Barriers to Social Inclusion that Affect Somali Youth in Toronto, 2005

To identify barriers to social inclusion faced by Somali youth living in Toronto, focus group discussions were held with 21 Somali youth, parents of Somali youth, and community service providers. Qualitative analysis of the data revealed that participants shared (1) dealing with racism and discrimination, (2) awareness of the depressed economic status of their community, and (3) relying on their own community for services and support. The results showed that social exclusion was experienced in education, during the process of seeking employment and in accessing recreation services. The extent to which such social inclusion was experienced was gauged using the Laidlaw Foundation framework, which includes the dimensions of: valued recognition, human development, involvement and engagement, proximity and material well-being. Using such measures, lived experiences were meaningfully categorized for analysis. Participants exhibited love and respect for the culture and values they share and expressed readiness to educate and inform others about the traditions that shape their lives.