{"alias":"blogEntry","byline":"Written by Ayesha Karim, UK Youth Commissioner, and Nicola Hilliard, Creative Content Producer.","standfirst":"","content":{"layouts":[{"type":"fullWidth","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECan you tell us a little about yourself?\u0026nbsp;\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMy name\u2019s Ayesha Karim, I\u2019m 19 and studying engineering at university. I\u2019m also the UK Youth Commissioner for Scouts, which is a role I\u2019m very proud and excited to hold. I\u2019ve been in Scouts since I was 6 years old and started at Beavers. I\u2019m still involved in my local Scout group, and I volunteer whenever I can.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/mnkjgoff/ayesha-karim.jpg","width":512,"height":512,"altText":"Ayesha is stood in front of trees. She is smiling and is wearing her hijab and Scouts necker. She looks relaxed and is wearing a blue Scouts top, with her hands behind her back.","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhy did you want to be the UK Youth Commissioner?\u00A0\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETruthfully, I didn\u2019t know what a Youth Commissioner was until I heard of this role and then I discovered the huge impact that it can have in Scouts. It was an amazing way for me to stay connected to Scouts when my circumstances had changed for being involved in local Scouts, too.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe\u2019ve fantastic youth voices across the country, including through our youth commissioners and young leaders in local areas. These young people are our volunteers of tomorrow, so we need to listen to them. We need more diverse, young voices to be heard. I\u2019m excited to meet them and hear their amazing stories, ideas and impact.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EHaving been through the journey of Scouts, I\u2019ve seen the value and impact it has for and on young people. I also see the value for young people\u2019s voices to be heard in Scouts. My main motivation is for every area, every level, every nation to have youth voices heard and amplified.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat are your favourite or proudest memories of Scouts? \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMy fondest memories of Scouts are the friends, the camps and just the day-to-day meetings. They were so much fun. Scouts was one constant throughout my life, even if I changed schools, Scouts was always there, and I\u2019d been with same people from 6 years old.\u003Cspan\u003E\u00A0 \u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMy proudest moment so far is achieving the role of UK Youth Commissioner. I remember the day that got the call, I was completely floored. I hadn\u2019t been expecting it at all! I\u2019m currently working towards my King\u2019s Scout Award, too. I\u2019ve got one expedition left, and I\u2019m excited to achieve that.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow did Scouts help you?\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe opportunities Scouts provides are fantastic and endless. How many young people our age that aren\u2019t in Scouts can say they went camping by themselves at 14, have been on expeditions, travelled aboard with friends or gone hiking?\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EScouts gave me a community. It was a safe space to meet like-minded people with shared experiences and of the same faith, but it wasn\u2019t necessarily focused on my faith or religion. I\u2019ve been able to meet people from all backgrounds, and it gave me confidence in myself and my beliefs.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/19002/74beb822-cc23-4b5b-a246-a659ebae9570min.jpg","width":1600,"height":1200,"altText":"Ayesha and our youth commissioners have taken a selfie. They are all smiling and are showing peace signs with their hands.","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECan you tell us a little about the Muslim Scout Fellowship?\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Muslim Scout Fellowship (MSF) is a Scout Active Support Unit that brings predominantly Muslim groups within Scouts together across the country. The Muslim community within Scouts has grown massively and the MSF does an amazing job to bring people together.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EScouts gives people a chance to network, meet each other across the country, gives them shared experiences, and provides a supportive community and events. The MSF run a Camp in the summer, as well as the MSF Jamboree to bring international groups together, too. With the MSF, I went to Spain and had an Islamic tour of Spain, alongside our Scout activities.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s also worth noting that there\u2019s plenty of Muslims in non-Muslim specific Scout groups, too. They\u2019re not separate from the Scout Association. It was my personal choice to join an MSF group, as for me being part of a predominantly Muslim group made Scouts more comfortable and familiar to me.