Young Roots
Young Roots is a London-based charity, founded in 2004, that supports young refugees and asylum seekers aged 14–25 through youthwork, casework, advice hubs, and policy advocacy across three boroughs. It serves 1,000+ beneficiaries annually and is funded by donations, grants, and fundraising.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersCroydon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Young Roots does
Young Roots is a London-based registered charity (Charity Number 1139685; Company Number 07448744) founded in 2004 that supports young refugees and asylum seekers aged 14–25, most of whom arrive in the UK unaccompanied by family. The organization operates an integrated service model across three London boroughs — Brent, Croydon and King's Cross — combining a Youthwork service (youth-led activities and safe spaces), a Casework service (intensive individual support navigating the asylum system, housing and welfare), Advice & Support Hubs (therapeutic support, legal advice, English language learning, skills development), and a Youth Welfare Project focused on reducing isolation. A separate Policy & Campaigns function amplifies young people's voices in parliamentary advocacy and coalition work, including age-assessment reform and refugee housing rights.
The technology footprint is a standard nonprofit operational stack: Mailchimp for email, Donorfy for donor management, Impact Stack for digital campaigning and MP advocacy tools, Stripe and Donorfy for donation processing, JustGiving, Big Give, Give As You Live, Donr and CAF for fundraising channels, plus Google Analytics, Meta Business Suite and YouTube Studio for content and analytics. There is no proprietary technology platform; the core "product" is in-person service delivery backed by these off-the-shelf tools.
Young Roots is funded entirely through donations and grants rather than fees, with services provided free to beneficiaries. Revenue streams comprise individual donations and fundraising (online, direct mail, standing orders, SMS giving, challenge events), grants from charitable trusts and foundations, corporate partnerships including payroll giving, and school fundraising (charity-of-the-term/year programs, Refugee Week activities, sponsored events). Distribution is direct to beneficiaries through youth clubs, hubs and casework, with referrals flowing through local authorities, schools and community partners. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on word-of-mouth within refugee communities and partnerships with schools, local authorities, and other NGOs.
Young Roots firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Young Roots
- Legal name
- Young Roots
- Website
- https://youngroots.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Young Roots is a London-based charity, founded in 2004, that supports young refugees and asylum seekers aged 14–25 through youthwork, casework, advice hubs, and policy advocacy across three boroughs. It serves 1,000+ beneficiaries annually and is funded by donations, grants, and fundraising.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Young Roots industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Refugee and Asylum Support Services
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (624110), Child and Youth Services (62411), Individual and Family Services (6241)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Newcomer & Refugee Student Support Programs (EDAJAGAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills) (EDAAAFAN)
Keywords
Where Young Roots is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Croydon
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Young Roots business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Individual Donations and Fundraising: Young Roots receives donations from individual supporters through various channels including online donations (Stripe), direct mail, bank transfers, standing orders, and SMS text giving. Supporters can fundraise through challenge events, marathons, bake sales, and other activities.
- Trusts and Foundations: Funding from charitable trusts and foundations that support work with young refugees and asylum seekers.
- Corporate Partnerships: Partnerships with businesses who support Young Roots through corporate giving, payroll giving programs, and employee fundraising initiatives.
- School Fundraising: Schools raise funds through various activities including charity of the term/year programs, assemblies, talent shows, bake sales, and sponsored walks. Refugee Week activities generate additional support.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Young Roots product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Young Roots is a London-based registered charity that supports young refugees and asylum seekers aged 14-25, most of whom arrive in the UK alone without their families. The organisation delivers practical and emotional support through Youthwork activities, intensive Casework, Advice & Support Hubs (providing therapeutic support, legal advice, and English language learning), and a Youth Welfare Project. It also runs Policy & Campaigns work that engages young people to influence laws, policies, and practices affecting their lives.
Product overview
Young Roots is a London-based charity offering a coordinated suite of services for young refugees and asylum seekers aged 14-25. The organization operates as an integrated service model combining Youthwork activities, intensive Casework support, Advice & Support Hubs (providing therapeutic, legal, and educational services), and a Youth Welfare Project. These core services are complemented by Policy & Campaigns advocacy work that empowers young people to influence policy. Together, these services address the practical and emotional needs of young people seeking safety in the UK, most of whom arrive alone without their families.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Youthwork Service Provides youth activities and safe spaces for young refugees and asylum seekers aged 14-25, offering practical and emotional support through youth-led and trauma-informed programmes.
- Casework Service Offers intensive casework support to help young refugees navigate the asylum system, access services, and address individual needs including legal, housing, and welfare concerns.
- Advice & Support Hubs Physical hubs where young people can access therapeutic support, legal advice, English language learning, and other skills development services in a welcoming environment.
- Youth Welfare Project Specialised project addressing the welfare and wellbeing of young refugees, reducing loneliness and isolation through consistent, trusted support during times of uncertainty.
- Policy & Campaigns Work Advocacy and policy work that engages young people to positively influence the laws, policies, and practices affecting their lives, including campaigns on age assessment, refugee rights, and asylum policy.
