Founded | August 2001 |
---|---|
Founder | Mohammed Mamdani Mustafa Suleyman |
Type | Helpline |
Registration no. | 1108354 |
Focus | Social issues within the Muslim Youth |
Location | |
Area served | United Kingdom |
Website | www |
Muslim Youth Helpline (MYH) is a national helpline, registered as a charity, providing free and confidential faith and culturally sensitive support services targeted at vulnerable young people in the United Kingdom. [1] Although its target audiences are young Muslims, it does not propagate any religious or political beliefs, seeking only to provide relief to and improve the social condition of vulnerable young people.
MYH was founded in August 2001 by Mohammed Sadiq Mamdani and Mustafa Suleyman, who were both 18 at the time, in response to the social problems endured by Muslim youth in the UK. It was at college that Mamdani first realised the extent of isolation that today's young Muslims experience; while problems such as drug misuse, depression and sexuality are issues common among many young people, he believed that young Muslims often need advice that takes into account broader religious and social contexts. [2]
By 2004, MYH had expanded nationwide and was the only telephone helpline of its kind in the UK. It started running a befriending scheme through which volunteers meet up with young Muslims on a social basis or provide practical help such as accompanying them to job centres, or helping fill in application forms whenever guidance is needed.
In 2004, MYH released a Prison Campaign on muslimyouth.net and was called "Behind Bars". After the huge success of the initial campaign it was adopted by MYH as an annual campaign. In 2005 they launched its "Doing a Runner" campaign to raise awareness within the community of the many young Muslims who run away from home, and may at various times in their life find themselves vulnerable, alone and homeless. The campaign concluded with "2 Dayz of Street Life", an event involving members of the public who stayed in shelters and on the streets for two days to experience what a homeless person may go through. In February 2006, MYH was awarded with the CSV Award for the "Most Heart Warming Project" of its kind. [3]
An annual dinner takes place every year in May with notable guests. In May 2014, special guests included Jemima Khan, Asad Ahmed, Mishal Husain amongst others. [4] In 2015, MYH reported that an increasing number of young Muslims are seeking advice because they are concerned about Islamophobia in the United Kingdom. [5] In 2016, MYH released an article via Refinery29 on how to tackle Ramadan With A Mental Health Condition. Akeela Ahmed, who was the director of MYH at the time highlighted that most of the people she worked with, who are dealing with mental health issues, feel guilty if they do not fast. [6]
In 2019, BBC One soap opera, EastEnders worked with the Muslim Youth Helpline on a storyline about a teen exploring his newfound faith as he finds peace after prison. Speaking about the storyline, Executive Producer Jon Sen highlighted his thrill to be working with MYH to challenge preconceptions and prejudices about the role of faith in young people's lives. [7] As a result, EastEnders was commended for being one of the first British soaps to show Islam in a positive light. [8]
In 2020, it was reported that during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, MYH received an increase in calls, where MYH volunteer Zohra Kakhu stated that the helpline has had calls from young Muslims with mental health conditions, for whom Friday prayers were their only lifeline to the outside world, providing them with a vital support system and connection to their community. [9]
In April 2021, British Muslim teenager, Zaheid Ali, 13, died after jumping off Tower Bridge into the River Thames which received national news coverage. [10] As a result, MYH urged young people experiencing thoughts of suicide to contact them for non-judgemental, confidential support. [11]
In 2022, it was reported that Faith charities were facing additional barriers to grant funding. MYH which relies on grant funding described being hesitant to apply for larger grants after being rejected previously without explanation and for fear of being stereotyped. [12]
MYH has won the following awards: [13]
Samaritans is a registered charity aimed at providing emotional support to anyone in emotional distress, struggling to cope or at risk of suicide throughout the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, often through its telephone helpline. Its name derives from the biblical Parable of the Good Samaritan although the organisation itself is not religious.
Beat is the UK's leading charity supporting those affected by eating disorders and campaigning on their behalf. Founded in 1989 as the Eating Disorders Association, it celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2019.
Sadiq Aman Khan is a British politician serving as Mayor of London since 2016. He was previously Member of Parliament (MP) for Tooting from 2005 until 2016. A member of the Labour Party, Khan is on the party's soft left and has been ideologically characterised as a social democrat.
