Welcome to the Council of Somali Organisations newsletter part one, part two has information about funding opportunity which will arrive shortly in your email. Our newsletter will bring you a round up of relevant news, information and resources. Please visit our website for more information and if you have any questions, please contact us!

24th August 2022

CSO have received funding from The National Lottery to financially support 25 organisations to go through the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) registration process to become regulated in order to be able to give money and debt advice.
 

CSO are delighted to be able to offer free Money and Debt training, which will be delivered by AdviceUK, to 50 of our members who are based in London, the South West and the South East of England. CSO is offering participants incentive of £100 per training.

Courses will take place on the following dates:
 

Course 3: 14th & 21st September 2022
 
Course 4: 12th & 19th October 2022
 

As a Somali young adult in London who will start their LLM degree, Raheema Mohamoud has been interested in researching the experiences of diaspora when accessing financial services as a part of her degree.
 
She has spent some time assessing what services exist in the financial sector that cater to the needs of minority diaspora and found that in relation to other communities, minorities are financially excluded and lack the access and resources and education to thrive in this consumer market.
 
She has been researching what changes need to happen with regards to traditional financial services in order to cater to the financial needs of diaspora community and what opportunities for growth that can exist (but is not being currently tapped into) in these institutions.
 
She would like to connect with diaspora communities in and around London and have conversations with them about what their experience has been like accessing financial services and how that can be improved.
 
It will not take very much time and the conversation can take place via any platform the community is comfortable with, it is all anonymous and no private information will be shared or exposed.
 
If this conversation about financial empowerment is of any interest to you or your community workers and/or members of your organisations or connecting societies, could you email Raheema back on raheemamohamoud491@gmail.com or call her on 07388224817.

Please also find Raheema's  research proposal in the link below:

https://mcusercontent.com/5d37d999b9b8084fd7a80b55c/files/faa455c8-301b-0b3b-7c91-9d28a1d98183/research_proposal_send_off._newsletter.pdf
 

The Haawa project was started at Women's Inclusive Team and as part of this project, they take in referrals, but also create awareness around Domestic Abuse. Please find links below to a presentation on the Haawa project and a referral form.  
 
As they are placed within Tower hamlets, their remit is residence of Tower Hamlets. It is really important to them to be able to help anyone in need, however the majority of the women they support are Somali women and this is their speciality.
 
Please feel free to contact them by emailing ayaanny@wit.org.uk or calling 020 7790 2650 if you have any questions or if you would like a further introduction on the Haawa project.

https://mcusercontent.com/5d37d999b9b8084fd7a80b55c/files/4cb7cfa7-dfb4-6945-f67c-debcec0cd0b8/WIT_Haawa_refarral_.docx_1_.pdf

https://mcusercontent.com/5d37d999b9b8084fd7a80b55c/files/9e883600-169d-88be-549b-e1f8f9f945a5/Haawa_Project_PP.odp

HMW Casting are a casting office working on a variety of Film and TV projects including short films, feature films and TV dramas.
 
They are currently casting an exciting new BBC short film ‘Muna’ from British-Somali filmmaker Warda Mohamed. They are looking for people of Somali heritage to join BAFTA-nominated actor KOSAR ALI (Rocks) for the film .
 
They are casting authentically for this film and are looking to be as inclusive as possible in the casting process. No previous acting experience is necessary to apply.
 
For more information about the project and filmmaking team, please see below:
 
MUNA: Synopsis
Fifteen-year-old British-Somali, Muna, is desperate to go on the Year 11 school trip. However, her parents aren't so sure. When tragedy strikes in the form of her grandfather's death back in Somalia, Muna finds herself having to navigate a confusing mourning period for a significant family member who she never really knew, while striving to get her mum to say yes to this all-important trip before the weekend is over.

MUNA is a delicate exploration of the different ways people grieve across cultures. It challenges narratives around girlhood and coming-of-age stories, which are almost universally white, and asks why a young British Somali girl cannot be seen in this everyday context.
 
MUNA: Filmmaking Team
MUNA is being directed by Warda Mohamed (Rocks, Last Night in Soho), produced by Working Title Film’s Simon Hatton and Angela Moneke (We are Lady Parts, Everything I Know About Love), and Exec Produced by Claire Wilson (Rocks).
 
Below is a link for a casting poster for the film which they would love you to pass on to your community.

All the information you need at this stage should be on the casting poster, but they can provide anyone who is interested with more detailed information on the film and casting process if they email them at casting@hannahmariewilliams.com.
 
