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Young Champions for Refugees

A group of four young women wearing UNHCR t-shirts smile for the camera

Young Champions for Refugees

Making youth part of the solution
© UNHCR

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is calling on young people to join its global network of Young Champions and help advocate, create content, volunteer and fundraise to support people forced to flee worldwide.

Become a UNHCR Young Champion

Who are Young Champions?

UNHCR Young Champions are a dynamic community of young supporters and refugees motivated to create a more welcoming world for people who have fled war and persecution. They are students or young professionals between the ages of 15 and 25. They are motivated and passionate about using their skills to help refugees in their communities and around the world.

How do Young Champions help refugees?

Young Champions receive updates with actions to take. They meet with refugees and experts and attend training and brainstorming sessions to inform UNHCR’s communications work.

With UNHCR's guidance, each Young Champion is expected to take five actions each year and stamp them in a digital Action Card in order to obtain an official UNHCR certificate. The actions fall into three categories:

Learn and advocate

  • Advocate for refugees and asylum seekers within your school or university (e.g. scholarships, curriculums)
  • Call for more welcoming policies and solutions
  • Join UNHCR's annual Model UN Refugee Challenge.

Create and inspire

  • Give talks and organize events about forced displacement
  • Amplify online campaigns to support displaced and stateless people
  • Create your own content, art and written pieces.

Volunteer and connect

  • Volunteer to help refugees and asylum seekers feel included in your community
  • Find innovative ideas to tackle local challenges they face
  • Organize fundraising events.

How do I become a Young Champion?

At the moment, you can join our network as an individual change-maker. In the near future, we will also encourage the creation of Young Champions Clubs in your school or university.

Register as a Young Champion

What kind of Young Champion are you?

Take this personality quiz to find out what kind of Young Champion you are, and the role you can play in supporting refugees.

A cartoon of four young people, one with a microphone, one with a UNHCR vest, one holding a a tablet and one with a pen and paper.
© UNHCR

UNHCR Young Champions

Are you an Advocate, determined to use your voice to bring attention to the world’s most pressing challenges, or a Volunteer, who thrives on helping those around you? Maybe you are a creative and energic Creator or a problem-solving Innovator?

Take the quiz to find out

What is expected of a Young Champion?

By joining our network, Young Champions agree to follow a set of rules in relation to their communication, actions and use of the Young Champions lock-up and name. You can always contact [email protected] if you have any questions. Make sure to read and abide by our Code of Conduct.

What resources does UNHCR provide?

  • Action toolkits: Follow some easy steps to advocate, volunteer and fundraise for refugees.
  • Newsletters: You will receive emails with news, stories and ideas of actions to take.
  • Monthly sessions: Join our chats to welcome new members, answer questions and discuss priorities.
  • Action cards: Update your 'Action card' to record the actions you are taking to support people forced to flee.
  • Young Champions logo: Contact [email protected] to use the logo in your events and communications.
  • UNHCR offices: We connect you to local UNHCR offices to invite speakers, support campaigns, share ideas, etc.
  • Featured content: Your accomplishments may be featured on UNHCR’s websites and social media channels.
  • Certificate and badges: We recognize outstanding contributions through badges and certificates.
  • Training and brainstorming sessions: You will be invited to attend training on various aspects of our work with displaced and stateless people as well as brainstorming sessions to share your ideas.
  • UNHCR support: Contact us anytime at: [email protected]

Toolkits to help you get started

Young Champion Toolkits

How to welcome refugees into your school
Stand up, speak out, and extend a hand to your refugee schoolmates
How to volunteer to support refugees
Roll up your sleeves and volunteer to help refugees and asylum seekers
View more

Other ways to get involved

A group of young people in a conference room smile for the camera
Model UN Refugee Challenge

Do you want to shape solutions to help people forced to flee their homes? Each year, we challenge Model United Nations delegates worldwide to debate major issues related to forced displacement. The best ideas emerging from your resolutions are shared with policymakers and promoted by UNHCR.

Join the Model UN Refugee Challenge

Model UN Refugee Challenge
An animated image of people in a refugee camp catching hearts falling from the sky
Youth with Refugees Art Contest

Do you want to use your talents to help UNHCR share a message of solidarity with people forced to flee? An image is worth a thousand words. Our annual art contest is your chance to use your creativity for a good cause.

Join the art contest

Youth with Refugees Art Contest