The majority of the Turkish/Kurdish/Cypriot Turkish communities in the UK (~200,000) live in North London, with their economic activity concentrated in the catering, hospitality and retail sectors – e.g. kebab and café shops, off-licences and supermarkets. They face issues of job insecurity, poor working conditions, low wages, overtime and, at times, lack of legal rights. All these factors condemn the community to work and live in isolation from the mainstream, causing knock-on effects on their work and social lives. The majority of workers in these fields are male, as men are perceived as the breadwinners; women are expected to stay home in a life often confined to the kitchen, house chores and raising children.

An estimated 50,000 members of these communities live in and around the Boroughs of Hackney, Haringey, Islington and Enfield. They are a mix of new arrivals in need of support, those somewhat settled but with educational, employment and social needs, and those who are well settled and engage with community networks as a focal point of social provision and keeping in touch with the community.

Within these three groups, there is a wide age range with varying needs. When refugees first arrive, immigration, employment, welfare, and housing advice are their foremost needs, including ESOL training and a support structure. If such a network is not there to support new arrivals, they can quickly become isolated, stuck in temporary accommodation and miss out on opportunities for education and integration. They tend to engage with the community on a daily basis and need intensive support to integrate and establish a new life.

As a community in which patriarchal social practices and conceptions are prevalent, elderly women, recent arrivals, and women with childcare/domestic burdens become even further marginalised. Such women often lead isolated lives and are susceptible to vulnerability. Barriers of communication with English as a second language prevent access to other community services, and many experience social and emotional problems. Lack of confidence, low self-esteem and barriers in communication further limit their opportunities to integrate and access appropriate help, learning, development or employment, increasing their isolation even further. They mainly stay at home, their contact limited to neighbours from the same community and local Turkish shops or restaurants. This all hampers women’s integration into life in the UK as migrants and the mainstream as isolated women.

As both migrants and urban inner city youth, Turkish and Kurdish young people also face serious issues by being amongst the lowest educational achievers in Hackney and Haringey and a group with high levels of childhood obesity. They often have difficulties linking into mainstream employment opportunities and services. They under perform in school, have recently arrived in UK, have family difficulties, need support and encouragement, have language needs, and are either not aware of or do not participate in local services. They frequently face discrimination in the education system, the labour market, and even access to social provision.

For further information on the communities see here.

http://sprc.info/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/DayMer-Final-Report-final.pdf