Our team in Croydon
Jane - Head of Services
Jane (she/her) leads the Croydon staff on service delivery. She has oversight on all aspects of our work in Croydon including Youth Development, Youth Welfare and Casework.
Prior to joining Young Roots in August 2023, Jane coordinated projects for the British Red Cross’ Refugee Support service in Greater Manchester. She also has experience as a Field Coordinator for a grassroots organisation supporting displaced people on the Greek island of Samos and at The Prince’s Trust. She holds an LLB and an LLM in Human Rights Law. These experiences combine to form a solid background in project management, partnerships and policy.
Jane chose to come onboard at Young Roots due to the organisation’s commitment to empowering young people to reach their potential. Young Roots provides a space where young people can flourish and be active participants in decision-making processes.
“It’s a real pleasure for me to be part of the team at Young Roots, an organisation that works thoughtfully alongside young people seeking asylum in the UK. We work collectively to ensure that young people have spaces where they feel safe, respected and free to enjoy themselves and have fun. It’s a joy to see how staff and young people interact with each other at our projects – there is real familiarity there that speaks to Young Roots staff’s investment in meaningful relationship building with young people.”
Shonam - Casework Manager
Shonam (she/her) joined Young Roots in June 2020 as a Senior Caseworker. Since then, she has been supporting young people through complex legal systems and advocating on their behalf to enable them to access their full statutory rights and entitlements.
Prior to working at Young Roots, Shonam worked in a cross-sector collaboration aiming to provide access to free immigration advice for non-UK nationals who are street homeless. She holds an LLM in Human Rights, with a particular focus on the construction and application of international refugee and immigration law.
Shonam has also worked in race equality and has previously coordinated a government funded project within the area of diversity and inclusion in Higher Education, focusing on attainment disparities.
“Young Roots is a great organisation that places young people at the centre of all we do. To work with and witness the positive changes our young people undergo is a real privilege, despite the hostile environment we find ourselves in. I look forward to the expansion of Young Roots, and in particular, the space to influence policy and wider systemic changes.”
Adrienne - Senior Caseworker
Adrienne (she/her) joined Young Roots as a Senior Youth Caseworker in 2021. She works 1-1 with young refugees who are facing particular difficulties, providing advocacy, guidance and emotional support.
Adrienne is also a qualified Social Worker and previously spent 7 years working with separated children in care at a local authority in South London. Before that she had worked at the Refugee Council supporting newly arrived adult refugees, and has volunteered with other refugee charities in the UK.
Adrienne came to work at Young Roots because she believes young people should be welcomed, supported and be given the best possible start as they build their lives in the UK.
“It’s been such a privilege to share in the lives of young people and to be beside them as they reach their potential and become part of the community. At Young Roots I look forward to accompanying all our young people on their journeys, and watching them build successful futures.”
Sara - Youth Development Coordinator
Sara (she/her) joined Young Roots in October 2020 as our Youth Development Worker in Croydon.
Sara was working with children and young people with learning disabilities and autism within early years and employability programmes. Prior to Young Roots, Sara also worked as a Caseworker volunteer at CARAS (Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers) where she became highly interested in supporting refugees and asylum seekers in dealing with the issues they face. She holds an MA in Social Intervention, Innovation and Entrepreneurship and has been involved in different community and international development projects in Portugal since 2010.
“What I most admire at Young Roots is the way diversity and youth participation are valued. In my day-to-day work, it really inspires me to see how a simple activity or game can help young people feel more positive and gain new perspectives despite all the difficulties and trauma they have experienced in their journey. Through our work, I hope society can understand how young refugees and migrants feel and hear what they have to say.”
Tesfaldet - Youth Welfare Caseworker
Tesfaldet Okubayes joined Young Roots in January 2022 as Senior Caseworker, responsible for providing casework including one-to-one practical and emotional support to young Afghan refugees and asylum seekers. Prior to working for Young Roots, Tesfaldet worked for a local authority as a Personal Adviser. He also worked as a Youth Coordinator for a project supporting refugees and asylum seekers in Kent.
He holds a MA in Public Management, and is in his final year of a MA in Social work. He is also DPSI Qualified Interpreter and has worked as an interpreter for several local authorities, Immigration solicitors, health care providers and others.
He joined Young Roots to make a difference to the livelihood of young refugees. His knowledge and experiences from previous roles, and personal experience of the immigration system have given him the confidence and passion to join.
“It has been a privilege for me to be part of young roots, an organisation that thrives to ensure young asylum seekers and refugee voices are appropriately heard, valued, and respected. I look forward to upholding Young Roots’ exceptional values of being innovative, responsive, and participatory towards the needs of young people, enable them to access their rights and entitlements and become active members of their community.”
Bea - Youth Welfare Officer
Bea (she/her) started as the Youth Welfare Officer in Croydon in 2022, having previously worked as a Youth Development Worker in Young Roots’ Brent team. As a Youth Welfare Officer, Bea supports young people living in contingency accommodation in Croydon to access services, including healthcare and education, as well as other social and wellbeing activities.
Before joining Young Roots, Bea worked and volunteered in various youth work roles, including as a session leader for a youth mentoring charity and on a helpline for young people.
Bea is committed to youth participation at Young Roots and is excited to continue working alongside young people, supporting them to recognise their own strengths and achieve their potential.
“My favourite thing about working at Young Roots is getting to know such brilliant and inspiring young people. It is a privilege to learn about their passions, skills and goals and to watch their confidence grow.
The holistic approach at Young Roots is so important: through both casework and youthwork, young people are able to access vital advice and support as well as the opportunity to have fun, explore their interests and be themselves”
Jacqueline - Senior Caseworker
Jacqueline (she/her) joined Young Roots as a Senior Caseworker in January 2024. She works with asylum seekers and refugees, advocating on their behalf and supporting them through complex issues while helping them understand their rights and entitlements.
Prior to her role at Young Roots, Jacqueline served as a Specialist Caseworker for three years at The Salvation Army in the Anti-trafficking and Modern Slavery Unit, providing specialized assistance to individuals referred to the National Referral Mechanism Agency. She brings a wealth of experience from her work with various charities, including Hestia, Coram Voice, and Barnardo’s.
“I chose to join Young Roots because I am passionate about working in an organisation where young people have the opportunity to realise their full potential, access professional support, and actively participate in youth-focused activities.”
Sami - Youth Development Worker
Sami (he/him) joined the Croydon Youth Development team in August 2023.
Sami chose to work in this sector due to his personal heritage and values, and the lack of understanding he saw surrounding asylum work during his social work studies. During his degree, Sami focused his dissertation around unaccompanied asylum seeking children. He worked as a Junior Social Worker for two years in a UASC team in the South East, and later went on to work as a Therapeutic Support Worker in a residential setting. Both positions gave Sami the opportunity to learn a huge amount and to see the value in work in the third sector. He is keen to grow and develop during his time as a Youth Development Worker.
Young Roots is a wonderful organisation, and it is a delight to be part of the team. At the very heart of the organisation there is unconditional positive regard for those we work with, a proactive movement to ensure that safe and inclusive spaces are maintained in London for those with a refugee/asylum-seeking background and the ability of the organisation and its staff to stand resilient in the face of the new ‘Illegal’ Migration Act/hostile environment. This is something I value greatly. We are an expanding team with matching values and hopes to support, hold and value young people throughout their achievements and obstacles.”