NACCOM warmly invites members, partners and supporters to our Annual Conference in April 2025, which also marks 10 years since NACCOM's founding as a charity.

'Marking 10 years of solidarity in action'

Our annual conference is an opportunity for NACCOM members and partners to come together in-person to share good practice, skills and strategies to end destitution in both the short and long-term. The environment for those in the asylum and immigration system continues to be an increasingly difficult one, but the conference will be a chance for us to come together in solidarity, as well as looking back at the past work of NACCOM and its members, and see how those lessons can help us end destitution in the future.

Attendees will hear from frontline charity leaders, people with lived experience, and other experts from across the homelessness and refugee sectors, as we explore key challenges and opportunities to inform and support our collective work this year through a range of interactive workshops, presentations and panel discussions.

Key conference and workshop themes will include:

Looking at different approaches for housing provision
Supporting those granted refugee status to avoid homelessness
Exploring the current political context for asylum and immigration
Tackling difficult discussions in our communities
Expanding access to immigration advice
Emergency accommodation post-COVID
The importance of lived experience in building welcoming communities
Reflections on NACCOM's vision and looking forward to the next 10 years

Key information:

Date: Wednesday 9th April 2025

Location: Manchester (Postcode M1 - An 11 minute walk from Manchester Victoria Station). We will send the full address to attendees after they have signed up.

Timing: Arrival from 9.30am, for a 10am start. The conference will end at 4pm.

Keynote speech: 'Imagining freedom: moving away from identity politics and towards communities of solidarity’, with Martha Awojobi

Our inspirational keynote speaker this year will be Martha Awojob, CEO of JMB Consulting, an award-winning fundraiser, and curator of Uncharitable (formerly #BAMEOnline). Through her work, Martha supports the charity sector to move beyond tokenistic and performative diversity gestures and grapple with the legacy of racism, imperialism and colonialism.

Panel discussion: What next? 10 years on: Reflections on NACCOM’s vision to end destitution for people in the asylum and immigration system

We're delighted to welcome an exciting panel to reflect on our ten-year milestone, and look ahead to what the future of the charity might look like. In a discussion chaired by Shukry Adan, NACCOM trustee, we'll be joined by;

Julian Prior, Consultant, former CEO of Action Foundation and founder Chair of NACCOM
Bonnie Williams, CEO, Housing Justice
Nico Ndlovu, NACCOM Community Researcher
Sophie Wickham, Executive Director, AFRIL
Jennie Corbett, Strategy Principal - Asylum and Migration, Greater Manchester Combined Authority

Workshops: please see the workshop info below, each delegate will be able to attend 2 workshops during the day (1 morning & 1 afternoon). You will be able to let us know your workshop choices during the ticketing process.

::: Morning workshops :::

Workshop 1: All things housing: Exploring housing provision across the NACCOM network

Housing has always been at the core of the NACCOM network, with approximately 50% of our accommodation schemes involved in some form of housing provision.

This workshop will provide a space to explore the different approaches taking place across the network for the provision and management of housing for both people seeking asylum, other migrants with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF), or for refugees and others with the right to rent.

Join us to hear from NACCOM members with experience in this area, and for an extended Q&A to explore any topic relating to setting up and managing housing schemes.

Workshop 2: Refugee move-on: The transition to living independently

Receiving a grant of refugee status should be a moment of joy and relief, but for many, this can quickly turn into uncertainty and even crisis, as people are faced with the threat of homelessness when their asylum support is stopped.

Over the past few years refugee homelessness has risen dramatically, exacerbated by the housing crisis. This workshop will provide a space to explore approaches taking place across the network to support people with refugee status to avoid homelessness as they move on from asylum accommodation and rebuild their lives.

This interactive workshop will feature presentations and discussion with NACCOM members who provide refugee move-on support, from pre-tenancy training to delivering a lodging scheme.

Workshop 3: The landscape under Labour: Opportunities and challenges for influencing policy change in 2025 and beyond

With the Labour Government now firmly established in office, and following the introduction of their flagship piece of immigration legislation - the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill - what are Labour's priorities for reform of the UK asylum and immigration system, and how can voluntary sector organisations, including those in devolved nations, effectively mobilise and push for policy change? In this workshop we'll explore the current political context, and opportunities and challenges in key policy areas to prevent and end migrant and refugee destitution and homelessness.

The session will look at the national and devolved contexts, and how frontline organisations interested or involved in influencing and campaigning work can impactfully collaborate.

Workshop 4: Making space to talk about troubling subjects with Who is Your Neighbour?

The violent riots of Summer 2024 highlighted deep-rooted issues of division in communities across the UK.

Who is Your Neighbour? (WiYN?) is a South Yorkshire-based charity that facilitates meaningful dialogues on challenging topics like race, immigration and cultural change, helping to bridge divides through empathy and curiosity. It offers training, resources and support to share valuable lessons learned from its work in Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and Sheffield, where its conversations have proven effective in building resilience against divisive narratives and fostering more inclusive communities.

This workshop is an opportunity to learn about WiYN?’s work, how it can create lasting change and the training opportunities available.

::: Afternoon workshops :::

Workshop 5: A vital safety net: Rethinking emergency accommodation

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, traditional communal night shelters were a key component of many NACCOM members’ accommodation offer to people seeking asylum with NRPF.

This workshop will explore how the provision of night shelters and other forms of emergency accommodation has evolved in a post-Covid-19 environment.

We’ll hear how three different projects have evolved and adapted and discuss the ongoing role and place for night shelters in meeting the immediate needs of those either left homeless due to the housing crisis or their NRPF status.

Workshop 6: The justice gap: Expanding access to immigration advice

This workshop will explore practical strategies for improving access to quality immigration advice and justice. Speakers will share insights on how to navigate IAA accreditation, develop and scale advice services, and ensure that the advice we provide is high-quality. We will also discuss how we can collectively respond to the challenging context of the ongoing legal aid crisis and the sharp rise of appellants without legal representation.

Workshop 7: Designing more welcoming communities

What does a welcoming local community look like? Momentum is building around calls to move to a decentralised asylum accommodation system, and with it comes an opportunity to think about how cities, regions and communities receive people who are seeking asylum. How can people be supported to settle and make homes for themselves in our communities? What services and infrastructure is needed? What is the role of NACCOM member organisations? And how do we ensure people with lived experience are central to answering these questions?

In this interactive workshop we will come together to think imaginatively and creatively about what a better welcome for people seeking sanctuary in our local areas can – and should - look like.

Workshop 8: Working towards a future without destitution: Where next for the NACCOM network

Is it possible to design destitution out of the asylum and immigration system for good?

This workshop will be a chance to continue the reflections and discussions from the earlier panel, not just about NACCOM’s role in ending homelessness and destitution, but in how different organisations can play a role in our collective eco-system.

The workshop will include discussions on working with refugees and those with No Recourse to Public Funds, and people who are undocumented or have unclear status.

Other info:

Refreshments: Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

Tickets: £45 per person for NACCOM members; £90 per person for non-members.

Subsidised tickets: We have a small number of subsidies to provide free tickets for people with lived experience and for organisations who feel the cost would be a barrier to them being able to attend. Please contact us on office@naccom.org.uk or call 0161 706 0185 for further information about accessing this.

Purchasing multiple tickets: If you are purchasing tickets for multiple people in your organisation, you will need to provide each delegates' workshop choices, dietary requirements, access needs, photo consent and consent to share their name at the event.

All queries: office@naccom.org.uk or call 0161 706 0185

NACCOM Annual Conference 2025: Marking 10 years of solidarity in action