We are delighted to announce that NACCOM has been chosen as one of the three charities for the 2017 Guardian and Observer Charity Appeal. The appeal runs from 8th December until 7th January and this year the focus is on youth homelessness and destitution. The other two charities involved are Centrepoint and Depaul UK. 

Introduction to NACCOM

NACCOM is a national network that was set up in 2006 and became a registered charity in 2015. The charity’s vision is to see an end to destitution amongst asylum seekers, refugees and migrants with no recourse to public funds living in the UK, by resourcing member organisations to develop their services and advocate for changes in the system.

The network includes over 40 members that are providing accommodation (including housing, night shelters and hosting schemes) to people who cannot access mainstream support and accommodation, and in the last year accommodated 1,907 people.  For more details on the impact of our members’ work, see our 2016-17 annual report.

Core activities include; encouraging and supporting the set-up or development of projects to increase provision of bed spaces and support for asylum seekers and migrants with NRPF, producing resources and running events to share knowledge and promote best practice, and commissioning evaluation, advice or other work for the benefit of member organisations. Members are also supported to gather and share data and stories that illustrate the extent and impact of destitution and the positive outcomes that can be achieved.

NACCOM also works with others to ensure collaborative working where appropriate and shared learning across the wider homelessness and refugee and migrant sectors. Find out more about our Vision and activities here.

What will happen to the donations?

NACCOM will use its share of the appeal donations to build capacity within the network and support frontline projects providing accommodation for people with no recourse to public funds (NRPF). This will primarily take place through a grant application process, with more details to be shared with members as soon as possible.

How can I find out more?

You can read more about all three charities involved in the appeal by clicking here. In addition, the Guardian and the Observer will be running three stories about our members and the experiences of people with NRPF in the coming weeks. These will be available on Saturdays or Sundays over the period. Keep a look out for these and please share widely!

In the meantime, to donate directly or share the link with your wider networks please click here. To engage with the appeal on social media, use the hashtag #BreaktheChain.

Thank you for your interest and support.