Around The world

Mohammed Adam Aslam is a proud Yorkshire lad born into a third generation Pakistani family living in the city of Leeds. He is a youth worker, project manager, facilitator, events organiser and Muslim Chaplain. At the age of 13 he walked into a community radio station and asked what it was all about. He walked out with a radio slot of his own and spent 8 years in community radio and TV at the same time volunteering with Leeds Muslim Youth Forum, initially as a youth ambassador and then as a project worker mentoring children and young people. He has led campaigns, events and social action projects in his home neighbourhood of Harehills, east Leeds.

A passionate advocate for young people’s voices, men and boys’ mental health, community bridge building and vocal advocate against domestic abuse for over a decade, Adam was the recipient of a District Superintendents commendation in 2017, the Matthew Hadden Community Award in 2018 and nominated for the Unsung Hero category at the Compassionate Awards in 2022.

Adam is a board member of the Concord Interfaith Fellowship, currently responsible for publicity of their Namaste Youth Fund, and a newly appointed trustee at RETAS, the Leeds refugee and asylum support charity and the local ‘green social action’ charity Back To Front . His current work includes a range of group facilitation, outreach and consultation work with organisations such as Leeds Dads, Leeds Playhouse and Ducksoup Productions.A graduate in history and politics and a student of seven languages. He has co-created a project archiving South Asian migration history. He’s studied and exchanged ideas with institutions and organisations in the Middle East, North Africa and Indonesia. Those trips abroad reinforced his love of the milkshakes and mangoes.

Rilwan Aminu is a 26 year old tech professional, youth worker, football coach and mentor in south London. Born in Nigeria, Rilwan became an unaccompanied minor after arriving in the UK at the age of 10 and being taken into local authority foster care. After starting volunteering to support other younger teenagers at the Damilola Taylor Centre in Peckham when he turned 18, Rilwan has since worked alongside SkyWay charity, United Allstars youth charity, Southwark Council and Young Muslims UK on a range of centre based, detached and residential youth work programmes.

A qualified football coach, Rilwan has coached youth football in south London since his teenage years. The teams he’s coached have won multiple league titles with many players moving on to professional club academies and one of his teams being invited to play against the Manchester City Academy side at the Etihad training complex in Manchester. Not content with supporting children in sport, Rilwan has worked alongside professional actors preparing young people for theatrical performances.

At 19 years of age he was awarded the Young Volunteer Of The Year award for his work with young people in the London Borough of Southwark.

Passionate about promoting mental and physical health amongst young people, Rilwan is also a personal trainer engaged by clients to improve their strength and fitness in the gym or at home. Whilst he is a health enthusiast and practicing a vegan diet, his love for cheesecake is still alive.