The Government's new universal youth programme, ConneXions, identifies young people from minority ethnic groups, asylum seekers and refugees as targeted 'at risk' groups. This research project of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation examined the position of young people within London's Turkish-speaking community. This is itself fragmented into three main groups: Cypriot Turks, mainland Turks and Kurdish refugees.
According to the 2001 census, 45 per cent of Britain's people from minority ethnic communities live in London, where they comprise 29 per cent of all residents. Yet surprisingly little is known about many of Britain's smaller minority communities. This project looked at the position of young people within one such grouping, London's Turkish-speaking community. This community is itself fragmented, comprising three main groups: Cypriot Turks, mainland Turks and Kurdish refugees. Very little research has explored the British component of the Turkish diaspora and particularly how the young people are adapting to their lives in Britain.
- Turks do not occupy a clear position in the white/non-white divide upon which current understanding of 'ethnic minorities' is based.
- Some young Turkish-speaking people believe they suffer discrimination and harassment from white people, from some minority groups and even from some other Turkish-speaking groups.
- Truancy and exclusion from school are problems for the Turkish-speaking young people, especially the Kurds, nearly a quarter of whom in the sample had been excluded.
- Few of the Turkish-speaking young people in the survey have many qualifications to help them in the labour market.
- Most of the young people with qualifications stay on in further education but need to have part-time work to fund their studies.
- The young Turks and Kurds clearly use, indeed rely on, family and kin links to help them through risky and extended transitions from adolescence to adulthood.
- Few are in employment with employers outside their own ethnic economy.
- The majority of young people do not consider looking for a job outside London, though are willing to move to a different country.
- The young people are ambivalent about what it means to be British and most are reluctant to adopt that identity. Neither do they see themselves as part of a broader Muslim community.
An excellent article and a very informative site.
www.birminghamuk.com
Posted by: Birmingham UK Com | February 17, 2005 at 04:53 PM
their are more kurds than turks living in london
Posted by: devrim | March 18, 2005 at 08:41 AM