Mariam Karim
A recent report authored by The Muslim Youth Futures and Goldsmith, University of London, has revealed that whilst young British Muslims are motivated, faith-driven and keen to contribute to society, they face with local and national barriers which limit their opportunities to do so. The results of the report, “Muslim Youth Futures, Our Voice, Our Vision, Shaping Our Society”, are based on a study conducted with 158 Muslims aged between 16 and 28 geographically spread across Birmingham, Blackburn, Leeds, London and Luton who took part in a range of workshops, interviews and focus groups which covered themes such as faith, identity and civic belonging.
One of the cornerstone outcomes was that these individuals are not lacking ambition or commitment, they are lacking access to spaces where their voices can be represented and not overlooked.
In the past, Muslim faith and identity have often been the subject of headlines calling for individuals to make a greater effort to integrate and participate within society, however this report shows that Islamic values are a key motivation for young Muslims to engage positively with their community and pursue ethical leadership and social responsibility.
Participants highlighted that their faith provides them with a sense of purpose and a desire to make a meaningful impact on those around them. Yet, despite this strong commitment, young Muslims reported that they often feel marginalised due to structural barriers such as institutionalised Islamophobia as well as negative media narratives which create obstacles to their ambitions. One participant described feeling encouraged to be “part of Britain” but rarely being given the chance to shape it.
On a more local level, the report highlights the pivotal role played by mosques and Islamic structures in encouraging the youth to be proud of their identity and instilling community-driven values within them. Unfortunately, the effects do not benefit all Muslims equally as some respondents revealed that many mosques struggle to accommodate young people and women in meaningful ways. This has been supported by grassroots campaigns such as “Open My Mosque” which was established by young female activist Anita Nayyar to make mosques across the UK more accessible for women.
This is because young Muslims need inclusive and welcoming spaces to nurture their confidence and leadership in order to increase their chances of making societal change. Furthermore, whilst grassroots youth initiatives are praised for their impact in the report, they often face issues such as a lack of coordination and long-term investment, which limits their sustainability. As a result, there is a desire for increased mentorship.
To address these issues, the study recommends solutions such as establishing a national investment fund for Muslim Youth, creating an infrastructure organisation to coordinate support, and expanding faith-literate youth work which can integrate identity, spirituality and civic engagement. Furthermore, a focus was placed on increasing and strengthening partnerships between mosques and schools to tackle Islamophobia in educational settings.
These recommendations were well received by community leaders who encourage the creation of support programmes to provide young Muslims with the skills they require to thrive. One example is the Avicenna Foundation which works to increase access to higher education for Muslims by providing tuition fee grants as well as Leadership Development sessions and networking opportunities.
With almost half of the UK’s Muslim population being under the age of 25, the importance of understanding and supporting their aspirations cannot be overstated. The report emphasises that the Muslim youth want to play a positive role in shaping the future of Britain, but this will only be possible if they are given the resources and platforms to do so.
Mariam Karim is undergraduate student studying International Social and Public Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science
