Room for Refugees
Refugee Hosting Programme UK
(In development in the United States & Europe )

Thank you for your interest in hosting a family or individual or child from a refugee background in your home or property.

Please register your offer to host below.

Room for Refugees was pioneered in Scotland by the charity Positive Action in Housing (SC027577) in 2002. It is now fully operational in Scotland, England and Wales and assists groups and organisations assisting refugees to make fast referrals online in order to access potential hosts. We are in the process of developing the programme in the United States. Once a person or family in need is referred online, we then screen and match refugees with potential hosts in almost every location you can imagine.  

As of June 2017, we have over 6,500 hosts registered on our system who wish to contribute to helping those from a refugee background in a practical way. Between September 2015 and June 2017 we have successfully arranged over 37,000 nights of shelter. Hosts and guests go through a screening process. We work in partnership with over 300 caseworkers from refugee and homelessness organisations. These include the British Red Cross, Refugee Council, Shelter, Scottish Refugee Council. Freedom from Torture, Migrants Organise, Helen Bamber foundation, PAFRAS and others. We always need and welcome new organisations to partner up with us in different geographical locations.

In the last 18 months we estimate that government and charities have saved over £1 million in the cost of hosting refugees because of this programme. The amount of pastoral support afforded is immeasurable. It has forged lifelong bonds between human beings and transformed lives. Elderly people find long term companions, Young families have adopted grandmothers, Older couples have adopted surrogate sons into their homes and helped them with their studies and future career.

This significant humanitarian resource has the capacity to make a life changing impact on:  
- those affected by the Syrian refugee crisis  
- unaccompanied child refugees in the UK and Europe,
- refugees and those seeking asylum already in the UK and at risk of destitution
- long term destitute refugees who may have given up hope, and whom society has forgotten  

The main purpose of this Programme is to offer free temporary shelter, pastoral support and build bonds of friendship and care between human beings while refugees attempt to find peace and stability in order regularise their status, rebuild their lives and become stable, productive citizens of tomorrow. This is especially important at a time when governments are building walls and fermenting anti-immigrant feeling.  

Room for Refugees is not just a hosting programme, it is also a growing worldwide movement of people who can collectively make change, and we are slowly building networks where hosts can meet and exchange ideas on how to support refugees locally. We encourage proactive casework, and crisis grants for food, travel, and humanitarian assistance for individuals.

For more information, please go to www.roomforrefugees.com or www.wehaveroom.org.uk
We now need some information about you, the accommodation you're offering, and the kind of person/s you are willing to host. Its great if you can take pictures of your home too. Don't worry, all of this information is kept strictly confidential.
Register now
 
What's your first name? *

Just your first name here - we'll take your last name in the next question.
 
Thanks for that, {{answer_10812747}}. What's your last name? *

 
What's your date of birth? *

 
What's your occupation? *

 
And the best phone number? *

We will initially send an email. It's really helpful to talk on the phone about a potential match if we need to.
 
OK, where is the accommodation you're offering to share?

Don't worry about including the country again ...
 
Accommodation address line 1 *

 
Accommodation address line 2

 
Accommodation city/town *

 
Accommodation postcode/zipcode *

 
Accommodation country *

 
Is that your home address? *

     
 
In that case, could we have your home address as well?

 
Home address line 1 *

 
Home address line 2

 
Home city/town *

 
Home postcode/zipcode *

 
Home country *

 
Have you discussed refugee hosting with members of your household? *

     
 
What type of accommodation you're offering? *


 
How many rooms are you offering for guests? *

enter numerical answers only
 
Please upload 3 photos of the accommodation you're offering, if possible

Please include the room(s), along with shared space.
 
Photo 1

 
Photo 2

 
Photo 3

 
How many bedrooms in the property in total? *

enter numerical answers only
 
and how many bathrooms are there, in total? *

enter numerical answers only
 
How many people live there? *

enter numerical answers only
 
Who are they?

Please describe the house hold composition, Ages, occupations, anything you think would be helpful to know.
 
Which of these options best describes your household?


