Overview

Befriending Young Refugees provides social and community support to an increasing number of unaccompanied children and young people arriving in Glasgow. We match young refugees and asylum seekers with a trained volunteer befriender. They work 1:1 with the young people, so they can navigate their local area and connect with their community.

Moving to an unfamiliar country and community can bring many challenges for young refugees and asylum seekers. These challenges include language and cultural barriers, poor mental health, the impact of trauma and anxiety. Hence, our volunteer befrienders can play a significant role in their lives as they adjust to their new home.

This pilot service, part-funded by the European Social Fund and the Scottish Government, is developed through consultation with unaccompanied children and young people. We also work in partnership with the University of Stirling, and closely alongside the Scottish Guardianship Service.

Could you become a volunteer befriender?

We are looking for volunteer befrienders to support unaccompanied asylum-seeking children across Glasgow. A volunteer can help build social networks and integration, helping them feel more at home. Our volunteers play a crucial part in a young peoples’ successful transition to their community. You can be a part of developing trusting positive relationships, providing social support and assisting with community integration.