Conference heralds new initiative by young people from Somali community
The forum was started with the support of Manchester based human rights charity RAPAR (www.rapar.org.uk) and is funded through a two year development grant from Lloyd’s TSB Foundation.
The bold new initiative reflects young people’s concerns about serious issues affecting the Somali community and the absence of credible representatives to address these matters. Members of the new group come from all sectors of Greater Manchester’s Somali community.
During a residential conference held from the 4th – 6th of June at Degmo Centre For Somali Heritage and Rural Culture (www.degmo.org) 14 members of the Manchester Somali Youth Forum debated their main issues of concern and concluded with a decision to focus on three specific areas: youth, education and unemployment.
By acting as a voice for their community, Manchester Somali Youth Forum has pledged to work with all sectors of Somali society, including a new women’s group.
The forum’s aim is to encourage Somali youths to fulfil their potential in education and employment and to engage more fully with the wider Manchester communities amongst whom they live. The forum will also seek to represent their community when dealing with local and national authorities on matters such as policing, education, health, and housing, and will encourage Somalis to be become involved in the local political process.
Spokesman, Omer Shire, expressed optimism about the future of their community and reflected the determination of the new forum to instigate real changes on behalf of all Somalis in Manchester.
Omer said: “Our generation is the future: it is up to us to act.”
For more information about MSYF, please contact Omer Shire on 07944529091