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Hi there,
Very good and thought provoking article. As a community worker and a British Pakistani with youth work experience I can say with confidence that it’s not that we don’t want to contribute or participate. The issue is more with values, morals, beliefs and behaviors. Mainstream youth work tends to work with quite challenging typically British White disengaged young people who have come from families and communities where individualism, consumerism and secularism are the norm. Kindly note I’m speaking from my limited experience, observation and knowledge and not for every young person, family or youth club.
For parents to encourage their kids to participate in activities with young people with opposite and often clashing values and beliefs is a rightfully difficult one to hope for. Yet simultaneously Muslim young people have much to offer in a morally decaying society. With some determination and positivism, and armed with faith, there is no reason why we can’t participate and benefit society. Yet again the issue which comes to mind is that many young Muslims are also distancing from Islamic values and practices so to bring them all together can be seen as further distancing them from Islam.
You ask: “how do we collectively overcome some of the challenges and barriers, either actual or perceived, and encourage participation by young people in the next decade in the wider arena of mainstream youth work – locally, regionally, nationally and internationally?”
Locally: The only solution I can think of is firstly harnessing the capacity, knowledge and experience of the family. Generally if you’ve conquered the Muslim family then you can get to the individual otherwise you’re in danger of triggering a plethora of other issues (forced marriage and abuse).
The approach is to build a positive relationship with the whole family be it through informal activities; ESOL or family learning etc. Once this is achieved, you are in a position to encourage the young ones of the home to be more socially active. You are in a position to offer advice and support to that young person which balances the need for ethical education from the parents view and social, personal and emotional development of the young person.
It should also be known however that there is nothing wrong with young Muslim people developing their own youth groups. It’s not a competition or issue for them to do this and in fact it may be the more sustainable and appropriate approach. This would also allow Islam to be a topic openly discussed and understood and acted upon to then act for positive social change which not only benefits the youngsters but also counteracts negative connotations associated with Muslims and Islam.
Regards
Amber