Chrisann Jarrett, founder and CEO of the young migrants' charity We Belong, has been honoured by the Queen for 'services to children and young people'.
Chrisann, 27 , founded We Belong, the first nationwide campaign organisation led by and for young migrants, in 2019. We Belong aims to create young leaders, widen opportunity, and advocate for change. In 2021 it worked with the Home Office to secure important changes to the 'limited leave to remain' process, which will benefit thousands of young migrants growing up in the UK.1
Chrisann has been campaigning for the rights of young migrants, including equal access to further education, since she was 18. A former head girl at Clapton Girls School in Hackney, East London, Chrisann discovered that - despite living in the UK since age 8 and considering herself British - her immigration status meant she was not eligible for a student loan. She had to forfeit her place to study law at LSE, as a result.
Chrisann went on to launch the Let us Learn campaign in 2014 (as part of charity Just for Kids Law), which over the next five years, successfully campaigned to ensure more young migrants had the chance to go to university and follow their career and educational ambitions. In 2014, she was offered a scholarship by LSE, and so was belatedly able to take up her degree place. She graduated in 2017, and went on to set up We Belong two years' later.
We Belong chair of trustees Colin Falconer says:
'I am delighted to see this honour recognise We Belong's ground-breaking work for and with young migrants. On behalf of We Belong's growing family of staff and volunteers, I congratulate Chrisann for her personal achievement as an authentic social change leader who is an inspiration to us all.'
Chrisann Jarrett says:
'I honestly had to sit down when I received the letter telling me I had been given an award from the Queen for services to children and young people.
'I am so thrilled and grateful to be recognised in this way - which was completely unexpected. This award highlights the importance of young people like me, from all different backgrounds and who face many obstacles, being able to believe in themselves as leaders and changemakers.
'One of the aims of We Belong, the organisation that I founded, is to inspire young migrants and equip them with the confidence and tools to become leaders, so they can play important roles in their communities and wider society. I hope this award shows how much young leaders can achieve.
'I would like to thank my We Belong colleagues, my amazing family, my friends, and everyone who has believed in me, and supported me over so many years. There are times when leadership can feel lonely, even scary, which is why this award means so much to me.'
For more information about We Belong, see our 2020 impact report; and our 2021 'The deintegration generation' report.
Our website: www.webelong.org.uk
Our Twitter: @WeBelong19
Our Facebook: webelong19
Our Instagram: @webelong19
For photos of Chrisann Jarrett and additional information about her or We Belong, contact We Belong comms consultant, Fiona Bawdon: comms@webelong.org.uk