This Small Charity Week and following Refugee Week, we’re shining a spotlight on Nafsiyat, a pioneering Islington-based charity that provides trauma-informed, intercultural therapy to people from diverse cultural communities in more than 20 languages. Thanks to funding from our Young Grant Makers programme (2025–2026), Nafsiyat is expanding its support to young people aged 13 and over. The project will provide culturally responsive counselling and mental health support for young refugees and migrants, helping them navigate the challenges of settling into a new environment while supporting their emotional wellbeing. We caught up with Mayia Radwan, Community Links & Social Justice Team Manager to explore more.
This Refugee Week’s theme is Courage. From your experience working with young people from refugee and migrant backgrounds, what are some of the everyday acts of courage you witness?
At Nafsiyat, we believe that courage often begins long before a young person arrives in the UK. Many of the young refugees and migrants we support have already demonstrated extraordinary courage through the journeys they have undertaken to reach safety, often leaving behind family members, homes, communities, and everything familiar to them. For some, these journeys have involved significant uncertainty, loss, and hardship.
Once here, that courage continues to show itself in everyday ways. We see it in young people learning a new language, navigating unfamiliar systems, making new friends, adapting to a different culture, and continuing their education despite the emotional weight they may be carrying. We also recognise the courage required to live in a climate where negative narratives about migrants and refugees, including hostility from far-right groups and anti-immigration rhetoric, can leave young people feeling unwelcome or fearful. Despite these challenges, many continue to engage with their communities, pursue their ambitions, and contribute positively to society.
“Once here, that courage continues to show itself in everyday ways. That courage continues to show itself in everyday ways. We see it in young people learning a new language, navigating unfamiliar systems, making new friends, adapting to a different culture, and continuing their education despite the emotional weight they may be carrying.”
Many people think of courage as something dramatic or extraordinary. How does courage show up in the healing journeys of the young people you support?
One of the greatest acts of courage we witness is when a young person decides to seek support, to be vulnerable and share their stories with the intention to heal. Many young refugees and migrants come from backgrounds where mental health may be stigmatised, or where survival has taken priority over emotional wellbeing. Choosing to attend therapy, speak openly about difficult experiences, and trust another person with their story requires immense bravery.
At Nafsiyat, we see courage when young people begin to explore experiences of displacement, loss, racism, family separation, identity struggles, or uncertainty about the future. We see it when they allow themselves to be vulnerable, acknowledge painful emotions, and start to imagine a future that is not defined solely by hardship. Healing is not about forgetting what has happened; it is about finding ways to carry those experiences while continuing to grow, and that process requires courage at every step, especially given the difficulties most refugees and migrants have experienced.
“One of the greatest acts of courage we witness is when a young person decides to seek support, to be vulnerable and share their stories with the intention to heal. Many young refugees and migrants come from backgrounds where mental health may be stigmatised, or where survival has taken priority over emotional wellbeing. Choosing to attend therapy, speak openly about difficult experiences, and trust another person with their story requires immense bravery.”
What role does community play in helping young people feel seen, understood and empowered?
Community is central to wellbeing, particularly for young refugees and migrants who may have experienced displacement, family separation, disrupted social networks, or feelings of isolation after arriving in the UK. Finding spaces where they feel understood and accepted can have a profound impact on their confidence and mental health.
At Nafsiyat, our intercultural approach recognises that culture, language, migration experiences, faith, family dynamics, and identity all shape how people experience and express emotional distress. We create spaces where young people do not have to leave parts of themselves at the door in order to belong. Instead, their cultural backgrounds and lived experiences are recognised as important aspects of who they are.
Alongside individual therapy, we facilitate a range of intercultural group programmes that bring people together through shared experiences. These include groups such as our Intercultural Women’s Group and our Turkish-speaking community groups, which provide opportunities for connection and collective healing. While these groups are not exclusively for young people, they demonstrate the importance of culturally familiar spaces where people can speak openly and feel understood by others who may have faced similar challenges.
For young refugees and migrants, being part of a supportive community can reduce feelings of isolation, strengthen their sense of identity, and help them feel more confident in navigating life in the UK. Community provides a sense of belonging, while also empowering young people to build new relationships and participate in society. Through these connections, young people are reminded that they are not alone and that their stories, cultures, and experiences matter.
