Somali Youth Program

Have you seen…
high school students in your neighborhood wearing headscarves or long skirts? Have you heard students on soccer or basketball teams calling to each other in an unfamiliar African language? If so, you may live near a Boston school with a number of Somali students. Most of these students came to the Boston area in the last five years, with their families, as refugees from the civil war in Somalia.

IRC is the lead agency in a collaborative that offers an after-school program for Somali youth in the Boston Area.  IRC,  English High School, and the Department of Health’s Refugee and Immigrant Health Program have been working with Somali teenagers in Boston schools since 1996.  The Somali Women and Children's Association joined this team in 1999.  Together, we have identified some of the key concerns for these students.  Read on, and get the facts about Somali youth in Boston. 

Being new at a big school, going from middle school to high school, trying to fit in but also make your voice heard in class and on the playground – these are challenges for any young person.  If you are also new in Boston, don’t speak, read or write English yet, grew up with a different religion than those around you and haven’t been to school for several years because you have been fleeing a civil war, things become really complicated. You may turn to your parents for support, but they may be facing similar adjustment challenges, or may simply not understand what is happening in your life. After all, like you, they just came to Boston from their native land of Somalia. What do you do for help with your homework? Where do you go with your questions about social life and school regulations?

To whom do you turn?
Somali students turn to each other for assistance and support!  They share information and talk each other through transitions, projects and decisions.  Here are some of the issues that affect their lives at school and on the streets. 

Understanding and communication tops the list
Somali kids report that speaking, reading and writing English is hard for them, even thought they are learning quickly. This means that it may take then a long time to catch up to their age group’s level. It also means that they may be shy about saying something in class, or in the hallway or cafeteria. They ask for patience from their fellow students and teachers.

They also ask for information
Rules, regulations, how to keep safe and how to become a part of games and activities – this is unfamiliar information for these students.  They say that any kind of information helps, spoken or written, and that Somali kids who are good with English will translate for those who are just learning.

Feeling welcome matters
Especially when they have just arrived, they do not know when they first walk into a room or join a group whether they are regarded as strangers or members. Anything that others can do to make this clear to them is helpful.

Drugs, violence and teen pregnancy risks are real for Somalis, just as they are for any young adult. Although they grew up with cultural prohibitions against alcohol and drug use, some are experimenting with drinking, tobacco and marijuana. Most teens respect their religion’s prohibition against intoxicants, and have not become involved in serious drug use. But they are very aware of the availability of drugs, and of peer pressure to use them. Defense-related violence has occurred between Somalis and other students. Information and support can help these teens to handle these risks positively.

Being a Somali girl is very different from being a Somali boy
Parents may be much more strict with girls than with boys. Boys are allowed to experiment with different kids of social behavior and extracurricular activities, whereas girls are often called home directly after school to help with cooking, child care and cleaning. Parents can be very concerned about girls’ socializing. Often girls will marry according to Somali custom at a young age and then teen pregnancy is at issue. However, young Somali mothers can stay in high school, and have the attended the after school program, sometimes with their kids.

There are many risks, challenges and solutions for Somali kids in Boston area schools. They face the challenges of feeling distant from their families, schools and larger society, and of managing their past experiences of war and flight, as well as their ongoing cultural and linguistic differences. At the same time, they face the same pressures as other high school students — resisting violence, drug and alcohol abuse, teen pregnancy and gangs. Somali Youth Program staff and volunteers can advocate for the students and make a tremendous difference in keeping them safe, healthy and learning. With the right kind of support, Somali kids learn quickly how to do well in school, and to make good choices as they build new lives in Boston.

Watch for news and updates of Somali Youth Program trips and events.