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt valued time for prayer and had greater awareness and understanding of Ramadan and fasting, and it could build activities around that. It made Scouts more tailored to the values and beliefs of Muslims, but we were still a very active part of the wide Scout community and district.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/18350/laughing-cub.jpg","width":7000,"height":4667,"altText":"A Cub, wearing a green jumper, laughs while putting their hand over their mouth and looking at another Cub.","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow has Islamophobia affected you?\u003C/strong\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EThere are still misunderstandings about how Islamophobia is experienced. It\u2019s not just physical or verbal abuse, but it can also be ignorance or instances of indirect, subtle, or unintentional discrimination, such as crossing the road to avoid someone. It\u2019s important to recognise that different Muslims experience it differently, too. As a woman who wears a headscarf, which is an obvious outward sign of my faith, I\u2019ll have experienced it differently from other people.\u003C/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EAt school, I felt the need to stand up for my own Muslim community and it was a big weight to carry on my shoulders at that age.\u0026nbsp;\u003C/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cspan\u003EI\u2019ve even had quite surprised reactions when I tell people I\u2019m a Scout, as often they don\u2019t realise how big the Muslim community is within Scouts. Stereotypes in the media have allowed people to develop preconceptions of what our beliefs and views are, so I\u2019ve often felt the need to defend my point of view.\u0026nbsp;\u003C/span\u003E\u003Cspan\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C/span\u003E\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EHow do you think we can all ensure there\u2019s no place for Islamophobia in Scouts? \u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EEducation\u2019s the most important factor. Scouts is a wonderful place to learn as we\u2019ve got lots of \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities?name=islam\u0022\u003Eactivities around Islam\u003C/a\u003E, \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/equity-spaghetti/\u0022\u003Einclusivity and acceptance\u003C/a\u003E, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities?orderBy=likes desc\u0026amp;name=faith\u0022\u003Elearning about different faiths\u003C/a\u003E, as well as badges for World Faith and My Faith.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe should all be open to new opportunities and don\u2019t be afraid to reach out in local communities, too. Use the badges or Scouts activities as an opportunity to contact places of worship and ask for a tour or invite speaker to come in.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Muslim Scout Fellowship in UK is a positive, kind and wonderful community. Try to \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.ukmsf.org/join-scouting/find-your-nearest-group/\u0022\u003Ereach out to predominantly Muslim scout groups in your area,\u003C/a\u003E take the opportunity to learn, get together and share experiences. Invite them to have a joint meeting, to a Sports day or make sure they\u2019re included in local events.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI\u2019d encourage everyone to try to find out a little about Islam, what our beliefs and practices are, but it needs to be from sources produced or published by Muslim authors or researchers, or by speaking to Muslims, to avoid misinformation. The Muslim Scout Fellowship and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zpdtsbk/articles/zrxxgwx\u0022\u003EBBC Bitesize\u003C/a\u003E are great places to start.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/18309/smiling-beaver-outside.jpg","width":7000,"height":4667,"altText":"A Beaver wearing a blue top leans to one side while smiling at a camera.","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWe\u2019re an inclusive, values-based movement. Why does this encourage Muslim people to join Scouts?\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThere\u2019s such a large population of Scouts who are Muslim across the world. The values of Scouts around respect, integrity, care and so on are so well aligned with Islam, which is why you see Muslim countries with such a huge population of Scouts. It\u2019s such a good thing for young Muslims to get involved in.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI\u2019m keen for the non-Muslim community to learn that\u2019s what the Muslim community is all about. There\u2019s no room for discrimination in any space, let alone in Scouts. Scouts gives people amazing opportunities, and it\u2019s accessible to anyone regardless of faith or background.