Press Release

PM PRAISES UK YOUTH PARLIAMENT’S WORK WITH YOUNG MUSLIMS

14th November 2007

The UK Youth Parliament’s Young Muslim Leadership Project – based in Blackburn and Bolton and now set to go nationwide – has received praise from the Prime Minister, as plans gather pace to take the project nationwide.

Speaking in the House of Commons as he unveiled the Government’s latest counter-terrorism plans, Mr Brown spoke of a range of proposals, but was keen to point out the need to listen to young people, and highlighted the work of the UK Youth Parliament.

The Prime Minister said,

"I am also announcing today a youth panel to advise the Government, learning from youth projects in different parts of the country, which all enable young people to debate and discuss issues of concern - as does the work of the Youth Parliament, which has been running debates about the impact of terrorism on young people."

The project – initiated by Muslim Members of Youth Parliament after the 7/7 London bombings – started with leadership and video training for young Muslims in the North West, which led to a region-wide conference – devised and delivered by the young people themselves – to provide opportunities for open debates and a better understanding of young people’s rights. A full proposal has now been submitted to the Department for Children, Schools and Families to extend project by developing a national series of events called Project Safe Space.

Chief Executive of the UK Youth Parliament Andy Hamflett said,

"Like all of our flagship programmes, the UK Youth Parliament Young Muslim Leadership Project was initiated, devised and delivered by young people, and that’s been its greatest strength. The young people involved have been quite clear that they do want to talk about terrorism and the impact events of recent years have had on ordinary people’s lives.

"However, too many people don’t feel comfortable allowing those discussions to take place, especially as so much misinformation is out there. Nobody’s really sure what is appropriate. That’s where Project Safe Space will hopefully come in – dispelling myths, teaching rights, encouraging leadership. It’s no surprise that it’s caught the attention of the Prime Minister."

Carl Wonfor, from the ACPO (Association of Chief Police Officers) National Community Tension Team, added,

"From listening to the young people involved in the UK Youth Parliament Young Muslim Leadership project, we’ve realised just how much more work the police need to do in this area, and we’re committed to making that happen. We believe the proposal we’ve developed with the UK Youth Parliament strikes the perfect balance between providing reliable information – to young people and youth work  professionals – and listening to informed opinions from various sections of the community. We can’t wait to get started."