Peach Consultancy has completed the 2010 State of the Sector Report for refugee and migrant community organisations (“RMCOs”).

The 2010 State of the Sector Report for Refugee and Migrant Community Organisations, produced by Peach Consultancy on behalf of the Evelyn Oldfield Unit, is now online at www.evelynoldfield.co.uk

The Report highlights a perception amongst RMCOs that there will be a loss of direct funding, that there is a hypersensitivity in political spheres towards appearing to support minorities instead of other ‘ignored majorities’, and there will be a loss of key local authority posts in relation to social cohesion, race equality and community development, all of which places further pressure on RMCOs to fill the service gaps. As one group put it, “when two elephants fight, it’s the grass that suffers”.

RMCO’s will also have to both specialise in relation to delivering those services which they are genuinely best placed and skilled to deliver, whilst signposting other needs to other better placed agencies and/or partners; and diversify their income streams beyond local authority funding.

(The Evelyn Oldfield Unit provides professional capacity and organisational support and training to Refugee and Migrant community organisations. The aim of the Unit is to develop specialist support for refugee and migrant organisations to enable them to adequately tackle the pressing needs of the communities they serve.)