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhy should we talk about Islamophobia Awareness Month in Scouts?\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe\u2019ve got such a fantastic collection of young people, so Scouts is a great place to spark a discussion on global issues. I feel that social issues, such as Islamophobia, aren\u2019t discussed enough in the UK and Scouts are always at the forefront of social change.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETherefore, if we can lead the discussions and spark conversations then we\u2019ll be in the best place to support and welcome all members of any background, including from a Muslim background.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/18339/cubs-cooking.jpg","width":7000,"height":4667,"altText":"Two Cubs smile while looking down at a bowl on a table full of cooking ingredients.","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWhat pieces of advice would you give to someone who wants to create an inclusive section in Scouts?\u00A0\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI\u2019d say to take every opportunity to educate yourself. If you\u2019re involved in any Scout group, there\u2019s always an opportunity to learn, do some more training or find out something new.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWe shouldn\u2019t be afraid to start conversations to allow young people to hear points of view, discuss the positivity of having different faiths and beliefs, learn about misconceptions and find out their ideas to tackle issues.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the UK, we\u2019ve such a diverse community and chance to meet people from different backgrounds. However, we need to recognise no two Muslims (or anyone else) have the same experiences, so we can\u2019t presume or stereotype people.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EPeople have different needs and ways to practice religion, so instead of presuming or making assumptions, we just need to ask and speak to them to see if there\u2019s anything you can do to make them more comfortable or chat to parents and carers. Just like you would with anyone else with any other need.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/18320/young-person-receiving-scarf.jpg","width":7000,"height":4667,"altText":"A volunteer places a white, red, yellow and blue scarf over the head of a young person.","caption":"","link":null}]}],"config":null}]},"searchDescription":null,"pageType":null,"location":null,"versionDate":"09 November 2022","reviewDate":null,"furtherReading":[{"caption":"","title":"Scouts\u2019 inclusivity and diversity","url":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/inclusion-and-diversity/","newWindow":true},{"caption":"","title":"Read Humaariah\u2019s story","url":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/news/2021/november/how-you-can-and-why-you-should-fight-islamophobia/","newWindow":true},{"caption":"","title":"Faiths and Beliefs in Scouts","url":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/inclusion-and-diversity/including-everyone/faiths-and-beliefs/","newWindow":true}],"relatedLinks":[{"caption":"","title":"Muslim Scout Fellowship","url":"https://www.ukmsf.org","newWindow":true},{"caption":"","title":"Islamophobia Awareness Month campaign","url":"https://www.islamophobia-awareness.org","newWindow":true},{"caption":"","title":"Aziz Foundation","url":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/supporters/aziz-foundation/","newWindow":true},{"caption":"","title":"Running faith events in Scouts","url":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/volunteers/inclusion-and-diversity/including-everyone/faiths-and-beliefs/faith-events","newWindow":true}],"id":50411,"nodeName":"Ayesha Karim, UK Youth Commissioner, chats to us about Islamophobia Awareness Month","title":"Ayesha Karim, UK Youth Commissioner, chats to us about Islamophobia Awareness Month","type":"blogEntry","image":{"url":"/media/mnkjgoff/ayesha-karim.jpg?width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1daefe0d8a00750","caption":"Ayesha Karim","type":"jpg","size":43603,"width":512,"height":512,"altText":""},"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":"Ayesha Karim, UK Youth Commissioner, chats to us about Islamophobia Awareness Month","headerSubTitle":null,"headerCta":null,"headerCtaText":null,"headerCtaLink":null,"headerBackgroundColour":null,"showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":null},"subHeader":"Ayesha tells us about the Muslim Scout Fellowship and how we can all make sure there\u2019s no place for Islamophobia in Scouts.","browserTitle":null,"silktide":"eyJjbXMiOiJVbWJyYWNvIiwiZWRpdG9yVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9kLWNtcy5zY291dHMub3JnLnVrLy91bWJyYWNvIy9jb250ZW50L2NvbnRlbnQvZWRpdC81MDQxMSJ9","canonicalUrl":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/news/2022/november/ayesha-karim-uk-youth-commissioner-chats-to-us-about-islamophobia-awareness-month/"}