Muslim Youth Futures

With nearly half of Britain's 3.9 million Muslims under 25, understanding their hopes, identities, and sense of belonging is fundamental to building a cohesive, inclusive society. 

This research demonstrates that Muslim young people are not a "challenge" to be managed but a generation of potential to be recognised, trusted, celebrated, and empowered. Their strong sense of Muslim identity, commitment to social justice, and desire to contribute positively to British society represent significant assets.  

However, without urgent investment in infrastructure, professional capacity, and dedicated resources, the UK risks losing this potential while perpetuating cycles of marginalization and disengagement.  

Project team 

• Jehangir Malik OBE – Project Director Muslim Youth Futures, British Muslim Civil Society Report 2023 and Director of Muslim Civil Society Initiative
• Ayub Seedat - Chief Executive Officer, Here For Youth 
• Professor Chris Baker - William Temple Professor of Religion and Public Life and Director of the Faiths and Civil Society Unit at Goldsmiths University of London

Goldsmith Faith & Civil Society Unit | Co-researchers and authors of the Report 

• Andy Turner is a community and youth worker with a background in UK local and national faith-related projects. He lectures in Community Studies and is a co-director of the Faiths and Civil Society Unit. 
• Aisha Khan is a youth and community worker. She is Sanctuary Programme Manager at University of the Arts London creating safe supportive spaces for displaced students and staff. 

Key Findings 

• 58% of participants self-identify primarily as "Muslim," demonstrating that faith remains central to identity.
• Muslim young people navigate complex tensions between inherited cultural values and wider societal norms. They face a paradox of being simultaneously invisible in policy discussions yet hyper-visible through security and counter-terrorism narratives. 
• Private domestic spaces (home, family, friends) emerged as the most cited safe spaces, with this increasing from adolescence to young adulthood. 
• Traditional mosques, while valued for spiritual support, often fail to adequately serve the 16-25 age group. 
• Muslim young people face disproportionate barriers in education, employment, and mental health services. 
• Structural Islamophobia and racism persist across institutions, with young people often code-switching or "backgrounding" their Muslim identity to navigate discrimination. 
• The Gaza conflict and Southport riots (2024) intensified trauma and anxiety, yet schools and institutions provided minimal aftercare or support. 
• Despite challenges, Muslim young people demonstrate strong civic engagement, particularly around social justice issues. 
• Innovative Muslim-conscious spaces are developing outside traditional mosques, providing neutral yet faith-literate environments. 

Key Recommendations 

• Establish a National Muslim Youth Infrastructure Organisation to advocate for Muslim young people and Muslim youth work, coordinate provision, build capacity, amplify youth voices in policy development, and provide a unified point of contact for government, funders, and stakeholders.
• Launch a National Muslim Youth Investment Fund for Muslim-led youth work that provides multi-year grants rather than short-term project funding and actively supports grassroots organizations to overcome barriers in accessing larger funding streams. 
• Develop Professional Muslim Youth Work Capacity to invest in training, development, and recognition of Muslim youth work as a distinctive professional practice.

To find out more about the project, its findings and recommendations please read our final report.