Join us as we mark South Asian Heritage Month 2024, by sharing some stories from our Action Together member organisations to highlight the richness and diversity of their South Asian Heritage, and find out just what this celebration means to them.
Here's our interview with Rochdale based KYP, a leading community/voluntary organisation, who are celebrating a staggering 44 years of providing services and support to the communities of Rochdale!
Can you tell us about yourself and your organisation?
Kashmir Youth Project (KYP), founded in 1979, is a prominent VCSE organisation based in central Rochdale. As an independent charity with a rich history spanning over four decades, KYP is well recognised and trusted in the community and is committed to fostering the development and economic regeneration of South Asian and other ethnically diverse communities in the borough of Rochdale. We strive to empower people to achieve their potential, enhance their prosperity and live sustainably.
The organisation was established by a group of young people to assist individuals and communities adjust to the impact of the decline of the textile industry and the closure of mills in which many people of South Asian origin were employed. The initial focus was to provide advice on benefits & welfare rights and support people find alternative employment. The focus very quickly shifted (based on emerging needs) to raising youth aspirations, learning new skills and promoting access to further education.
What have you done for your community that you would like people to know about?
We have a solid track record of engaging with and providing support to individuals from South Asian backgrounds (Pakistan, Kashmir, Bangladesh) and to those from other diverse and marginalised communities (including refugees and asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Ukraine, Syria, Somalia, etc).
KYP’s support to the communities culminates in:
- Over 30 years of employment and skills training to the local community – including Community Learning, AEB, Apprenticeships and SSFW.
- 30 years of providing on-site childcare through our Little Gems Nursery
- Over 15 years of delivering Adult care through the Unity House / Apna Ghar facilities
- Over 15 years delivery of Ethnic Minority Business Support
- Successful delivery of the AMIF programme (including ESOL, Integration, LIUK support) reaching over 964 people over four years
- 711 TCN’s, 182 Afghans, 71 Ukrainians (78.9%) achieved either Life in the UK or ESOL qualification.
- 30 years of managed workspace for new business startups and existing businesses
Our current provision includes:
- Adult Education – Childcare, Health and Social Care, Maths and English
- Little Gems Nursery - a 37-place community Nursery
- KYP Pantry – Providing culturally and religiously appropriate food
- Advice and Welfare Service – Free bilingual face to face service
- Job Club – Employability support
- Apna Ghar – Day care for older men and women
- Social Prescribing – Referrals from network partners
- Community Facilities – Community functions and events
- Restart Programme- Employability and ESOL courses
- Tackling Health Inequalities – Addressing Health and Wellbeing for BAME Women
- GMCA/WEA – Community Engagement and progression opportunities
- Rochdale Ethnic Communities Network – KYP Leads this network of organisations and Leaders
- GM Ethnic Communities Network – KYP is part of the Leadership Group and is represented on the Board of Directors
- Rochdale Diversity Awards – KYP manages and hosts these prestigious Awards
What is KYP doing for South Asian Heritage Month?
We're holding several events including;
Celebration of Women’s Voices through Creative Writing (Poetry) in collaboration with the Hard Pressed Heritage Project run by Commonword | Tuesday 23 July 2024 at Kashmir Youth Project.
Celebrating and showcasing the contributions of people from South Asia to Rochdale and wider society in collaboration with Crescent Community Radio | Tuesday 13 August 2024 at Kashmir Youth Project.
Why do you feel it is important to celebrate South Asian Heritage Month?
It's important to celebrate South Asian Heritage because:
- It acknowledges and values people’s heritage and culture
- It instils a sense of pride and promotes positive self-identity
- It acknowledges people’s contribution to the borough (and British society)
- It instils civic pride, citizenship, and a sense of belonging (to the borough of Rochdale/wider society)
- It fosters unity and harmony
- It creates an opportunity for social inclusion, and sharing of knowledge/culture
- It provides an alternative perspective to what people may have assumed, or been taught in school
What change would you like to see in Rochdale that would benefit the South Asian community?
Often, due to historic and political tendencies, people of South Asian heritage are misrepresented or stereotypically depicted.
Many first generation people of South Asian heritage who came in the early 1970s settled in locations close to the textile mills in the borough. These localities, over time, have steadily declined and the people within these neighbourhoods have been caught up and find themselves in disadvantage due to the neighbourhood and lack of investment within such localities. This has spiralled downwards and the neighbourhoods have featured in the Indices of Multiple Deprivation for over two-three decades. Few individuals and families have overcome barriers and managed to become socially mobile, but quite a sizeable proportion of the South Asian community fall within the poverty trap due to location, circumstances, lack of suitable education, lack of skills, lack of opportunities, etc, due to years of oversight by the public and statutory sector failing to address the root causes.
We would like to see these inequalities and root causes addressed and challenged so that the next generation of young people do not have to suffer the consequences, so that they too can benefit from the opportunities and values Great Britain espouses.
We would like to recommend the recognition of the Kashmiri community in Rochdale for its contribution to the borough.
We would also like to recommend the recognition of the Kashmiri community as a separate group with its own language, culture and Heritage and not to be included in the category of British Pakistani when services are planned.
And finally, what would you say to people of South Asian heritage in Greater Manchester to inspire them to make a difference in the community or wider?
Many first and second generation of South Asians have lived and grown up in Rochdale and consider themselves as active citizens of the borough. This their home and future. They are an integral part of the community and contribute to the local economy and social infrastructure. They are proud to be 'Rochdalians' and love the borough and the country. The experience, resilience, perseverance and determination is enough to inspire others; this needs to be showcased and celebrated alongside any other specific contributions they have made to make their borough and country a better place to live and work in.
KYP is proud that amongst the founder members of the organisation, we have a few honoured dignitaries; Lord Qurban Hussain of Luton; Mohammed Habeebullah OBE; Shahid Malik (former General Manager of KYP) elected MP who became the first Muslim heritage Minister in 2007.
There are a number of other prominent people who have started their career in KYP such as Councillor Dalaat Ali, Deputy Leader of the Council; Cllr Iftikar Ahmed – Portfolio Holder for Health, Abdul Hamied – Deputy Director Strategic Partnerships – NHS England. etc
