The Somali community in the UK: What we know and how we ... - ICAR

Conclusion
Despite the seeming difficulty in overcoming
divisions etched so deeply by history and personal
experience, Somali representatives constantly
affirm the need for unity to confront their
predicaments. A single voice would speak louder
than sectional appeals. Hopefully, as collaboration
increases between Somali organisations, and
the younger generation assumes positions of
responsibility, demands will be made for policies
framed by the community itself, and therefore
implemented with more determination. To return
to where we began in this report - the production
of knowledge on Somalis - it already seems that
as more Somalis become trained researchers,
they will undertake investigation on topics they
identify for themselves. This could also correct the
balance of problem-oriented research, towards
an appreciation of what the Somali community
already brings and potentially can contribute to
the UK. In this endeavour to make the Somali
community more visible, and confirm its presence
as part of British society, the active participation of
local authorities as well as national voluntary and
statutory bodies is essential. It remains to be seen,
for example, whether Liverpool, the new City of
Culture, will celebrate the ethnic diversity in its
midst, and whether the Somalis’ own voice will be
heard.
A prerequisite for a higher profile for Somalis
is accurate numerical data on the population.
Pressure must be exerted at a local and national
level for the availability of statistics on Somalis on
which to base both policy and future research.
There are also areas where little research has yet
been carried out, such as on the second generation
and young people born in the UK. Then there are
the recent arrivals - communities change, and the
relationship with the UK alters as the diaspora
widens and Somalis arrive in the UK from all over
the world. Their particular needs and perspectives
need to be considered. And what of men? Much of
the best research is focused on women, yet these
accounts also point out the loss of male status and
esteem that affects men’s roles and rebounds both
on the community and women themselves. This is
a complex problem in which women’s developing
confidence potentially clashes with familiar cultural
patterns. The perspectives of both Somali women
and men need to be heard. What we also lack, in
spite of the length of the Somali presence in the
UK, are longitudinal studies - comparative research
carried out over a period of time which would
help identify factors that make for a successful
resettlement experience, and those that hinder
integration.
In terms of the perennial problems such as service
provision in employment, health, education, and
housing, existing material needs collating and
more use made of what information already exists.
Although only a few pieces of research have been
mentioned here by name, they illustrate the wide
range of sources that tell us what we know about
Somalis. Limited though some of the work may
be, and neglectful of the Somali voice, we know
a great deal - enough to inform policy decisions
on this significant refugee population. Although
generations and geographical areas differ, there is
enough repetition in available material to analyse
the major areas of concern. There sometimes
appears to be an unwritten assumption both
inside and outside the Somali community that
more research will somehow solve the problems
so documented. Is this so? One useful enquiry
might be into the career of the reports already
produced. What happened after their publication?
What policies ensued? What are the mechanisms
necessary to translate research into result? One
conclusion that can be drawn from this present
report is the need for evaluation. We might suggest
that where the purpose of research is a series
of policy recommendations, the original funding
should include the requirement - and the budget
- for an independent evaluation of outcomes after
a stipulated period of time. This would determine
to what extent the recommendations have been
implemented, what has resulted, what problems
have been encountered in meeting objectives, and
what lessons can be learned from the process of
transforming proposal into practice. For what is
needed is concrete action to end the feeling of
exclusion among the Somali community in the UK.
The Somali community in the UK
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