To promote mutual support and peer mentoring, Muslim Youth of Santa Clarita will be holding a youth support program Sunday.
“We are launching a mentorship program, which is more for professionals to help our kids with any problems, any pressure at school, bullying,” said Walid Metwaly, MYSC founder and president. “It’s like having older siblings help out, but they look at mental issues or anything of that kind.”
Keynote speaker Dr. Aakash Ahuja will kick off the event. Along with mentoring, the program will also steer through how social media affects young people and their health. The program gives adolescents a platform to build confidence and engage, learning how to become effective leaders and avoid feeling shy, Metwaly said.
“Our vision is to develop American Muslims right,” Metwaly said. “It’s not a matter of going to mosque and prayer. Being active in community and be part of the community, help in community service projects, develop leadership skills.”
Another goal of the program is to help young Muslims develop a sense of pride with their identity, rather than feel pressured by forms of discrimination. The takeaway for young people is to not only receive mentorship but also find a resource for outreach and increasing inclusivity, Metwaly said
“We do believe that all religions have a commonality,” he said. “It’s about being honest and trying to serve the community, be nice to your neighbors. If you look at any of those texts, that’s basically what it is.”
The program, at 19370 Opal Lane, begins at 4:30 p.m. Anyone interested in attending can go to myscgroup.org/events/mysc-april-28th-program to RSVP.
To learn more about MYSC and its upcoming events, go to myscgroup.org.