Ali’s Story – Housing

“If I ever have a problem or a question, YMCA is always there to help me.”

At 16, Ali fled Yemen and made the dangerous journey to the UK with his uncle to escape the ongoing civil war. He came to the UK in search of safety and stability, far from the conflict.

“When I was in Yemen, I didn’t have any rights,” says Ali. “There’s war and the last few months were very hard. The situation isn’t calm.”

In September 2024, Ali was placed at YMCA Hillbrook House in Redhill by Surrey County Council. It offers affordable accommodation and support services for 16-30-year-olds who are homeless or without permanent accommodation. With 44 self-contained bedsit rooms, young people are supported to access education, training or work, and receive a personal support plan to help them towards independence.

Being under the age of 18, Ali, now 17, is an unaccompanied asylum-seeking child. He has been granted humanitarian protection for five years by the Home Office.

“I have friends who left Yemen who told me that they didn’t feel safe or relaxed where they went,” explains Ali. “When I came to Hillbrook House, I found the staff kind and helpful. There are games in the activity room for residents, so I could play pool or do puzzles with others, which helped me improve my communication and make new friends.”

Ali enrolled at East Surrey College and, following an assessment, was placed on level three of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) – an advanced level. The course incorporates both maths and English for students whose first language isn’t English.

“I started college a week after I moved into Hillbrook House,” says Ali. “I’ve now moved up to level one of ESOL and I’m excited to be starting GCSEs in September. It’s a huge college with lots of activities going on and the teachers have been very helpful. My favourite subject is maths.”

With free membership to YMCA East Surrey’s gym, Ali enjoys working on his fitness. “They say a healthy body leads to a healthy mind,” he says. “I’ve made new friends and I enjoy playing basketball with them.” On Fridays, Ali plays his favourite sport, football, through YMCA’s partnership with the Big Leaf Foundation, which combats social isolation for displaced young people in Surrey.

In the future, Ali hopes to work in IT. With support from YMCA, he has already met a careers adviser to put a pathway in place to help him achieve his goals.

“My English has developed and I want to improve further,” says Ali. “I want to continue my education and go to university. I’m interested in IT, particularly cybersecurity. In my spare time, I’ve been learning Python, a computer programming language, and doing some coding.”

Erastus Kpan, Housing Support Officer, said: “Each resident at Hillbrook House is assigned a support worker to help them navigate education, health appointments, legal support and day-to-day living. When Ali first came to us, he was understandably shy after what he’d been through. At first, he’d only speak to me, but over time he’s grown in confidence and now approaches any staff member if he has a question or needs help with something.

“Ali has impressed me with his dedication to his studies and his ambition. He’s very humble. He works incredibly hard at college and is passing all his exams with flying colours. He’s set his mind on a career in IT and he’s committed to making it happen. The sky’s the limit for him.”

“If I ever have a problem or a question, YMCA is always there to help me,” says Ali. “I can’t describe their kindness. It’s really fabulous. Of course it’s not like being at home with my family, but it’s the second-best place I could be. I have my rights and I’m very thankful.”