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34
Report of the Welfare Officer (Miss I. O. D. Harrison, S.S.D.(Lond.),
M.I.W.O.)
On first taking up my appointment in December, 1959, I
found that as it was a new and rather unique type of appointment
there were no clear-cut terms of reference and that the description
of my function was open to wide interpretation. Until I had been
able to ascertain what the problems were it was obviously impossible
for me to form a plan of campaign for tackling them. To this end
my first step was to get to know the other official and voluntary
officers and associations and authorities in the area who were in
some way concerned with the problem. In this way I was able to
see the size and variety of problems that existed in the Borough
and to see how deeply the non-white and other migrant people
were concerned and involved with these problems.
In parallel with these enquiries and introductions I made it
my business to introduce myself to, and make contact with, organisations
and authorities and the various interested people who were
experiencing problems of approximately the same type in their
respective areas, including those outside London. This extended
of course to the Migrants Division. My reception by all these
people was a most cordial one. They were most helpful particularly
because they felt here was an officer who would be able to deal with
those problems which, in their opinion, presented particular
difficulties. At the same time none of them seemed at all clear about
what my exact function was, or what responsibilities or powers
(if any) I had. In the initial stage I was fortunate in not being
pressed to be concise about my duties, as in fact I was not then quite
certain how things would develop. It is a matter of interest—one
might say self-interest—that I was introduced and addressed by
most people with the description which probably suited their own
particular interpretation of my function, i.e., Welfare Officer
Coloured People, Welfare Officer West Indians, West Indian Social
Case Worker, Information Officer, Community Relations Officer,
Coloured People's Visitor and the like.
At an early stage it became imperative to make it abundantly
clear that my function was not just to be concerned with coloured
people or just West Indians. It was necessary for me repeatedly
to stress to many people that I was concerned with problems caused
directly or indirectly by any newcomers to the Borough who by
advent caused problems or found problems thrust upon them.
Nevertheless, quite understandably I very shortly found that
an enormous number of non-white people with problems were
being referred to me when the problems were appropriate to the
organisation which was referring them. The only reason in fact
why I was getting these problems was because their colour or accent
was making them different. This I suggested was because those
who came from overseas could be puzzling to most people and that
those referring them tended to hope that I had specific knowledge
and ability for dealing with them, and therefore I should be able
to assist. Approaches of this kind needed to be dealt with very
firmly. In the first place the various appropriate organisations
officially exist and should deal with them, and should try to understand
that a person who is not a native of Paddington does not