 
Does anyone living there speak languages other than English? Which ones?

 
Do any pets live there? *

     
 
What animals?


 
Who are you willing to host? *

Please note that we will risk assess who it is best to place with you.

 
Which groups would you be happy to have stay?

Bear in mind that refugees are in general excellent guests, and the vast majority are male. All placements are risk assessed and safety for everyone concerned is paramount.

 
How long would you be prepared to host someone? *

The minimum placement is usually for one month with a week's trial, although sometimes emergencies do arise and we ask for people to provide accommodation for a weekend or a few days.

 
Are there any periods when you would not be able to accommodate someone?

It's not always possible to know, but it's helpful if you happen to.
 
What house rules would you ask a guest to follow? *

Don't worry, we'll go through these when arranging any stay and they can be revised as needed.
If you have requirements around what is cooked in the house, please note them here, for example, if you have a vegetarian, vegan, or halal diet and would not be happy for a guest to cook meat or fish, just list the foods that are covered.
 
Tell us more about your household and the accommodation offered. *

We want to match people well so its good to know about any strong views you have, and for example the standards you like to keep for the accommodation offered, eg cleanliness, orderliness etc.
 
Why do you want to host refugees in your home? *

Feel free to say whatever you want here
 
Where did you hear about the Room for Refugees scheme? *

 
You're on the final straight now.

It's very importance to us that everyone involved in hosting is safe, so there are just four questions left, concerning criminal records disclosure.

Everything you tell us on this whole form is confidential and we'll keep your information safe.
 
Do you, or anyone else living in the property, have a criminal record?

In the case of other people, please answer to the best of your knowledge.
     
 
Please disclose full details about your criminal record

Everything you tell us will be treated with the strictest confidence.
 
Do you have a recent criminal record (DBS) check? *

DBS is the Disclosure and Barring Service, formerly known as the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB). It's helpful if you already have a check, but it's by no means required.
     
 
If possible, could you upload a scan of your DBS check?

this isn't compulsory right now but it saves time to have it on file.
 
As a registered host, you may receive confidential information about a refugee, and you have the responsibility to keep that information confidential. *

Please confirm that you accept your responsibility to keep any information you receive about a refugee confidential, and that you will do so before, during, and after any refugee stay. We will ask for verification of any of the information in the event that a guest is found for you.
     
Thank you so much {{answer_10812747}}. Your generous offer will make a real difference to the life of a family or individual in crisis. By being part of a growing network of refugee hosts your voice for welcoming refugees is stronger.

You'll now get an email confirmation in your Inbox (or check junk mail). If you don't get an email you may have submitted an incorrect email address and you should re-register. 

Positive Action in Housing (SC027577) pioneered refugee hosting in 2002 when we first saw cases of refugees without recourse to funds and being left on the street. We wanted to do something about it to help individuals and families. We have many years of expertise in safe matching of potential hosts and guests

Since September 2015, working in partnership with over 300* caseworkers, we have arranged over 37,000* nights of shelter for hundreds of people seeking refuge, from our register of 6,500* hosts. This concept is attracting international interest and we want to make it a force for good. (*June 2017 figures).

Room for refugees works closely with the British Red Cross, the Refugee Council, the Scottish Refugee Council and over 300* caseworkers from other charities all over the UK. We intend to develop the concept across Western Europe and the U.S. The purpose is to help people regularise their status and rebuild their lives. 

Sadly, governments have failed to recognise the enormous capacity that exists in people's homes and hearts. We intend to keep the pressure up and would urge you to contact your Member of Parliament to make your views known. Please also contact your local MEP and Council and tell them you are a member of the Room for Refugees scheme, and urge them to consider the success of this scheme and others across the country. Just go to www.writetothem.com.

Meantime, if you would like to give a regular or single donation towards this work, to help us avert destitution, just make a regular or single donation on the next page.

Or else go to:

http://www.positiveactionh.org/donate

for other ways to donate .

You can find out more about our work at www.positiveactionh.org  and www.roomforrefugees.com 

Like us on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RoomForRefugeesUK/ 

Thank you!
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