Quantifiable outcome
- 72% of young people said they do not know anywhere else offering the kind of support they find at Young Roots
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Young Roots
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Young Roots technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration9 records
Young Roots partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Helen Bamber FoundationcoreJoint report 'They Made Me Feel Like Myself' on supporting young people through age disputes. Partnership combines Young Roots' frontline experience with Helen Bamber Foundation's clinical psychology expertise to research the psychological impact of age assessment processes on young refugees.
- Immigration Social Work ServicescoreResearch partnership to study how age is being determined by local authorities. Combined expertise in immigration law, policy, social work, and public law to produce 'Good Decision-Making in Age Assessments' report.
- Public Law ProjectcoreResearch partnership to examine the quality and methods of age assessment decision-making across England, contributing to policy recommendations for improving practice.
- First GiveminorNationwide school program enabling students to learn about Young Roots' work and compete to win £1,000 for their selected charity. Raises awareness and funds among young people.
- SuperkindminorEducational platform exploring global issues including social justice. Young Roots has a fundraising page on the platform, enabling under-13s to raise money for the charity.
- Homes4All CoalitioncoreCoalition working for dignified and decent housing for all, with Young Roots as a proud member advocating for refugee housing rights and policy change.
- Baroness Lister of BurtersettcoreParliamentary advocate who introduced private members' bill for 56-day eviction period, specifically referencing Young Roots' work on refugee homelessness. Young Roots backs the bill and supports advocacy efforts.
- Doughty Street ChambersminorLegal team representing young person in successful age assessment challenge. Young Roots staff provided oral evidence supporting the case.
- Osbornes SolicitorsminorSolicitors representing young person in successful legal challenge to NAAB age assessment decision that was overturned.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Young Roots competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Asylum Aid: UK charity providing legal representation and advice for asylum seekers, including children and young people. Comparable to Young Roots in advocacy and legal support functions, and similarly focused on vulnerable asylum-seeking populations in the UK.
- Refugee Action: UK charity providing one-to-one advice, casework, and integration support for refugees and asylum seekers. Directly comparable to Young Roots in delivering casework and advice services to the same beneficiary population, with overlapping geographic focus in England.
- Helen Bamber Foundation: UK charity providing therapeutic and casework support to survivors of trafficking and refugees, including young asylum seekers. Directly comparable in serving similar beneficiaries and as an active research partner of Young Roots, with overlapping trauma-informed support models.
Broad incumbents
- British Red Cross: Major UK humanitarian organization providing refugee support, including casework, family reunion, and integration programs. Comparable in serving refugees but as a broad incumbent with a much wider portfolio beyond refugee-specific services.
- Refugee Council: UK's largest refugee support charity, providing advice, advocacy, and casework across the asylum system. Comparable to Young Roots because both serve refugees navigating asylum processes, but Refugee Council operates nationally and across all ages, making it a broader incumbent.
- Migrant Help: National UK charity delivering advice, casework, and accommodation support for asylum seekers. Comparable in casework delivery but operates as a broader incumbent with government contracts spanning the wider asylum population.
- International Rescue Committee (UK): Global humanitarian organization providing refugee resettlement, casework, and integration support in the UK. Comparable in refugee casework and integration services but as a broad incumbent operating internationally with much larger scale.
Regional players
- Scottish Refugee Council: Regional refugee support charity operating across Scotland, providing advice, advocacy, and integration support. Comparable in mission and service mix (casework, advice, policy) but geographically focused on Scotland rather than London.
- JustRight Scotland: Scottish charity providing legal advice and representation on asylum and immigration matters for children and young people. Comparable in delivering legal and rights-based support for young refugees, but primarily serving Scotland rather than England.
Others
- ECRE (European Council on Refugees and Exiles): European-level umbrella network for refugee NGOs engaged in policy advocacy and coalition-building. Comparable to Young Roots' policy and campaigns work but at the supranational level rather than direct service delivery.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Young Roots social profiles
Digital presenceYoung Roots financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Young Roots leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Young Roots funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Young Roots M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Young Roots
What does Young Roots do?
Young Roots is a London-based registered charity that supports young refugees and asylum seekers aged 14-25, most of whom arrive in the UK alone without their families. The organisation delivers practical and emotional support through Youthwork activities, intensive Casework, Advice & Support Hubs (providing therapeutic support, legal advice, and English language learning), and a Youth Welfare Project. It also runs Policy & Campaigns work that engages young people to influence laws, policies, and practices affecting their lives.
Is Young Roots a public or private company?
Young Roots is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Young Roots founded?
Young Roots was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Young Roots based?
Young Roots is headquartered in Croydon, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Young Roots make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations and Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are trusts and Foundations, corporate Partnerships and school Fundraising.
Who are Young Roots's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Asylum Aid, Refugee Action and Helen Bamber Foundation. Broad incumbents are British Red Cross, Refugee Council, Migrant Help and International Rescue Committee (UK). Regional players are Scottish Refugee Council and JustRight Scotland. ECRE (European Council on Refugees and Exiles) is listed as an others.
Does Young Roots have an API?
No public API is recorded for Young Roots.
What industry is Young Roots in?
Young Roots's product category is Refugee and Asylum Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJAGAH, Newcomer & Refugee Student Support Programs, with a secondary code of EDAAAFAN, Youth-to-Adult Transition & Life Skills (Independent Living, Soft Skills). Its NAICS code is 624110 and its SIC code is 8300.