Muslim youth workers in Sydney are beating street-level radical
preachers at their own game, severing their insidious influence on
vulnerable teens.
In just 12 months the team, hired by Father Chris Riley’s Youth Off The Streets, has guided dozens of impressionable young men away from extremist corruption by taking to the streets themselves.
And the counteroffensive could have driven most Islamic hate preachers from hotbed suburbs, like Bankstown.
At the official opening of a new out outreach centre in Bankstown’s CBD on Friday, lead Muslim youth worker Amirah Amin said the predatory groups were “rarely” seen anymore.
“I think it’s a direct result of the work we’ve been doing,” she told The Express.
“We’ve been working really closely with police as well, identifying the hot spots (and) making sure those areas are more regularly patrolled.” Ms Amin, 28, and another local Muslim social worker were hand-picked by Father Riley to identify and help vulnerable, isolated or disadvantaged boys and girls in March 2015.
The specialist team now has four full-timers and a caseload of about 60 youth across Sydney.
Fr Riley, the founder and chief executive of YOTS, told The Express employing professional social workers from within the Islamic community was “very valuable”.
“It’s very important that we build a connection with Muslim young people in particular. I’ve always said they are everyone’s responsibility,” he said.
The idea grew from the success of similar programs in indigenous communities.
“The kids know these people already, so it’s not like we are bringing people from the outside, it’s using people from our own communities and that’s where we find it’s successful,” Fr Riley said.
In December, The Express revealed police and school authorities had worked for a year to deradicalise a 15-year-old Georges Hall boy, arrested during anti-terror raids.
Ms Amin said the teen, who was a talented junior sports star before being allegedly radicalised, was the type of person the team aimed to pull out of extremists’ clutches.
She said starting the conversation was often intimidating, but engaging a young person on their level was critical.
Premier Mike Baird opened the purpose-built outreach centre on Friday, which relocated from a smaller office in December.
Speaking exclusively to The Express, Mr Baird said Muslim youth workers were “incredibly important”.
“It’s quite clear (for) all our youth, whatever their backgrounds ... the more support we provide the better,” he said.
When asked whether there needed to be a stronger focus on grass root programs over policing Mr Baird said: “In terms of the whole program, it’s multifaceted. Of course you need policing, but obviously you need programs such as this (as well).”
Youth Off the Street supports all youth, aged 12-25, doing it tough.
To find out more visit youthoffthestreets.com.au
In just 12 months the team, hired by Father Chris Riley’s Youth Off The Streets, has guided dozens of impressionable young men away from extremist corruption by taking to the streets themselves.
And the counteroffensive could have driven most Islamic hate preachers from hotbed suburbs, like Bankstown.
At the official opening of a new out outreach centre in Bankstown’s CBD on Friday, lead Muslim youth worker Amirah Amin said the predatory groups were “rarely” seen anymore.
“I think it’s a direct result of the work we’ve been doing,” she told The Express.
“We’ve been working really closely with police as well, identifying the hot spots (and) making sure those areas are more regularly patrolled.” Ms Amin, 28, and another local Muslim social worker were hand-picked by Father Riley to identify and help vulnerable, isolated or disadvantaged boys and girls in March 2015.
The specialist team now has four full-timers and a caseload of about 60 youth across Sydney.
Fr Riley, the founder and chief executive of YOTS, told The Express employing professional social workers from within the Islamic community was “very valuable”.
“It’s very important that we build a connection with Muslim young people in particular. I’ve always said they are everyone’s responsibility,” he said.
The idea grew from the success of similar programs in indigenous communities.
“The kids know these people already, so it’s not like we are bringing people from the outside, it’s using people from our own communities and that’s where we find it’s successful,” Fr Riley said.
In December, The Express revealed police and school authorities had worked for a year to deradicalise a 15-year-old Georges Hall boy, arrested during anti-terror raids.
Ms Amin said the teen, who was a talented junior sports star before being allegedly radicalised, was the type of person the team aimed to pull out of extremists’ clutches.
She said starting the conversation was often intimidating, but engaging a young person on their level was critical.
Premier Mike Baird opened the purpose-built outreach centre on Friday, which relocated from a smaller office in December.
Speaking exclusively to The Express, Mr Baird said Muslim youth workers were “incredibly important”.
“It’s quite clear (for) all our youth, whatever their backgrounds ... the more support we provide the better,” he said.
When asked whether there needed to be a stronger focus on grass root programs over policing Mr Baird said: “In terms of the whole program, it’s multifaceted. Of course you need policing, but obviously you need programs such as this (as well).”
Youth Off the Street supports all youth, aged 12-25, doing it tough.
To find out more visit youthoffthestreets.com.au
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