Somali Youth Development Resource Centre

Somali Youth Development Resource Centre (SYDRC) was established in September 2000 as a federation of 5 Somali organisations in the London Borough of Camden. SYDRC came to existence after a conference aimed at the Somali community in 1999. Concerns were raised by all parties at the apparent underachievement, behaviour problems amongst Somali youth and their involvement of in criminal activities. A research produced by the Institute of Education, London University revealed that only 1 Somali child out of 32 had passed the GCSE examination in Camden. This study also examined the numbers of Somali Children passing their GCSEs. At GCSE level, Camden pupil`s averaged 47.7% gaining five A-C passes but Somali pupils average was only 3.1%. After that research and conference there was commitment by all present to support an initiative aimed at dealing with these issues. SYDRC is the result of this commitment and has developed a working relationship with all these Camden Departments and organisations.

SYDRC provides a wide range of activities and services to meet the needs of the local Somali Community accessed by over 400 young Somali people within the age group of 11-25 years old from Camden and neighbouring boroughs; majority of whom are young British Muslims.

The organisation has made a siginficant difference in the Somali community. In 2001 SYDRC began running Educational Achievement Award Ceremonies which highlights the talents of the best brightest Somali young people in Camden. In 2006 a Youth Advisory Board was set up to provide strong voice to the service users and has been successful in steering the organisation in the right direction by providing comprehensive solutions to problems faced by Somali youths in so far as to even promote a manifesto for Camden parents and children to live by. In 2007 SYDRC changed its management structure with the majority of trustees elected between the ages of 18 and 30. In 2008 the Home Office, Greater London Authority and Metropolitan Police Services, made contact with SYDRC. The organisation is seen as a positioned vehicle to help facilitate a London wide Somali Youth organisation. Then the organisation organised and facilitated the first London Somali Youth Conference in May 2008. In 2009 London Somali Youth Forum (LSYF) was officially launched by SYDRC at City Hall hosted by Mayor of London Boris Johnson. Today, the London Somali Youth Forum has a network which consists or more than 16 London based Somali youth organisations and forums. In 2011 SYDRC became the only Somali representative on the Mayor's London wide BAME Strategy Group.