Young asylum seekers aged 18–25 are among the highest‑risk groups in the UK asylum system, facing disproportionate levels of trauma, isolation and barriers to support. In response to concerns raised by charities, parliamentarians and independent experts, a partnership of five specialist organisations piloted the Youth Welfare project in Birmingham and London from 2019–2022.

The results demonstrated an urgent need for dedicated support tailored to young people who are often unable or unwilling due to trauma and distrust to access mainstream services. With proven outcomes, the programme has since expanded to London, Sheffield, Cardiff, Swansea and Stockport, now reaching approximately 1,000 highly vulnerable young people each year with essential social, emotional and practical assistance as they navigate the complexities of the UK asylum system.

The Youth Welfare model represents a highly innovative intervention addressing a critical gap in provision. Youth Welfare Officers provide consistent, trauma‑informed support that helps young people access education, language learning, community networks and vital mental and physical health care, areas where evidence shows significant unmet need. The programme has strengthened wellbeing, reduced isolation, and improved engagement with statutory processes, while also enabling strong cross organisational learning, shared practice and problem‑solving.

In a landscape marked by rising need and decreasing access to legal aid and specialist services, this model delivers measurable and lasting impact.

Read the impact report.

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Youth Welfare is a project that was initially piloted in 2020-2021 to address the rising mental health needs amongst young male asylum seekers. Due to its success we have since grown and expanded the project.

The project has been expanded to support more areas and now supports young women as well as men. The project provides a youth work style, trauma informed approach to supporting young people aged 18-25 who are going through the asylum process. The Youth Welfare Officer can support young people in your journey and each project offers its own range of activities and opportunities. 

• London – Young Roots
  This project covers the areas of Croydon, Brent and Kings Cross, to discover more and learn how to make a referral please see the Young Roots website.
  
  
• Sheffield – Children and Young Peoples Empowerment Projects (Chilypep)
  
  
• Stockport – Stockport Race Equality Partnership (S-REP)
  
  
• Wales – TGP Cymru
  This project covers both Cardiff and Swansea.