honouring resilience and achievement: over 300 gather to celebrate muslim youth engagement.

Over 300 guests from grassroots community organisations across the UK gathered in London on Saturday, 14th December 2024, for the 2nd Annual Muslim Youth Engagement Awards. Hosted by Here For Youth, the event celebrated their collective efforts to create safe spaces for teenagers. It was an evening filled with inspiring stories, heartfelt speeches from the winners, and a powerful recognition of exceptional achievements in youth engagement.

This year, there were 44 nominees across 11 award categories. We also had a unique 12th category, ‘The Award For The Most Resilient Youth.’ Over 100 young people (14+) were honoured with an award in this category. Despite their challenges, these young people have found their voice and shown unwavering commitment to bringing about the positive change this world desperately needs. Their resilience is not just inspiring but also a beacon of hope for the future.

The young people from our Youth Hubs who won the Most Resilient Youth Award were the biggest inspiration. Meeting them, speaking to them, I truly believe that they are a generation that will have the dignity, foresight, courage and knowledge to take leadership in bringing about the transformational changes society so desperately needs

Hamza Ahmed, Head of Youth Work, Here For Youth

This award is not just a testament to the hard work of our team and volunteers but also a reflection of the incredible young people we have the privilege to serve…Your recognition inspires us to continue our mission to provide a safe, inclusive, and nurturing environment for the youth, empowering them to thrive and make a positive impact in their lives and our community

Kingston Muslim Youth

MashaAllah, the entire team and the youth are extremely happy and motivated, and we are really grateful to receive the award Alhumdulillah! This recognition means so much to all of us at KMY, and it’s a huge encouragement for us all

Sarim Syed, Kingston Muslim Youth

This year, the award ceremony commemorated the martyrs of Gaza. The various presenters gave each award category in memory of a different martyr, celebrating their lives, bravery, steadfastness, and sacrifice. This theme of remembrance added a powerful layer of meaning and introspection to the event.

The recognition of those who died in Gaza and how you linked each award, I thought that was unbelievable. The networking was a great opportunity, and consistently remembering Allah, whether through prayer or making dua, was very special

Rooda Ahmed from Amanah Cymru

The night was filled with powerful stories of resilience and impactful change. What made it even more poignant was the dedication to honouring Palestinian martyrs, reminding us of global struggles while celebrating the strength of changemakers here in the UK

Khalid Al-Hamdani

These awards are dedicated to the hundreds if not thousands of selfless volunteers who give up their time to engage teenagers in their local community every week. I would also like to recognise the donors and sponsors who have chosen to invest in this community-building initiative. Without them, this awards ceremony would not be possible!

Ayub Seedat, CEO of Here For Youth

Thank you to our sponsors MyFridays,Muslim Charity,My Salah Mat, PocketGiving and My Halal Lamb.

We are already looking ahead to the 3rd Annual Muslim Youth Engagement Awards , which will take place on Saturday, 13th December 2025. We are excited to continue celebrating and recognising our partners’ outstanding work in youth engagement. We can’t wait to see you there!

Give me the link, and I will book my 2025 tickets now 🙂

Fayaz Iqbal from Kent Muslim Welfare Association

Here For Youth congratulates all nominees, winners, and organisations doing this vital work. We would also like to recognise every person who attended from across the country, as your presence and support have made this day a powerful testament to the unity and strength of our community.

the 2024 winners

• The Shaban Al-Dalou Award For Most Resilient Youth HubGreen Stars MCEC, Palmers Green, London.
• The Dr Refaat Al-Areer Award For Most Consistent Youth EngagementFriday Night Vibes, Wembley, London.
• The Hind Rajab Award For Most Youth-Led OrganisationAshford & Staines Community Centre, London.
• The Reem Ali Badwan Award For Best Sisters Youth EngagementWomen 4 Change, Leicester.
• The Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi Award for Youth Centre Of The YearKingston Muslim Youth, Kingston upon Thames, London
• The Wadea Al-Fayoume Award For Team DevelopmentQibla Youth, Southgate, London.
• The Hamza Wael Al-Dahdouh Award For Individual Growth and DevelopmentMoalana Asadul Hoque – Naseeha Youth Project, Cardiff.
• The Dr. Sreen Al-Attar Award For Best Sisters TeamNoor Youth, Blackburn.
• The Ismail Al-Ghoul Award For Best Implementation and PracticeAl Buraaq Youth Foundation, Harrow, London.
• Shuhada Al-Gaza Sisters Youth Mentor Of The Year AwardSamia Egeh – Amanah Cymru, Cardiff.
• Shuhada Al-Gaza Brothers Youth Mentor Of The Year AwardYasser Akhtar – Kent Muslim Welfare Association, Gillingham.