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Sayeeda Hussain Warsi, Baroness Warsi, is a British lawyer, politician, and member of the House of Lords who served as co-chairwoman of the Conservative Party from 2010 to 2012. She served in the Cameron–Clegg coalition, first as the Minister without portfolio between 2010 and 2012, then as the Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and as the Minister of State for Faith and Communities, until her resignation citing her disagreement with the Government's policy relating to the Israel–Gaza conflict in August 2014.
The Baitul Futuh is a mosque complex of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, situated in Morden, London. It is one of the largest mosque complexes in Europe. Completed in 2003 at a cost of £15 million, entirely from donations of Ahmadi Muslims, the Mosque can accommodate a total of 13,000 worshippers. The main mosque has a height of 23m above ground, and to maximise capacity the building extends below ground. Baitul Futuh is located in the south-west London suburb London Borough of Merton. It is situated next to Morden South railway station, 0.4 miles from Morden Underground station and one mile from Morden Road tram stop.
Rethink Mental Illness Is a British charity that seeks to improve the lives of people severely affected by mental illness through their networks of local groups and services, information and campaigns. Its stated goal is to make sure everyone severely affected by mental illness has a good quality of life.
MYH can refer to:
Shelina Zahra Janmohamed is a British writer. She is the author of Love in a Headscarf (2009), a memoir of growing up as a British Muslim woman. Her new book titled Generation M: Young Muslims Changing the World was published in August 2016. Generation M, as The Guardian puts it, "is the first detailed portrait" of the influential segment of the world’s "fastest growing religion", Islam. She is also a blogger: her blog is called Spirit 21.
The Khalili Foundation is a UK-based charity promoting interfaith and intercultural understanding through art, culture and education. Its founder and chairman is the London-based philanthropist, art collector and scholar Sir David Khalili. A Persian Jew who grew up in Iran, he is notable for having the world's largest private collection of Islamic art. Established in 1995, the foundation has created interfaith and intercultural links through "cultural, academic, sporting and educational programmes".
One Door Mental Health, formerly Schizophrenia Fellowship of New South Wales Inc (SFNSW), is a community-based not for profit organisation that provides a range of services for people with mental illness, their families, and carers. One Door Mental Health operates predominantly in the Australian state of New South Wales.
Off The Record Bristol (OTR) is a mental health support and information service in Bristol which provides counselling, group workshops, anti-stigma campaigns, creative therapies, LGBTQ+ networks and support, stress management workshops and community-based support groups for young people. OTR works across Bristol and South Gloucestershire and is free at every point of access.
Al-Mizan Charitable Trust (AMCT) is a Muslim-run charity that supports vulnerable families and individuals living in poverty across the United Kingdom, regardless of their faith or cultural background.
Mohammed Sadiq Mamdani is a social entrepreneur and activist, who is currently the UK Director of Kijana Kwanza. He is known for his extensive work in founding charitable organisations; including Muslim Youth Helpline, Ansar Youth Project, Al-Mizan Charitable Trust and Sufra NW London. Mamdani is an advocate on youth issues and community development, who is passionate about interfaith social action.
Islamophobia in the United Kingdom refers to a set of discourses, behaviours and structures which express feelings of anxiety, fear, hostility and rejection towards Islam or Muslims in the United Kingdom. Islamophobia can manifest itself in a wide range of ways; including, discrimination in the workforce, negative coverage in the media, and violence against Muslims.
Tamanna Miah is a British Bangladeshi campaigner, public speaker, media spokesperson and chair of trustees for a refugee charity.
Mental health in the Republic of Ireland is the subject of state and community sector intervention in Ireland. The Irish state devolves responsibility for mental health to the Department of Health. Community groups and charities also provide support in the prevention and management of mental illness as well as suicide prevention.
Naz and Matt Foundation is a charity based in the United Kingdom that tackles homophobia triggered by religious and cultural beliefs.
Harris Bokhari is the founder and a trustee at the Patchwork Foundation, for which he won the Diversity Champion of the Year Award in early 2018. The Patchwork Foundation promotes the positive integration of disadvantaged and minority communities into British democracy and civil society."
Suicide prevention and intervention efforts in India are in the nascent stage. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), suicide in India is a serious public health issue but it can be prevented with timely interventions that are based on evidence. Suicide prevention is also one of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG3.4.2) wherein they have asked member countries to work towards reduce global suicide rates by one third by 2030. Notable steps taken by the Government of India include the decriminalization of suicide in the Mental HealthCare Act of 2017 and launching of India's first mental health toll free helpline KIRAN. Many experts have emphasised the urgent need for a national strategy for suicide prevention to be implemented that is multi-sectoral in nature.