We run a weekly youth club for 14-to-21-year-old unaccompanied asylum-seeking and refugee children and young people from the Horn of Africa. At Injera Club, young people are invited to socialise with friends, play games, pool, table tennis, football and to enjoy a home-cooked traditional meal. Adapting to a new life in Britain can be challenging and stressful - Injera Club brings home comforts and culture to young people living alone in the UK.

Taken together, Eritreans and Ethiopians were the largest nationalities of unaccompanied children to seek asylum in Britain, in each year since 2015. They are also especially vulnerable to mental ill health after traumatic journeys to the UK through detention and refugee camps in Sudan, Libya and European countries. Additionally structural issues in the asylum system and social services can leave young people with nowhere to turn. At Injera Club, our attendees know there are friends who care.

Every week we have between 30 and 50 young people attend Injera Club. We have reached 200 total since we began the project in 2018. As well as providing a space for socialising and relaxing, we have supported a number of our young attendees with information and advocacy, making referrals to further support when issues arise that might impact a young person's wellbeing.