‘They will fight for you’: how Scotland’s guardians change young refugees’ lives

Scotland's unique scheme offers young arrivals ongoing support from navigating bureaucracy to grasping local slang

Joseph was just 16 years old when he arrived completely alone in Scotland - a country he had never heard of - seeking safety, after travelling across the world for six months from Vietnam to the UK, living in forests and being smuggled across the Channel.

On his journey, Joseph had learned not to trust people, so when he first met his guardian - an on your side" adult allocated to every unaccompanied young arrival - he had doubts. She was saying nice things but I wasn't sure she was going to help me," he says.