New Young Muslim Advisory Group to work with Government » Central government » 24dash.com

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears and Children and Families Secretary Ed Balls will today launch a new Young Muslim Advisory Group and unveil the names of the twenty two young people who will act as advisors.

The group, who will have their first official meeting in the coming weeks, will work directly with Government to help deepen its engagement with young Muslims.

The advisors will talk to ministers and policy makers first hand about the issues affecting their day to day lives.

Ranging in age from 16-25 this unique group is comprised of individuals from across England and across denominations and includes students, undergraduates as well as a trainee lawyer, youth leaders, a speech and language therapist.

The Young Muslim Advisory Group (YMAG) will have direct access to senior cabinet ministers and will work with Government departments to find solutions to a range of challenges including tackling discrimination; increasing employment levels; preventing extremism and boosting civic participation.

The young advisors will bring a wide range of experience. All are already heavily involved in their local communities through volunteering, youth work or as representatives on local groups.

The advisors have a huge reach into communities and this contact will help to generate debate and discussion amongst the widest possible audience.

Hazel Blears said: "There are over 800,000 Muslims under the age of 25 living in the UK but we don't hear enough from them. Ensuring young Muslims have access to constructive, democratic channels for dealing with concerns and frustrations is crucial to our efforts to build strong, resilient communities.

"The contribution young people can make to finding solutions to issues in society often goes unrecognised and untapped. Young Muslims have a vital role to play in challenging prejudice and preconceptions both within their community and in wider society and I want to hear directly from these young people on a wide range of issues.

"The group will help to highlight what it means to a young British Muslim today, what the challenges and issues - social, cultural or economic - are and how we can best work together to address them, making sure that their voices and those of their peers are heard by the Government.

“These impressive individuals represent the next generation of Muslim community leaders and I look forward to working with them."

Ed Balls said: "The Young Muslims Advisory Group is part of our long term vision to empower young people to shape the society they live in by being active citizens and making a positive contribution.

"We must all work together to create more cohesive, safer communities, increase civic engagement and help young people develop a sense of belonging and appreciation of those from other backgrounds. There are many good local projects already getting young people to explore sensitive issues in creative ways.

“But young people are most influenced by their peers and this is why we have established this group, to build a platform for young people to articulate their views to Government.

"I congratulate all 22 members who have already shown fantastic commitment through the time and effort they have invested. These individuals will act as role models by coaching and inspiring their peers to achieve their potential.

“I look forward to working with all of them, hearing their ideas to bring about positive change and find solutions to the challenges facing young people today."

Muslim communities in the UK have an unusual age profile compared to the rest of the UK population. One third of the Muslim UK population of 1.6 million is under the age of 16 (compared to England average of 20%); 54% are under the age of 25 years and 70% under the age of 35 years.

Experience has also shown that young Muslims - particularly between the ages of 16-24 - are the most vulnerable to being drawn into violent extremism.

The Government is raising its work with young Muslims to a new level in order to increase opportunities for young people to play a greater role in civic society, give them a stronger voice in their communities and engage in discussions that will help the government to find solutions to some of the most pressing issues.

The Advisory Group will give these young people a seat at the table of the Department for Communities and Local Government, and Children Schools and Families. They will speak on behalf of their peers and communities on issues that cut to the heart of what it is to be a British Muslim in today's modern society.

The first meeting of the young advisors will be chaired by Communities Secretary Hazel Blears and Children, Schools and Families Secretary Ed Balls.

Two of the advisors appointed today are Sabiha Iqbal from Heaton in Bradford who is currently studying at Leeds University and is a member of Bradford Youth Services arts group and Aziza Al Yassin, 18 from Brent, a 2nd year student studying medicine at Kings College London, she is the chairwoman of Noor Youth, a subcommittee of the Ahlul Bayt Society at Kings.

Sabiha said of her appointment: "As a young, proud British Muslim I feel young Muslims are greatly misrepresented as we rarely get a chance to speak for or represent ourselves; causing problems and insecurities both for our young people and the general public.

“I want to use my position in the YMAG to create achievement through understanding, acceptance through empathy and a balanced but diverse community which can evolve together for a stronger, more positive British society."

Aziza said: "I was greatly interested in joining the YMAG as it represented a unique opportunity to me to channel my energy and enthusiasm in community work in a way that could effectively bring about change, both on a grassroots, as well as a more national scale.

"The idea of engaging in discussion with members of the cabinet, who were keen to listen to our ideas and opinions regarding the British Muslim community, seemed like one that could take us far.

"I hope to highlight the forgotten achievements of the Muslim community in Britain, as well as the areas where improvement is needed, not only with regards to tackling violence and extremism, but also in helping develop our mosques, education and interaction with the wider community.

“Being a part of the link which is helping to address the lack of communication between Muslims and the government, I can appreciate my role in identifying the issues which affect the British Muslim community most, and how these can best be dealt with."

Activities of the group will include:

* Delivering a youth conference for around 300 young people to discuss the challenges they face as young Muslims and their vision for their future as British Muslims

* To work with a range of departments across government to develop a wider programme of work with young people to encourage active citizenship through increased volunteering.

* Work with the DCSF on a shadow youth PSA board. This board will focus on addressing issues such as reducing the number of 16-18 year olds not in education and employment; reducing teenage pregnancy and tackling use of drugs and alcohol by young people.

The Government keen to get the views of the group on a wide range of issues that affect them including:

* The development and delivery of faith projects, including addressing issues of theology;

* Work to tackle radicalising material on the internet;

* An examination of how best to boost the representation and participation of young Muslims is civic life such as becoming local councillors or school governors.