Refugee Youth Service UK

Who we are

Refugee Youth Service (RYS) supports unaccompanied children and young people to restart and rebuild their lives where they are, or safely and legally reach an alternative destination that is in their better interests. Our work aims to resume childhoods, bring an end to perilous journeys, and foster a smooth transition to adulthood. This is achieved through a range of activities which take place within safe spaces or as part of community outreach and street work. A holistic approach is taken to meet the broad and unique needs of unaccompanied children and young people on the move.

The organisation was born in the Calais jungle in 2016 where it supported over 1000 children through the provision of a safe space and wrap-around services. In 2017 RYS expanded its work and opened the first ever safe space on mainland Greece for displaced children and young people on the move. From 2017-2021 a team of 20+ staff supported on average 1200 young people per year across the two countries. 

Following a strategic decision to reposition itself to support unaccompanied children and young people arriving alone in the UK, RYS handed over its operations in France to ECPAT France in 2021, along with a three-year grant. Subsequently, RYS introduced its capacity-building training initiative titled "Journey with an Unaccompanied Child," which has since equipped over 500 individuals who engage with unaccompanied children and young people in the UK. This training imparts the expertise garnered from eight years of fieldwork, bolstering the drive and capabilities of professionals, practitioners, and communities to offer optimal care and hospitality for those arriving in the UK.

In the summer of 2023 RYS stepped-up its work in the UK in response to the hundreds of age-disputed children living in British Home Office hotel accommodations. The ‘No Children in Hotels Project’ is creating a significant and lasting impact on the lives of children who would otherwise be forgotten about.