"I believe that refugee and asylum-seeking young people have so much potential"

We spoke to Charlotte, our Programme Manager, about how she got involved with Breadwinners and why she thinks the work we do is so important.

Refugee Week is an amazing opportunity to reflect and celebrate the contributions refugees bring to our communities and our lives. Everyone comes from somewhere! By including refugees and celebrating diversity, we have an opportunity to have a richer life. During refugee week, I encourage everyone to get involved in many activities to learn and hear the messages of refugees. I personally love hearing about creative projects out there, particularly the film festivals. Get involved and celebrate! 

When did you get involved with Breadwinners?

I first became involved with Breadwinners as a volunteer on the Risers programme in November 2018 and later became Programme Manager of the Risers in October 2019. 

How did you hear about it and why did you want to join?

I was working in an organisation supporting advocacy for displaced people with Naz (previous PM) and she told me about the volunteering opportunities to be a mentor for a young person. I have always really enjoyed working with young people and was a youth worker before applying for the role as a Programme Manager. I thought it sounded really interesting and unlike other projects! When the opportunity to be part of the core team arose, it felt like perfect timing and I was very keen to manage such a fun project.  

Why do you think it’s important to support refugees and young people seeking asylum?

Refugee status is based on having a well-founded fear of persecution which no young person should have to go through. If we imagined that we did not have the support network, encouragement and/or knowledge about how the world/system works in the UK, life would be much more challenging. I believe that refugee and asylum-seeking young people have so much potential, resilience and determination to succeed but navigating the world is much more complex and there are more barriers. It is important to give these young people structure, opportunity and empower them to be the best they can be. 

What has been your favourite thing about working with Breadwinners?

The atmosphere at Breadwinners is fun and energetic. There is so much enthusiasm, support and positivity from the team and I have the opportunity to work with Risers, Breadwinners, volunteers who all teach me so much. It's incredible how important community is to our overall sense of self. Being able to work with the young people on the Risers and Breadwinners programmes is really uplifting as I can see the growth in the young people over a couple of weeks! 

The cinnamon buns are also pretty tasty!