Our Training

Our training helps provide a practical understanding of everything No Recourse to Public Funds related.
  • Evidence-Led: Our training materials and expertise are in lock-step with the most up-to-date research and policy. We do not provide immigration advice.
  • Funded Training: Our training is free to all parties interested – it’s funded by the Fairer Aberdeen Fund and Paul Hamlyn Foundation.
  • Flexible Delivery: We prefer to deliver our training in person, but are happy to move online if needed. We understand that for many, the conventional workday is set in stone, so we are happy to run sessions in the evenings and on weekends. Our sessions are designed to last 2 hours, but we can adjust them according to your needs.
  • Engaging Content: Our training incorporates engaging case studies and activities to test comprehension and contextualise what you are learning

This covers information on:

    • What ‘no recourse to public funds’ means, including what counts as ‘public funds’ under immigration law.
    • Who has NRPF (e.g., Student, Skilled Worker visas) and how many people are affected locally.
    • Why NRPF is a challenge for subsistence, healthcare, families, victims of abuse, housing, and work.
    • The difference between reserved (Westminster) and devolved (Holyrood) powers, including the Scottish Government’s strategy.
    • Statutory entitlements that can override NRPF, including Section 12, Section 22, and human rights assessments.
    • Immigration solutions for victims of domestic abuse (VDA and MVDAC).
    • Pathways out of NRPF, including Indefinite Leave to Remain and Change of Conditions.
    • Case studies to test comprehension.
    • Where to find help in North East Scotland.

This covers information on:

  • ‘Regular’ and ‘Irregular’ immigration
  • The difference in status between a person seeking asylum and a refugee
  • Where do people come from, and why do they flee
  • The asylum process: initial interview, main interview, appeal(s)
  • Impact of the Nationality and Borders Bill (July 2022)
  • Impact of the Illegal Migration Act (July 2023)
  • Statutory Government provision for people seeking asylum (including National Asylum Support Service (NASS), and accommodation providers (Mears, and Migrant Help)
  • Where to get local help when working with people seeking asylum or someone who is appeals rights exhausted (ARE) with NRPF

This covers information on:

  • The legal right to claim asylum and why people use irregular means to reach the UK
  • The stages of the UK asylum process: claim, screening interview, main interview, decision, and appeals
  • UK asylum statistics in a global context
  • The Lived Experience of Asylum in the North East
  • Common myths, including those about crime rates, cash handouts, hotel conditions, and pressure on housing and public services
  • Techniques for having difficult conversations
  • Where to find reliable information and how to fact-check misinformation
  • Local support organisations in the North-East of Scotland

We welcome requests from groups for our existing sessions to have a specific focus – for example, “An Introduction to NRPF” with a focus on domestic abuse or food poverty, etc. If you are interested in commissioning training on an NRPF-related topic that we do not currently cover in great detail, please get in touch, and we can discuss this possibility. We are also happy to leverage our network to put you in touch with other organisations that may be able to provide training outside our remit.

Below is a list organisations that we as an organisation have either received training from or have consistently approved of their resources and materials.

Request Training
I learnt so much! It was really valuable to learn more about the intricacies of NRPF and how many people the condition is imposed on. It was great to look at what is available as well as what isn't, and the barriers for people trying to access help. I didn't know about the Immigration Healthcare Surcharge or about differentiating between orgs that are funded by the government vs those that aren't and therefore could be accessed by people with NRPF. I also really liked the use of the word irregularly to describe how people came to be in the UK, and I will be using this myself going forward.
Intro to NRPF Attendee
I was especially interested in some facts I hadn't been aware of, including that most people seeking asylum come from countries formerly ruled to some level by Britain. The facts have already proved useful in challenging people who are expressing negative views.
Asylum Myths and Conversations Attendee
There was too much helpful information to put one thing learned. Information that stood out was info about Internal relocation, the 2 different case studies, humanitarian protection and the different laws in Scotland in relation to NRPF.
Intro to Asylum Attendee
Many of the myths evolving around AS [asylum seekers] have no foundation; they are a result of stereotyping and Mainstream media political agendas.
Asylum Myths and Conversations Attendee
Yes. I believe that I now have a better understanding of how the topic can be (and has been) manipulated as a party political tool.
Intro to NRPF Attendee
The statistics were eye-opening. The language used - media/profesionally/in communities- and how we can help to change the narrative.
Asylum Myths and Conversations Attendee
I felt that the trainer had a wealth of knowledge and seemed very passionate about his role
Intro to Asylum Attendee

Safety Exit