“At Nafsiyat, our intercultural approach recognises that culture, language, migration experiences, faith, family dynamics, and identity all shape how people experience and express emotional distress. We create spaces where young people do not have to leave parts of themselves at the door in order to belong. Instead, their cultural backgrounds and lived experiences are recognised as important aspects of who they are.”
Young refugees and migrants often navigate multiple transitions at once, from education and housing to language and culture. How do you help them build confidence during these periods of change?
We recognise that many young refugees and migrants are navigating several significant life changes simultaneously, while also trying to establish friendships and a sense of belonging in a new country.
At Nafsiyat, we support young people through both our therapeutic services and our Community Links & Social Justice Team. We understand that emotional wellbeing cannot be separated from the practical challenges people face in their daily lives. Alongside therapy and group work, our Social Justice Team provides advocacy and practical support around issues such as housing, welfare, education, employment, and access to services, helping to reduce some of the barriers that can prevent young people from thriving.
We work closely with local organisations, schools, and community partners to help young people access wider networks of support and opportunities. We believe that integration is not about leaving one’s culture behind, but about feeling able to participate fully in society while maintaining a strong connection to one’s identity, heritage, and community. When young people feel supported both emotionally and practically, they are better able to navigate change with confidence and hope for the future.
“For many young refugees and migrants, experiences of migration, identity, race, culture, and belonging are central to how they understand themselves and their place in the world. Yet these experiences are not always acknowledged or explored within mainstream spaces. Creating opportunities to have these conversations is therefore an important part of supporting young people’s mental health and wellbeing.”
Your group sessions explore themes such as migration stories, racism and intersectionality. Why are these conversations important for young people’s wellbeing and sense of identity and belonging?
For many young refugees and migrants, experiences of migration, identity, race, culture, and belonging are central to how they understand themselves and their place in the world. Yet these experiences are not always acknowledged or explored within mainstream spaces. Creating opportunities to have these conversations is therefore an important part of supporting young people’s mental health and wellbeing.
Our intercultural approach recognises that emotional wellbeing cannot be separated from the social, cultural, and political realities that shape people’s lives. Young refugees and migrants may experience racism, discrimination, exclusion, or feel pressure to fit into environments where they do not always feel fully understood or accepted. Without spaces to explore these experiences, feelings of isolation, confusion, or self-doubt can develop.
Through our group work, we encourage young people to reflect on their migration journeys, cultural identities, and lived experiences in a safe and supportive environment. These conversations help young people understand that many of the challenges they face are not individual failings, but are often shaped by wider social and structural factors. They also provide opportunities to celebrate cultural heritage, share experiences with peers, and learn from one another.
“What gives us hope is the remarkable resilience and potential that we see in young refugees and migrants every day. Many of the young people we support have overcome challenges that most people could scarcely imagine. Despite this, they continue to show an incredible capacity to learn, adapt, connect with others, and aspire towards brighter futures.”
Looking ahead, what gives you hope for the next generation of young people seeking sanctuary in Islington and beyond?
What gives us hope is the remarkable resilience and potential that we see in young refugees and migrants every day. Many of the young people we support have overcome challenges that most people could scarcely imagine. Despite this, they continue to show an incredible capacity to learn, adapt, connect with others, and aspire towards brighter futures.
We are also encouraged by the growing number of young people who are confidently embracing both their cultural heritage and their place within British society. Rather than viewing these identities as competing, many young people are finding ways to draw strength from both. They bring unique perspectives, languages, experiences, and talents that enrich the communities they become part of.
At Nafsiyat, we see young people who want to contribute, participate, and belong. We are equally inspired by the growing recognition of the importance of culturally responsive mental health support and the increasing willingness of schools, community organisations, and local services to create spaces where young refugees and migrants can feel welcome and valued.
Ultimately, what gives us hope is not only the resilience of young people seeking sanctuary, but their ability to transform adversity into strength, connection, and possibility. When they are given the opportunity to feel safe, supported, and heard, they thrive!
