Below we're featuring an interview with our Chief Executive written by NACCOM (the No Accommodation Network). Boaz has been a part of NACCOM since its beginnings and in the interview Ros shares some of her reflections since the early days of the network.

For the seventh interview in our 20th anniversary series, we had the privilege of speaking to Ros Holland, Chief Executive of the Boaz Trust in Manchester. 

Ros has supported the growth of NACCOM from its early days, where there was a need to bring together like-minded organisations: "So many local and national networks and forums didn't always speak to the space around destitution and people who are experiencing immigration controls and enforcement," Ros remembers. "The solutions that were being presented just didn't work for our people."  

Please tell us a bit about who you are  

My name is Ros Holland and I am Chief Executive of the Boaz Trust. We're based in Manchester and we offer accommodation and support to people who have become homeless after seeking asylum, or who are experiencing homelessness because of their insecure immigration status.I joined Boaz in 2008, initially as office manager. We were really tiny – there were four staff at that point! Boaz was founded by Dave Smith, who also founded NACCOM.  

What is your relationship to NACCOM?   

When I first joined Boaz, Dave had been having early conversations with like-minded organisations doing similar work in different parts of the country. So my awareness of NACCOM was initially that it would be a useful way of bringing organisations together working in the same space. At the time, so many local and national networks and forums didn't always speak to the space around destitution and people who are experiencing immigration controls and enforcement. You'd go to a homelessness sector meeting and the solutions that were being presented just didn't work for our people. It felt like we were constantly having to say: 'What about people who have no recourse to public funds?' NACCOM was an amazing opportunity to meet people working in the same space and facing the same challenges.    

You've seen the growth of NACCOM from its early days. What would you see as the biggest change to the organisation?

It's been amazing. At NACCOM's early meetings, Boaz hosted the network, and we were heavily involved in organising conferences, events and workshops before it became completely independent. Representation and diversity has really changed over the years. Initially, the NACCOM conference was a fairly white space. That has really developed and I know that's taken a lot of intentionality. NACCOM is also role modelling this with the Community Researchers as well as diversifying the Board of Trustees. NACCOM now feels like a well-respected expert voice in the sector. I think the research and advocacy work is amazing; having a unified voice where we can all feed in our experiences.   

Can you tell me about a time that you felt proud to be part of NACCOM?  

I've felt proud to see the advocacy work that Leon Elliott's doing and others did before him; doing briefings, research and consultations and being quoted in Parliament. All of that is amazing to see. Our work can often be on the fringes of the mainstream homelessness sector, but NACCOM is now seen as a leading voice and representative forum for organisations like ours. That makes me feel really proud.    

You work at a grassroots charity. What do you think smaller grassroots charities can teach larger ones, like the larger national ones? 

I see Boaz as being quite middle-sized – for some of the smaller grassroots organisations, we're probably seen as being quite big! But one thing that grassroots charities are good at is knowing your local community – not just your geographical community, but your community identity. Those two things are really critical. Also, one of the benefits of a smaller organisation is that it's often easier to pivot according to changing contexts. Again, that's where NACCOM's really helpful in sharing learning and experiences between organisations in different places. 

What do you think is the most important thing to bear in mind when you're working in a job where community and friendship are an essential part of your role? 

Over the years, just thinking about how the sector and the world has changed, I've valued NACCOM's support and the sense of community you get from NACCOM members so much. The Annual Conferences give us that point of connection, empathy and solidarity, where we can share learning and experiences, challenges, mistakes, and whatever else. I think it's really important.    

What do you think should be a key part of NACCOM's strategy in the coming years?  

NACCOM's emphasis on people who are destitute is what makes it unique – people refused asylum, first and foremost, as well as those on other immigration pathways that have strict eligibility, no recourse to public funds, and so on. Focusing on destitution is really important because no one else is doing that. There are no easy answers, which is why it's vital. And the provision of accommodation as well – that is where NACCOM started, it was about accommodation. Maintaining that focus is absolutely critical for me. 

What does hope mean to you? 

For me, hope is about having a belief that things can be better. It's a guiding North Star. Hope drives you, it motivates you, it keeps you going when things are tough. But sometimes that hope comes from other people. Again, this is a real strength of NACCOM. When we get together, we hear from organisations who are thriving and others who are really struggling. Together we can hold that tension of the ups and downs, and hold on to that sense of hope, too.