning for changE
We raise our voices against the injustices refugees face, challenge cruel policies, and fight for a future where every family can reunite, rebuild, and thrive in safety.
eNGAGing WITH POLITICIANs
We take our voices straight to Parliament, holding politicians accountable and demanding vital changes for refugee rights.
Raising awareness
Through media interviews, powerful videos, and community events, we share our stories to inspire change, challenge misconceptions, and show why safe routes are a lifeline.
BUILDing COMMUNITY
We support each other, develop new skills to kickstart careers and studies, and create a network of young people who are passionate about change.
join us!
Being a Young Leader is about more than just campaigning – it’s about finding a community, building confidence, and shaping a better future.
✅ Connect with other young people who share similar experiences.
✅ Gain skills in public speaking, advocacy, and media work.
✅ Have your voice heard by decision-makers.
✅ Work on exciting projects and creative campaigns.
✅ Get involved with decision-making at Safe Passage and help shape the organisation.
✅ Be part of a movement that is changing lives.
The group is open to all people from refugee or asylum-seeking backgrounds, aged 16-25 who want to make a difference. You must be based in the UK and able to attend some in-person meetings (mostly in London), as well as online.
yOUNG lEADERS IN ACTION
When he came to the UK as an asylum seeker, Fernando was determined to drive change. He’s since been part of many campaigns on refugee rights, even speaking at Glastonbury Festival.
Ilsa has lived in the UK for over a decade as an asylum seeker. After joining the Young Leaders programme, she found a space to connect, grow, and speak out. Now, she’s using her voice to campaign for change and support others on similar journeys.
After year campaigning to reunite Afghan families and open safe routes as a Young Leader, Amir joined Safe Passage’s team as a consultant. He now uses his experience to shape how we work from the inside out.
What we’ve achieved
🎤 We took the stage at Glastonbury, speaking in front of thousands about refugee rights at Europe’s largest music festival!
✉️ We wrote to the Prime Minister to push for Afghan refugees’ rights and helped win a new safe route for separated families.
🍦We teamed up with Ben & Jerry’s, and took to the streets of London with a giant billboard, demanding better refugee protections.
🏛️ We met with members of Parliament to fight for the rights of young refugees and their families.
📢 We were featured in UK-wide press and TV interviews and marched with thousands of people against harmful policies.
🌟 We’ve held annual residential trips, where we created life-long friendships and memories.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Young people aged 16-25 from refugee or asylum-seeking backgrounds who want to make a difference. You must be based in the UK and able to attend some in-person meetings (mostly in London), as well as online. We usually meet on Wednesday or Thursday evenings.
We do not currently have a Young Leader established in France or Greece.
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Yes! We welcome everyone and support each other to build confidence, including improving spoken and written English.
While the sessions are run in English, we make sure they are accessible for everyone, and most of us speak many other languages, such as Arabic, Dari, Pashto, French, Spanish or Somali.
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Not at all. You can contribute in many ways that don’t involve public speaking, such as campaign planning, research, or creative projects.
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The Young Leaders is a voluntary group, but wehe Young Leaders is a voluntary group, but we cover all travel and food expenses for in-person events and provide support to access online meetings.
For in-depth contributions, such as speaking opportunities, large-scale projects or helping shape decision-making within our organisation, we provide vouchers as compensation.
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Fill out our interest form above, and we’ll be in touch! If you have any questions, contact Ruth, our Youth Campaigning Manager, at Ruth.Holtom@safepassage.org.uk.
“It’s a place where you feel welcomed and part of a community. You can discover yourself, support other refugees, and build new skills while learning from people from diverse backgrounds.”