Swansea opens ‘homes and hearts’ to Ukrainian refugees

Swansea Council’s Refugee Resettlement Team has been helping to ensure Ukrainians are supported as much as possible to settle into life in the city.

Refugees are accessing a range of other council services including schools, work, training and volunteering placements, while libraries have been working to make them feel welcome.

One Ukrainian refugee who arrived in Swansea with her two young daughters said she would be forever grateful to her sponsors and the people of Swansea for the welcome she has received.

She said: “The girls quickly adapted to a new peaceful life without sirens and explosions and began to sleep peacefully.

“I could not have thought that people would be so kind to us and support me and my daughters so much. They opened not only their homes to us, but also their hearts.”

When Ukrainians started fleeing the war people in the UK were asked if they could sponsor individuals or families by hosting them in their home or offering self-contained accommodation.

In total more than 150 people have opened up their homes and sponsored Ukrainians in Swansea during the last year. 

Swansea Council has recognised the challenges that sponsors face financially with the rise in cost of living and has increased thank you payments to £500 per month.

Around 40 schools across the city have welcomed 140 Ukrainian children between them into their classes and have helped them to settle.

The Ethnic Minorities and Youth Support Team (EYST) has been contracted by the council to support Ukrainian arrivals and the team also has Ukrainian speakers to provide the necessary support needed to settle into Swansea.

Since July last year, 123 adult Ukrainian refugees have received employability support thanks to the council’s employability service Swansea Working and Communities for Work.

They also have a Ukrainian translator available at the Employment Hub in the Quadrant Shopping Centre.

Teams at council-run libraries in all areas of Swansea have also been making refugees welcome by providing books, including children’s stories, internet access and with invitations to events such as song and rhyme sessions.

The LibraryLine team has also pulled together information about online resources useful to Ukrainian refugees.

The non-profit community group Sunflowers Wales, run by Ukrainian volunteers, offers support to newly arrived Ukrainians in Wales and organises social events helping Ukrainians to integrate while preserving their cultural identity. The photos are from events they have organised in Swansea. 

Dr Dmitri Finkelshtein, chair of Sunflowers Wales, said: “It’s essential for Ukrainians to maintain a connection with their community, preserve their cultural identity, and actively engage in fundraising events we regularly organise to provide effective aid to people in Ukraine.  We cannot express our gratitude enough to the Welsh people for their warm welcome and unwavering support of the Ukrainian community.”

Swansea Council Cabinet Member for Well-being Alyson Pugh said: “I’m very proud of Swansea and the response from our city to those fleeing the invasion of their country and the unnecessary death, misery and suffering it has brought over the last 12 months.

“Swansea has lived up to its title of a City of Sanctuary and to the recognition of being the first Human Rights City in Wales.

“We will continue our proud history of welcoming people of different nationalities, ethnicities and religions as well as those fleeing war and persecution.”

Sponsors are still needed to host Ukrainian refugees in Swansea. If you have a spare room or empty accommodation and feel that you would be able to give a Ukrainian a home please contact Swansea Council’s Resettlement Team by emailing ukrainerefugeesupport@swanea.gov.uk or telephoning on 01792 636565.

A refugee’s story

I was lucky as a family decided to take me in and help me with my two children.

I believe that these incredible people are God sent. I intuitively knew that everything would be fine, but I could not have thought that people would be so kind to us and support me and my daughters so much.

They opened not only their homes to us, but also their hearts. I, my children, all my relatives are very grateful to my sponsors. We will never forget their kindness.

We have been living in Wales in the sponsor’s house for more than six months. Upon arrival, our sponsor helped place the children in local schools. Since the girls were professionally engaged in ballet in Kyiv, the sponsor helped to place the children in the Swansea Ballet School and the church choir.

The girls performed at meetings of Ukrainians at the Grand Theatre. The children met local children at school, they are invited to birthday parties by local children.

The girls quickly adapted to a new peaceful life without sirens and explosions and began to sleep peacefully.

I have great respect for the fact that they accepted us into their family. I believe that they lived a happy, peaceful life without us, without additional worries. And yet they decided to save us. I think that it is not easy and not everyone will be able to make such a decision and take strangers into their home, share their home and life with us, communicate, help and support us every day.

I study English hard both at Gower College full-time, and every day at home on Duolingo, online with a tutor and chat with a sponsor.

My sponsor supported me in this matter as well – he also teaches me English. I read children’s books to him or he conducts lessons for me and my children. It was also hard to believe, but my sponsor has been learning Ukrainian.

Me and my children – we respect their house. We protect their property, follow the rules in the house. These are very simple rules for us, the same as we had at home. For example, wash the dishes after yourself or wipe the table after dinner.

We have the same values as the British – family, children, work.