Help refugee youth learn and rebuild their lives

Aim

We deliver education programmes that support refugee youth to learn English & life skills, and begin to rebuild their lives in the UK

What this fundraiser is all about 

Springboard Youth Academy provides newly-arrived refugee youth a vital opportunity to make friends, acquire English language and life skills, and start to rebuild their lives. 

For six years, we’ve been supporting young people at our North West London campus. From improved confidence and English to finding community and feeling safe and cared for – that’s the difference our graduates and the schools, social workers and councils we work with say our programmes make. 

But we know these programmes are needed across the city. This Christmas, we’re asking if you can chip in to help us launch our second campus at South Thames College in 2024. 

We’re planning to deliver two half-team programmes in February and May, which will provide English lessons, wellbeing support and life skills learning to refugee young people in South West London. 

It costs £5,000 to run one half-term programme for 45 young people. Could you donate toward this goal? As a small, lean and nimble charity, we’re grateful for every bit of help. 

Why our support is so essential for refugee youth

Springboard was founded by a team of educators, youth workers, safeguarding specialists, and migration and legal practitioners. 

We saw first-hand the lack of support available for refugee youth when they arrive in the UK – and how challenging those first moments in a country are, especially if a young person has made the difficult journey here without any family.

From as young as 13, refugee youth have to navigate complicated care, housing and legal systems. They face a hostile Government whose policies deny them basic dignity and security here. They struggle with trauma and uncertainty, and the isolation and disorientation can feel unbearable.

Young people are also required to enrol in school right away, but often have little to no English language skills to prepare them to succeed. And school funding cuts means their teachers don’t have the tools to support their complex needs.  

Without the right educational and wellbeing support, we risk failing these young people. 

They miss out on the chance to progress at school, to dream big for their futures as every young person should, and reach their fullest potential. 

That’s why at Springboard we do everything to equip young people to learn and thrive, in the classroom and beyond.

A space for joy and learning year-round 

Our holistic programmes run every half-term, summer holiday and on Saturdays to plug the gaps in mainstream education. 

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. 

We are a space for joy. For learning by doing. For rehearsing for life. For learning how to speak up for ourselves and others.  

Donate to help launch our second campus

Last year we supported 157 young people with 305 hours of education in North London.

Our programmes are intensive and complementary across the year, so we can make a meaningful impact on young people’s learning goals. 

• 92% of the young people who regularly attend class report progress in their English language skills. 
• 8 in 10 young people made new friends
• 7 in 10 improve their ability to talk about issues that are important to them.

The coordinator for the four councils that refer young people to our programmes, says: 

“I love Springboard Youth Academy because they teach so much more than English… This is invaluable in helping them settle into life in the UK. Whenever I visit, I am met with so many welcoming, smiling faces. The sports, the creative activities and the presentation skills all give such a boost to the confidence of the young people that they are relaxed and happy and that makes it so much easier for them to learn English and engage with their new lives. I wish their work could be replicated throughout the country.” 

These are the opportunities we want to deliver for refugee youth in South London, too. Donate to help us launch our second location successfully and support more young people. 

All the contributions raised will go toward costs for on-site facilitators, field trips, food and transport for young people, classroom and workshop materials, and the operations necessary to manage a new location. 

Drop us a note to learn more

We’d love to tell you more about what inspires our approach to education and the impact of our work, and the many details we couldn’t fit on this page. 

From the curriculum resources we’re developing for educators, to our trauma-informed practitioner trainings, to how we help our graduates become Peer Leaders who support other young people in the classroom.

If you’re curious, visit our website - https://www.springboardyouth.com or say hello - [email protected]

Springboard is a UK Registered Charity (1191062) 

This project successfully funded on 6th January 2024