A new report from Equi Think Tank reveals that Muslim-led grassroots organisations are delivering life-saving interventions for young people, while saving the UK taxpayer an estimated £30 million annually. The findings come amid a 141% rise in knife-related teenage deaths and growing concern over youth violence across the country.
The report, Tackling Youth Violence: The Impact of Muslim-Led Organisations, is the first of its kind to quantify the social and economic impact of faith-led youth work. It examines seven Muslim-led initiatives operating across the UK, from London to Edinburgh, collectively reaching over 45,000 young people each year. These programmes deliver a 5.3:1 return on investment, with cost savings derived from reduced criminal justice involvement, improved mental health outcomes, increased educational attainment, and lower rates of reoffending.
One case study features Yusuf, a young man excluded from school and caught in a cycle of violence. A focus on faith helped him overcome his violent past. Today, Yusuf is a youth mentor himself, helping others navigate similar challenges. The report highlights the unique strengths of Muslim-led organisations:
• Holistic Support: Services include mentoring, counselling, parental engagement, employment pathways and spiritual guidance.
• Cultural Competence: Programmes are rooted in Islamic values of compassion, accountability and service, delivered through trauma-informed and spiritually grounded practice.
• Community Trust: Many operate from mosques, community centres and youth hubs – spaces where statutory services often struggle to engage.
• Multi-Agency Collaboration: Initiatives work closely with schools, police, and social services, bridging gaps in statutory provision.
“We’re not just keeping kids off the streets- we’re helping them heal, grow and lead,” said Yusuf. “But we can’t do it alone. We need policymakers to see us, fund us and work with us.”
The report also identifies significant untapped potential:
- Mosque Infrastructure: With over 1000 mosques across the UK, many with underutilised facilities, there is scope to expand youth provision at scale.
- Faith-Based Giving: Muslim communities donate millions every year through voluntary giving, yet few mechanisms exist to channel this funding into strategic youth work.
- Data Gaps: Muslim-led organisations are often excluded from national evaluations due to inconsistent data collection and lack of formal recognition. Equi is calling for action from government departments, local authorities and philanthropic funders. Key recommendations include:
- Recognise faith-led organisations as strategic partners in public health and community safety • Include faith-based providers in national youth violence prevention strategies
- Improve data collection and evaluation frameworks
- Culturally competent commissioning and multi-agency collaboration • Long-term, unrestricted funding for faith-based youth programmes
“This is not just a moral imperative, it’s a fiscal one,” said Javed Khan, Managing Director of Equi. “We have evidence that these programmes work. The question now is whether policymakers are willing to invest in what’s already saving lives and money.”