If there are any events or meet-ups you think it would be good for them to come down to in order to chat about the film, please do let them know. Equally, if there are any other groups, organisations or forums you think it would be good for them to contact, please pass on their name and/or contact details.
 
Please do encourage anyone from your community who is interested to apply, they would love to hear from you!

https://mcusercontent.com/5d37d999b9b8084fd7a80b55c/images/9608d1a5-a3d7-3f60-46cc-9efecd665ed1.png

Gambling Harms among minority groups of the population
 
Ipsos is an independent research organisation which has been commissioned by GambleAware to undertake research on gambling harms among minority groups (ethnic, language, religion), including refugees and asylum seekers.
 
The findings will ensure a better understanding of why people gamble, the harm caused by gambling and how support services can be made more accessible.
 
If you are from a minority group and are a frequent gambler or consider yourself to be affected by someone close to you who gambles, then the team would like to invite you to take part in some research.


What does the research involve?

Over the next 12 months, we will be conducting a variety of different pieces of research. This might include one-on-one depth interviews and app-based research diaries.

Participants who take part in this research will be compensated for their time with vouchers.


What do I need to do?

If you are interested in taking part, please email uk-pa-gambleaware-minorityresearch@ipsos.com or call on this freephone number 08005422155 and let us know that you are interested in taking part. A member of the research team will then be in touch with you to provide more information about the research and confirm some details. Expressing interest now does not mean you have to take part and you can withdraw at any time.


What happens to any information I provide? 

Your contact details are held securely by Ipsos UK and will only be used by the research team to contact you about this research. They will not be shared with GambleAware or anyone else.

Should you go on to take part, only anonymous findings of the research will be shared with GambleAware; it will not be possible to identify you through the research and no personal information will be shared with GambleAware at any stage. 

We hope that you are able and willing to support us in this important research project. If you have any questions about the above at this stage, feel free to get in touch with us via uk-pa-gambleaware-minorityresearch@ipsos.com or on the freephone number 08005422155.

A new volunteer out of hours helpline service for Somali families and individuals who are in crisis has been set up. They offer an out-of-hours service voluntarily to anyone who is struggling.
 
They will offer support with immigration, criminal justice, housing, and mental health.

They also have a free Interpretation service available for Somalis in crisis.

You can contact them by email, phone or WhatsApp.
 
Please contact them if you need any help or support.
 

Somali National Helpline CIC:  0800 610 2020
WhatsApp: 07882043541
Email: bettersafercommunities@gmail.com

A series of online, bite-size, drop-in sessions for the leaders of organisations funded by City Bridge Trust.

Please come and join us as we spotlight important issues relating to London and the voluntary and community sector, and create a space to connect with peers and build networks.

These 'Leadership Natters' will be of interest to those who lead funded organisations, but they are also open to anyone from a funded organisation who is interested or experienced in any of the specific topics we will be discussing. If you feel you would benefit or would have something to contribute, please join us.

The sessions will be informal and flexible. Each session offers opportunities for individuals to discuss issues and solutions on their own terms, share learning and knowledge, and build connections with other leaders in the sector.

Conversations will be chaired by an expert consultant from Rocket Science, City Bridge Trust’s partner organisation on the Bridge Programme. Guest speakers will join us to discuss their experiences and provide further insights. 

Each session will be held on Zoom, last for approximately one hour and will be civil society leader driven.

Please register using the Zoom links below.
 

Leadership Natters: register your place

 
 
How to get the best out of your team
10–11am Tuesday 30 August 2022
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register
 
Becoming part of the solution by embedding equality, diversity and inclusion
10–11am Tuesday 13 September
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register
 
Living your values
2–3pm Wednesday 28 September 2022
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register
 
Empowering your people through Intent Based Leadership
12–1pm Tuesday 4 October 2022
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register

The Leadership Natters sessions are provided as part of City Bridge Trust’s Funder Plus offer.

Reach Volunteering has published some new, free resources including:

• how and why to carry out a diversity audit
• tips on recruiting first-time trustees
• tips on making remote interviews accessible for deaf people and
• updated guidance on completing a skills audit including online templates.

These form part of Reach’s Trustee Recruitment Cycle, a free resource packed with case studies, advice and tools to help you recruit trustees and diversify your board. Get started now.

The Business Clinic supports charities to have discrete consultancy projects for free. We will be working with them to bring you free consultancy.

Please click below for the brochure from Northumbria University which gives all the details.