A report published by UK Young Ambassadors (UKYA) includes results of consultations held with almost 1,000 11- to 25-year-olds over three months, with 11 per cent from migrant backgrounds.
More than half of the young people who had witnessed or experienced discrimination said it took the form of verbal abuse, while more than a quarter described it as “social or legal discrimination”.
Other findings in the report suggest young people feel politicians fuel negative portrayals of migrants through “anti-immigration” talk and using terms that isolate migrant communities, such as “British jobs for British people”.
Tamanna Miah, a young ambassador involved in the research, said it was “shocking to see so much appalling prejudice against people who are part of our diverse society”.
She added: “Being a second-generation migrant myself I can really relate to the daily challenges that young migrants face despite having lived in the UK for the majority of my life.”
The report includes recommendations to improve young migrant people’s participation, such as the government providing better funding for language classes.
British Youth Council vice-chair for participation and development, Carly Walker–Dawson, said: “Everyone has a duty to reach out and welcome young people from migrant backgrounds, especially through organised groups or representative networks.”
UKYA collected the data in the report through online surveys, consultation workshops, interviews and a roundtable meeting.
The report was published to mark yesterday’s International Youth Day, which took the theme of young migrants.
