Somali Project
Saynap Isman, Project Leader at London Borough of Ealing and Nizar Dhanji, Student EHO at Middlesex University, explain how Ealing developed the Somali Project that formed links between Somali food businesses and the Council.
Summary
The Somali Project was funded by an FSA grant and ran from July to September 2004. The project included:Proactive visits from officers from the London Borough of Ealing
The organisation and running of trade seminars
Food handling training sessions for food premises staff.
The Somali community is a relatively new immigrant group, which has settled in more deprived parts of the borough. More than 35 cafes/restaurants offering Somali dishes have been opened. There are also over 5 butchers/grocery stores as well as over 15 Internet cafes where food is served.
Officers from Ealing Council’s Environmental Health and Trading Standards division worked with the Somali community and businesses to raise the standards of food hygiene through a programme of training, practical advice and a seminar. At the same time businesses were informed of the consequences of poor food hygiene.
Project Name: The Somali Project
Project Start Date: 2004
Project Location Type: City
Project Origins and original aims/Objectives and purpose of the project:
Routine food hygiene inspections identified hygiene problems with a small number of Somali run food premises. It was decided that to address this a collaborative approach was needed. The premises were run by Somali people, many of whom had recently immigrated to the UK. Many of the proprietors did not know where to go for help and if they did they were often wary of dealing with Council officers. Officers began giving advice to businesses and the number of businesses identified grew from 6 to 24. The London Borough of Ealing put in a bid to the FSA for a grant from the 4Cs (cooking, cross-contamination, cleaning and chilling) National Food Hygiene Campaign. This provided funding for an intensive 3 months project.
Organisations Involved:
1. Ealing Council’s Environmental Health and Trading Standards division.
2. Ealing Primary Care Trust
3. Somali outreach officer
4. Somali food hygiene trainer
Target Audience:
Local food businesses run by the Somali community.
Methodology:
During the routine inspection regime officers identified some problems with Somali food premises. A small project was initiated to help the businesses improve their compliance. This initiative grew from the initial six premises identified to around 24 food premises.
Officers conducted research by visiting proprietors and talking to them. Officers initially faced some resentment but as they gained trust they identified that businesses did not know who to contact at the council for advice. A Somali speaking officer was able act as an interface between the Somali community and the Authority and help direct businesses to the correct department on matters other than just food hygiene and standards.
After issues had been identified a programme of helping businesses to improve was established. This broke down learning into manageable and achievable "chunks" that included explanation of why legislation is in place, why inspections are carried out and the consequences of failing to comply.
The programme had been in place for almost a year when in March 2004 a bid was submitted to the FSA for funds from its 4Cs National Food Hygiene Campaign. The bid was successful and allowed the planning of a three months intense programme to give further advice to Somali businesses.
With this grant the Authority were able to fully dedicate resources to the project for three months during the summer of 2004.
Funding:
Total costs have been £10,815 plus team leader time.
The funding came from:
- Ealing Council’s Environmental Health and Trading Standards division budget.
- Grant from Food Standards Agency National Food Hygiene Campaign
Recruitment:
One Administrative Officer was seconded to take the lead role of the project. A student EHO assisted the project leader. Senior management fully supported the project and the Director of Environmental Health and Housing attended and addressed the business support seminar. Additional council resources included staff in the Environmental Health and Trading Standards division as well as a business advisor.
Activities/Sessions;
In June 2004 a consultation programme commenced. Questionnaires were circulated and often completed by the business proprietors during face-to-face sessions with the project leader and student EHO. This method was used to ensure completion of the questionnaires as it was felt that replies would not be received if the questionnaires were sent out by post. After this was completed, a report was drawn up and planning for the project commenced.
The project ran for three months (July to September 2004) and saw a concerted effort during this period by staff dedicated to the programme.
The team worked closely with community leaders and used the community’s own experiences. The project also targeted households, and especially women as traditionally women were involved in much of the preparation and cooking of food.
Informal surgeries (mostly held in the workplace) were held with the emphasis on implementing ‘good food hygiene practices’
Training and education are an integral part of this project. Two food hygiene courses (Foundation Certificate in Food Hygiene – Level 1) have been conducted in Somali providing the food handlers with a certificate in the basic level of food hygiene. 11 Candidates have successfully passed the course. Initially, it was planned not to charge for the course but advice was received that suggested there would be a higher attendance if a charge was made as those who had paid would turn up on the day. It was also thought that a course with a fee would have more credibility than a free course.
A food safety pack has been produced in Somali acting as a revision aid to those food handlers attending the course. The food safety pack has been provided to all existing as will be provided to all new Somali food premises in the borough. In addition, this valuable resource pack will be made available to the Food Standards Agency as well as local authorities.
Four fact sheets covering the 4Cs have been translated into Somali.
Business premises were provided with thermometers and probe wipes and officers demonstrated best practice to raise awareness of food hygiene issues as well as reducing incidents of food poisoning. Emphasis had been put on practical realities of the risks and how to avoid them in anticipation of moving to an understanding of critical control points.
A Business Support Seminar was held with the aim of putting Somali businesses in direct contact with financial bodies as well as other business related agencies. As a Muslim community, Somali businesses have to operate within the Islamic principles of borrowing money. Ealing Council invited representatives from the Islamic Bank and Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC) to advise on options available for accessing funds within Islamic principles. This is a support mechanism in preparation of anticipated business growth and expansion resulting from this project.
The work has been highlighted in Environmental Health Journal and frank (Ealing Council’s Newspaper). The team exhibited at the LACORS Well Being Conference in March and Ealing Council was short listed in the "Community Involvement" category of the LGA Awards 2005.
Other Resources:
The following are required for success:
Venue:
Officers visited the food business premises both when researching the needs of the businesses and to give practical advice of best practice. The majority of the training and advice was given at the premises of the food businesses.
Other resources:
Literature translated into Somali
Luxury Resources:
Somali speaking officer
Sustainability:
The project itself ran for three months of intense activity and the funding was for a specific time period. The participating businesses are in the routine programme of inspections but businesses still have a contact number. Plans are being made to ensure that each officer will have responsibility for enquiries from different groups.
Evaluation:
11 candidates attended 2 hygiene courses and all successfully passed the course.
A B2B Seminar was held in Southall. It was well attended and positive feedback was received from those attending.
As a direct result of the project the department has received over a dozen enquiries from people enquiring about how to open a food business and six new food businesses have opened. This means that practical advice can be given to food businesses before they open.
Many of the food businesses involved in the scheme have had their risk ratings reduced. This has been due to confidence in the procedures that have been put in place and food handlers using skills gained from participating in the project.
Lessons Learnt:
More work of this nature should be encouraged in local authorities where large pockets of communities reside
Resources are needed to engage with the community, identify their needs and to offer advice to vulnerable groups in the appropriate way. However, it is felt that the commitment of such resources does benefit in practical ways
Time spent with individual businesses enable officers to give practical support and this has complemented the enforcement role
Future developments:
The links made with the Somali speaker trainer are to be maintained
Each officer in the division will have responsibility for a specific group and will be the initial contact point for enquiries
This project has now completed and remains on the Food Vision site as an example of a great food project, the project team can no longer be contacted.