Vision

Our vision is to contribute and work towards a physically and mentally healthy Somali community and other BME communities in London, whose members are empowered, self-reliant and integrated within the wider society, can exercise their rights, and take informed decisions about the issues affecting their lives.

Mission

All our work is dedicated to building skills and confidence, and promoting integration and social cohesion, within the Somali community and other BME communities in London.  For some particularly vulnerable groups (such as the elderly, people with physical or mental health problems, single mothers with young children, etc.) this goal is harder to achieve, which is why we run tailored programmes for them.

Values of Hodan

• We value equality, interdependence, community integration and social cohesion
• We are committed to diversity and advocate social justice in all we do
• We make the most of our resources and deliver excellent value for money
• We put the needs of our users at the forefront of everything we do
• We ensure that services are co-designed with users, and everyone can share ideas
• We put evaluation and monitoring at the heart of our work, and constantly reassess our services
• We diversify our services by working in partnerships and collaborations
• We are responsive and flexible, and respond effectively to funding challenges

Somali cultural values shaping the work of Hodan

In addition to Hodan’s specific organisational values, our work is also strongly rooted in the values of the Somali community as a whole.  During consultations, Hodan service users identified these values as follows:

• Recognition that we are all interdependent
• Strong bonds of brotherhood between men, and sisterhood between women
• Sincere and spontaneous mutual support, especially in times of illness, financial hardship, or if someone dies
• Respect for the wisdom and life experience of older generations
• Raising children to understand, love and share their culture – including traditional Somali art forms (e.g. singing, dancing, poetry, knitting), knowledge of livestock and how to care for them, traditional food, clothing, and buildings