On 7 October 2008, the Young Muslim Advisory Group (YMAG) was launched as a combined effort of the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and the Department of Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). The purpose of this group is to create a link for communication between the Government and the young Muslim community in the UK. YMAG will work directly with the government in order to deepen engagement with this demographic on issues such as discrimination, increasing levels of employment, preventing extremism, and raising civic participation.

Hazel Blears, Secretary of State for the Department of Communities and Local Government, helped to launch the programme along with Ed Balls, the Secretary for the Department of Children, Schools and Families. Blears said of YMAG, “The group will help to highlight what it means to be a young British Muslim today, what the challenges – 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.”

What YMAG will do
Members of YMAG will hold seats on committees in the Government in order to discuss the issues that mean the most to the young Muslim community. They will work with a range of departments to encourage active citizenship through increased employment and volunteering. In particular, they will work with DCSF, focusing on issues such as increasing the number of young Muslims that are employed or enrolled in education, reducing teen pregnancy, and fighting drug and alcohol abuse.

YMAG will have a peer network in each region of the country so that young Muslims all over the UK will have access to a communication outpost in order to get their voices heard. Local authorities and schools have been encouraged to get involved in this programme, providing resources for young Muslims to congregate and discuss their issues at local community centres and schools.

Preventing Extremism
One of the main areas of focus for YMAG will be preventing extremism. The group will research and determine the causes and impact of violent extremism, as well as the underlying causes of disaffection (anti-terror laws, stop and search, identity issues etc.) on the Muslim communities. To alter the course of young Muslims on the way to extremism, YMAG will also support and encourage young people to be more active in their communities. Being more involved in the community will work both ways, pulling young Muslims away from extremism while at the same time breaking down the barriers between the larger community and young Muslims.