Somali Disability & Elderly Support Group
Charity 1100331
Overview
Summary
Somali Disability & Elderly Support Group appears to be a community-rooted access and support organisation for Somali people in the West Midlands whose needs may be compounded by disability, ageing, poverty or unfamiliarity with services. Its model seems to combine practical navigation of statutory and voluntary support with peer-based carer connection. Although its stated scope spans children, older people and people with disabilities, the available activity evidence suggests that reducing barriers to existing services is currently central to its role.
Operational geography
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Bordesley Green
Confidence: medium
The current 2024/25 report identifies a regularly attended SODES Centre and describes its two active projects as benefiting the local community. The report and the Charity Commission record consistently identify the charity with Bordesley Green. This is strong evidence of a service base in Bordesley Green, although the evidence does not explicitly state that every activity is delivered there.
- Charity Commission Register of Charities, charity 1100331 — 2024/25 accounts and AGM report. ([register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk](https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search?_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_objectiveId=A17243760&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_priv_r_p_mvcRenderCommandName=%2Faccounts-and-annual-returns&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_priv_r_p_organisationNumber=4001823&p_p_cacheability=cacheLevelPage&p_p_id=uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet&p_p_lifecycle=2&p_p_mode=view&p_p_resource_id=%2Faccounts-resource&p_p_state=maximized))
The report identifies SODES in Bordesley Green; records the AGM venue as the SODES Centre; and says clients regularly attend the centre. - Charity Commission Register of Charities, charity 1100331 — 2024/25 accounts and AGM report. ([register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk](https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search?_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_objectiveId=A17243760&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_priv_r_p_mvcRenderCommandName=%2Faccounts-and-annual-returns&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_priv_r_p_organisationNumber=4001823&p_p_cacheability=cacheLevelPage&p_p_id=uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet&p_p_lifecycle=2&p_p_mode=view&p_p_resource_id=%2Faccounts-resource&p_p_state=maximized))
The report states that, in 2024, SODES had two projects—an after-school club and a care service project—which had a positive impact on the local community in Birmingham.
Remaining uncertainties
- The Charity Commission's current profile records Birmingham City as the area where the charity operates, supporting a citywide overall footprint. However, the available current report does not identify neighbourhoods, outreach venues or beneficiary locations beyond the Bordesley Green service base; it therefore does not demonstrate routine delivery across every part of Birmingham.
- The evidence reasonably links the SODES Centre to Bordesley Green, but does not explicitly confirm that it is the centre's service-delivery premises rather than solely a registered or correspondence address.
- The current report describes liaison with social services, mental-health services, GPs and social workers, and referrals to other organisations. It does not identify named partners or show that these relationships create additional fixed delivery locations, so no partnership-based operational areas have been recorded.
- The Charity Commission profile states that the charity does not own or lease land or property. This does not rule out use of a centre or premises owned by another party, but leaves the tenure and operational status of the SODES Centre unclear.
- The available evidence does not confirm current session locations, catchment areas or partner arrangements.
Additional evidence needed
- A current service timetable or venue list confirming the locations used for the after-school club, carers support, drop-in advice and care-service activity.
- Current monitoring or annual-report data showing the home areas of service users, referral origins or any regular outreach locations within Birmingham.
- Named partnership agreements, commissioned-service specifications or referral protocols that show whether any partners materially extend delivery beyond the SODES Centre.
- Confirmation from the organisation of whether the SODES Centre is its active delivery site and whether it uses any other premises.
Areas of work
- Amateur Sport
- Disability
- Economic/community Development/employment
- Education/training
- General Charitable Purposes
- The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty
Who they help
- Children/young People
- Elderly/old People
- People Of A Particular Ethnic Or Racial Origin
- People With Disabilities
How they help
- Provides Advocacy/advice/information
- Provides Services
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A bridge into wider support systems
The organisation appears to operate less as a specialist provider of care itself and more as a trusted intermediary, helping people understand, reach and use statutory and voluntary services.
Why it matters
This suggests its value may lie in overcoming access barriers such as language, paperwork and system complexity—barriers that can prevent support from reaching people even where services already exist.
Show evidence
“Drop in service giving information, form filling, access to services, interpreting etc.”
Source:Organisation“Provides Advocacy/advice/information.”
Source:Charity Commission
Carers may be a strategically important entry point
The fortnightly carers group may enable the organisation to support families around disabled or older people indirectly as well as supporting individual beneficiaries directly.
Why it matters
Supporting carers can strengthen household resilience, spread knowledge through family networks and surface unmet needs that are not visible through one-to-one advice alone.
Show evidence
“Fortnightly carers support group meeting giving valuable information to families about services and support available from statutory and voluntary organisation.”
Source:Organisation“The relief of Somalis resident in West Midlands who are in need by reason of poverty, sickness, disablement or old age.”
Source:Charity Commission
A broad mandate, with limited evidence of how priorities are balanced
The organisation has permission to work across multiple life stages and needs, but the available activities foreground disability, ageing and family support more clearly than its wider education, recreation, employment and sport remit.
Why it matters
This may indicate either a flexible community organisation responding to changing needs or a gap between formal charitable scope and current delivery. Clarifying this would improve understanding of its strategic role.
Show evidence
“Children/young People, Elderly/old People, People With Disabilities, People Of A Particular Ethnic Or Racial Origin.”
Source:Charity Commission“General Charitable Purposes, Education/training, Disability, The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty, Amateur Sport, Economic/community Development/employment.”
Source:Charity Commission“Fortnightly carers support group meeting giving valuable information to families about services and support available from statutory and voluntary organisation.”
Source:Organisation
- Which beneficiary groups use the drop-in and carers group most often.
- Whether the organisation delivers education, recreation, employment or sport activities in practice.
- Which statutory and voluntary organisations it most frequently connects people with.
Remaining uncertainties
- Recent service data showing attendance, referrals, languages used and beneficiary needs.
- A current activity plan or annual report describing programmes, partnerships and outcomes.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
Fortnightly carers support group meeting giving valuable information to families about services and support available from statutory and voluntary organisation. Drop in service giving information, form filling , access to services, interpreting etc.
Charity objects
1. THE RELIEF OF SOMALIANS RESIDENT IN WEST MIDLANDS (THE BENEFICIARIES) WHO ARE IN NEED BY REASON OF POVERTY, SICKNESS, DISABLEMENT OR OLD AGE BY SUCH CHARITABLE PURPOSES AS THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE SHALL DETERMINE AND TO ADVANCE THE EDUCATION OF THE SAID BENEFICIARIES 2. THE PROVISION OF RECREATION AND OTHER LEISURE OCCUPATION FOR THE SAID BENEFICIARIES IN THE INTERESTS OF SOCIAL WELFARE WITH THE OBJECT OF IMPROVING THEIR CONDITIONS OF LIFE