A safe place to land
Arriving in a new country is a lot. It's even more when you're 14, or 19, and everything is new at once: the language, the school or college, the bus routes, the unwritten rules. Often there's nobody your own age who understands what you've been through.
We know Blackburn well. It's a town that has welcomed newcomers for generations, and our young people have shown how much they care about people far from home, from the Turkey earthquake appeal to the Morocco appeal they led themselves.
FAM gives young refugees and asylum seekers aged 11 to 25 the same things we give every young person: somewhere to go, something positive to do and someone in their corner. On top of that, we help with the parts that are harder when you're new to the UK.
What we can help with
- English (ESOL) support for young people, in a relaxed setting where mistakes are fine
- Free sport and activities where you can make friends quickly
- A mentor who helps you settle and find your way
- Making sense of school, college and training in the UK
- Getting ready for volunteering or work, when you're able to
- Digital confidence: online forms, email, translation and AI tools, and staying safe online
- Girls-only sessions for young women who'd feel more comfortable
- Support planned around young people with SEND
- Pointing you to qualified advisers for immigration questions
What we do not do
We don't give immigration or legal advice. Only qualified, regulated advisers can do that, and getting it wrong can cause real harm. If you need that kind of help, we'll help you find someone who can give it.
If a parent or carer needs support of their own, we'll point them to organisations that work with adults, while their young person stays with us.
Other ways in
Most young people use more than one. For the full picture, head back to What we do in the menu at the top.
New to the UK and aged 11 to 25?
Get in touch, or ask someone you trust to refer you. Your English doesn't need to be perfect. We'll find a way to understand each other.