New projectreaches outto Somalicommunity

AN INNOVATIVE outreach project has been launched in Sheffield this month, which aims to raise the educational aspirations of the Somali community in the city.

The programme will run until July this year and involves Saturday study skills classes for Somalians aged between 14 and 19.

So far 66 people have registered to join the scheme, which will be run by 10 mentors who are Somali graduates and undergraduates.

The scheme also has the backing of BBC TV news reporter, Rageh Omaar, who will visit the project in the spring.

Mubarak Ismail, from the Sheffield Somali Community Centre, said: “The project will encourage young people to be role models and it will help build the confidence and ambition of the mentors.

“The project will help start to shape their community, so they can get to the young kids before they drop out, before they get expelled, or get involved in crime or drugs.

“Young people will be inspired to do better and achieve their goals. This will also encourage other Somali young men to sign up for mentoring and other support services to help them work out a career path that’s right for them and fits their aspirations.”

The project is being run by Sheffield University, Sheffield Somali Community Centre, Sheffield Council’s Children and Young People’s Service, Sheffield College and Sheffield Futures, which offer the Connexions service.

Margaret Mitchell, a Widening Participation Project Manager at Sheffield University, said: “This project is what the community have been asking for.

“I feel working in partnership to create this pilot scheme is the beginning of something which can help a large number of Somali children and their parents to improve their chances of reaching higher education, by raising their confidence, attainment and grade.”