Target reached!
The more funding we secure this Christmas, the more support and positive experiences...
Help build a better future for refugee youth in UK
London, Greater London, United Kingdom
Aim
Support our education programmes that help young people (ages 13-18) to learn English & life skills and begin to rebuild their lives.
What’s this fundraiser all about?
A young person’s first moments in the country, especially if they arrived here alone, are immensely challenging.
For five years, Springboard has been supporting newly-arrived refugee youth through some of the most difficult circumstances to learn, thrive and rebuild their lives.
Our education programmes provide a crucial opportunity for young people to acquire English language and life skills, make new friends and learn to navigate London, their new home.
Each Christmas we fundraise to secure funding that our grants won’t cover. As a nimble charity with a small core team, every pound makes a difference. Can you chip in? We’re grateful for whatever you can afford to give.
The reality facing refugee youth when they arrive
Young people who make the difficult journey to the UK, seeking safety and solidarity, are met with disorientation and isolation when they arrive.
They’re forced to navigate complicated housing and legal systems. They’re often alone here without any family or friends. They’re also required to enrol in school right away, even if they have little to no English language skills to prepare them to succeed.
Without the right educational and wellbeing support, these young people miss their chance to progress at a natural pace and reach their fullest potential.
That’s where we come in.
How you can help
Life isn’t getting any easier for the young people we support. Every year we’ve been working tirelessly to address the growing challenges they face.
Two years of lockdown and lost learning through the pandemic: this set all children back and especially refugee young people.
The hostile environment has been making every step of settling in the UK more difficult, while signalling to young people that they do not belong.
We’re hearing from councils and social workers that there simply isn’t enough out there that’s focussed on helping these young people succeed.
This year we supported roughly 10% of refugee young people living in London alone without any parents or family. You can help us reach more.
Where your donations will go:
- Plugging the gaps in funding for our programmes. We provide 345 hours of education support per year. Grant funding goes far but not far enough to cover things like curriculum development and field trips for our groups.
- Offering extra support where we can. Cost of living is rising and life is becoming more challenging. Food costs alone are up 14%. We need funding to continue providing daily hot meals and cover travel costs that help young people participate in our programmes.
- Launching a second campus in East London. A new campus would help us reach another 150 young people year-round. This is in the works already–but additional resources would put the wind in our sails.
So, will you back us?
As we grow, we require more resources to deliver at the scale we know is needed, to support as many young people as we can who have recently arrived in London.
Our story so far has been powered by the generosity of backers like you:
2017 → we could only afford to run one summer holiday programme.
2020 → we launched our first half-term programme.
2021/22 → we started running programmes year-round, formally partnered with four councils to provide services and supported 275 young people.
2023 → with your help we’ll keep delivering for young people, providing a safe, enriching and joyful space for them to learn and grow.
Still reading? How our programmes work
Our programmes run between and during school terms to plug the gaps in the mainstream education system. That means every half-term, summer holiday and on Saturdays.
Young people learn English through a creative and empowering ESOL curriculum.
They receive academic and wellbeing support.
They learn life skills that are vital for independent living, but won’t be taught to them in school. Like budgeting, sexual health and advocating for their rights.
They go on trips that familiarise them with London, their new home, and help build friendships and confidence.
Get in touch to learn more
Visit our website or get in touch to learn more:
https://www.springboardyouth.com
This project successfully funded on 7th January 2023