Around 70% of Muslim children in the UK attend part-time Islamic education, known as madrasah/maktab. For most children, this education ends between the ages of 14 and 16, and even earlier for many girls. Sadly, they stop their Islamic education just when they need it the most. As they reach secondary school, 6th form, and college, they will encounter ideas and lifestyles that challenge everything they were taught as children. Additionally, they are navigating the complexities of youth and puberty. It is crucial for them to have constant guidance and mentoring during this time.

Traditional modes of madrasah education in the UK and Western Muslim communities are not sustainable alongside the pressures of GCSEs and A levels. To address this problem, we launched The Youth Mentoring Programme specifically for young people aged 14-18.

The programme focuses on mentoring, providing direct access to knowledgeable scholars who guide them. Formal teaching and contact time are limited to a couple of hours a week, mainly through talking sessions where various aspects of life are discussed from an Islamic perspective. Each student will receive personalized mentoring and development planning, with 2-3 sessions to identify and monitor their goals. These sessions also create a safe space for individuals to address personal matters.

Our male and female mentors, who are graduates of shari’ah, will provide the mentoring. Although we expect most students to have received basic Islamic education, we will use the weekly sessions to cover areas not typically included in madrasah/maktab education. If there are significant gaps in essential Islamic knowledge, we will offer on-demand courses to address this. Our comprehensive courses cover all the essential areas of Islamic education a Muslim needs. Visit our courses page to explore the full range.