Council of Somali Organisations

Who we are

Introduction to Council of Somali Organisations

CSO is a national second tier organisation set up for the Somali Voluntary and Community Sectors to assist as an umbrella organisation. It aims to provide a collective voice for the Somali Community in the UK in areas of Health & Wellbeing, Criminal Justice, Education, Poverty Reduction and Economic empowerment. 

We were set up by Somali community leaders in 2011 with the support of City Bridge Trust and Trust for London, to address the specific and varied needs of the Somali diaspora and organisations working with this much misunderstood community. 

Our primary aims are to: improve the quality of services provided by member VCOs, through capacity building support, including via training and business surgeries; to provide a true picture of the diverse Somali community, its needs, aspirations and achievements, through publication of research; to influence policy so as to ensure the voice and interests of Somalis are represented, through campaign and policy work. We also provide leadership training to help address the deficit and to ensure Somalis take up places around decision-making tables, influence policy and laws. 

The CSO’s Board as result of the Members Needs Assessment conducted in 2019 and a review of CSOâ€TMs objectives has identified that the 3 major strategic themes for the next 3 years are; 

● Education; 

● Employment; 

● Health and Wellbeing; 

● and with the overarching theme of Criminal Justice across .