From Peer Pressure To Positive Influence: A Youth Success Story.
By: Hasan Bassam
RA is a young refugee (17 years of age) who has been living in the United States since 2021. Like many youth in his community, he often spent time at a local park where young people gather to play soccer and socialize. When our youth program first began outreach at the park, many of the young people were hesitant to engage with us. Some stood on the sidelines vaping or smoking, unsure if they wanted to participate.
During one of our early visits, I noticed RA standing with a group of friends who were smoking. While his friends were not interested in joining, RA seemed curious about the soccer game we had started with other youth. I invited him to come play with us. Although hesitant at first, he eventually stepped onto the field.
Over the following weeks, our team continued hosting soccer sessions while integrating conversations about mental health, substance abuse prevention, and healthy coping strategies. Soccer quickly became more than just a game—it became a safe space where youth could build trust, community, and confidence.
One day after a session, RA approached me and shared something important. He said he wanted to quit smoking. He explained that he had mainly started because of peer pressure from friends who regularly smoked around him. At that moment, RA made a courageous decision to take a different path.
I connected him with resources available through our organization, License to Freedom, including counseling support. RA specifically asked to speak with someone outside of his own cultural background because he felt more comfortable discussing personal struggles in that setting. We were able to respect his request and provide appropriate support options.
As the program continued, we formed a youth soccer team made up largely of refugee youth from the park. The team joined a local league and achieved an incredible milestone—reaching the finals and finishing in second place two seasons in a row. For many of the players, including RA, this experience created a strong sense of belonging, discipline, and motivation.
After one of our games, RA shared another encouraging update. He told me he had seriously committed to quitting smoking and was working hard to stay consistent. Even more inspiring, he said he had started encouraging some of his friends to reconsider their own smoking habits. Instead of being influenced by negative peer pressure, RA was beginning to influence others in a positive way.
Today, RA is one of the most consistent and engaged participants in the program. When our soccer season ended and we launched a youth-led art project—painting a community bench that represents mindfulness and our message to “Sit Down and Take a Breath”—RA immediately wanted to be involved. He attends the workshops regularly and has expressed excitement about leaving his own message on the bench so that others who see it may feel inspired by his journey.
Through our conversations, RA has also opened up about the challenges he has faced as a refugee adapting to life in the United States. He shared experiences of stress at home, struggles at school, and moments where he felt discrimination or isolation. Without a strong support system early on, he turned to substances as a way to cope with those feelings.
Now, with a supportive community around him, RA is developing healthier ways to deal with stress and build confidence in his future. He has also spoken about wanting to be a positive role model for his younger brother, NA, ensuring that he has the guidance and support that RA himself did not always have when he first arrived.
RA has even expressed interest in becoming more involved in helping the program and supporting other youth in the future. His growth—from a hesitant observer on the sidelines to an engaged participant and emerging leader—reflects the power of community, mentorship, and opportunity.
For our team, RA’s journey is a powerful reminder of why this work matters. When youth are given a safe space, supportive mentors, and meaningful activities, they can make choices that positively shape their futures and influence those around them.
