Annual Review 2023
January 2024
In this Newsletter, we would like to thank you for your generous donations and support for our work, without which none of this would have been possible. We hope you share our ongoing commitment to our mission to support displaced and refugee communities and improve both their lives and livelihoods. We would also want to share what has been achieved in 2023 and our plans for this year.
USPUK Annual Review 2023
Almost two years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the war still shows no sign of ending. Recent weeks have seen an increase in Russian missile and drone attacks against Ukrainian cities. On January 2nd Ukraine endured its worst ever bombardment since the full-scale invasion began. With these attacks continuing to devastate homes and lives, and other tragic global events pushing the war in Ukraine from the world’s headlines, USPUK’s mission is more important than ever. As the war continues, so does our work to support displaced Ukrainians in finding safety and stability here in the UK.
The last year has seen a number of exciting new changes and developments at USPUK
Most importantly, we have expanded our focus to support not only Ukrainians but also displaced people from Afghanistan, over 10,000 of whom are currently residing in temporary hotel accommodation in the UK. Our new Afghan Resettlement Project aims to provide information and advice to Afghans, using the experience and insights we have gained through our work with the Ukrainian community, and to assist them with finding accommodation, employment and security in their new lives in the UK.
Our Projects
Communities for Ukraine, our joint venture with Citizens UK, continues to be a success. USPUK has successfully facilitated the relocation of 450 families (929 individuals) to the UK, and has made arrangements for a further 300 families (701 individuals) to join them, assisting with visa applications and travel arrangements.
As well as working with Citizens UK to manage a network of partner organisations across the country, we also set up our own resettlement initiative within Communities for Ukraine to identify, process and match prospective sponsors with Ukrainian guests.
USPUK’s resettlement initiative has seen over 100 Ukrainians safely resettled in the UK and has been the most successful organisation within the Communities for Ukraine project.
None of this would be possible without the incredible generosity that we continue to see from prospective hosts, some of whom have now hosted Ukrainian guests multiple times and others who are just coming forward for the first time. They continue to amaze and inspire us all.
Communities for Ukraine has also launched a new ‘employment-led’ initiative that aims to provide a combined package of housing and employment to displaced people seeking to come to the UK.
As a pilot programme for this initiative, we partnered with a care home company to provide job opportunities for five Ukrainians accompanied by housing for their families. Communities for Ukraine managed the outreach and recruitment for both the recipients and individuals within the local communities who would act as ‘community guides’. The ‘employment-led’ initiative is both a more sustainable option for displaced people resettling in the UK, and encourages integration and stability for recipients. The pilot scheme is still ongoing, and we are engaged in outreach for further employment-led opportunities.
USPUK has increased the reach of its online communications and has answered over 63,000 questions about the Homes for Ukraine scheme, providing advice and guidance on our Telegram channel, Instagram and Facebook accounts, by email and over the telephone.
We aim to ensure that these individuals’ journey towards relocation is as informed and smooth as possible by providing them with advice, information and support. To date, USPUK has directly interacted with 52,500 Ukrainians seeking assistance in moving to the UK. This reflects our widespread impact and influence in the community.
USPUK’s new Afghan Resettlement Project has already enjoyed considerable success.
Along with More in Common, we conducted a survey that reached an estimated 1 in every 10 Afghans currently living in temporary hotel accommodation in the UK.
The survey aimed to help us better understand the challenges facing Afghan refugees in the UK who arrived on the ACRS and ARAP government schemes.
In advance of its release, USPUK organised a roundtable discussion with members of the Afghan community; in order to maximise the survey’s reach and accessibility, we made it available in three languages (English, Dari and Pashto) and recruited Afghan coordinators to disseminate it among their communities and networks.
The results of our survey indicated that the primary concerns of the Afghan refugee community in the UK are access to financial support to secure housing and access to employment opportunities.
Another issue that emerged was a general lack of knowledge in the cohort about the existing systems of financial and housing support available to Afghan refugees in the UK.
Our survey showed the importance of ensuring that services offered by the government are tailored to the specific needs and requirements of the community in question.
In order to address some of these concerns, USPUK has recently produced an information pack explaining the different types of government support to which Afghan refugees are entitled, how they can access it and which organisations can provide additional support. The information has been made available in English, Dari and Pashto. In future, we hope to produce a Ukrainian-language version tailored to the Ukrainian community.
News and Events
USPUK team members have attended several events this year that have offered us an opportunity to further our outreach initiatives, expand our network and raise awareness of the ongoing situation facing displaced communities seeking to resettle in the UK. One particular highlight was our presence at the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool in May. Communities for Ukraine had a stall at the Eurovision Village and were able to meet both current and potential sponsors, as well as Ukrainians who we had helped settle in the UK. It was an enjoyable and rewarding experience for us all.
Earlier in the year, Anastasiia Spivak, our Field Manager, spoke on behalf of USPUK at the United for Ukraine vigil held at Trafalgar Square to mark the one-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Other speakers included the UK Defence Secretary and the US Ambassador to the UK. Our invitation illustrates the widespread recognition our work has received and further emphasises the importance of the work we do. Some of those who attended the vigil later signed up with us to host displaced Ukrainians.
USPUK has also organised and chaired events such as the launch of our Afghan Resettlement Project report in London’s Conduit Club and a roundtable discussion with members of the Afghan community in the UK.
Testimonies
We continue to receive updates from both guests and sponsors whom we have matched or assisted in the past. It is always rewarding and fulfilling to hear about the positive experiences people have had and the close relationships they have formed through the sponsorship process. Yana, who USPUK matched with a host family in Yorkshire earlier this year, recently wrote to us about her experience:
“I’m Yana and left Ukraine on June 2023.
It was not an easy decision, as it was mentally very hard to stay outside of Ukraine for more than two weeks since the beginning of the war. The UK is a safe country, and a big plus for me is the English language, to which I have been devoting a lot of time in recent years. My hosts are my friends, advisors and a great support. I asked my sponsors why they decided to take such a step, to take a stranger into their family, and their answer was that they would want someone to help them in the same way if war came to their country. You have given us the opportunity to start a new life, you have given us new opportunities and most importantly a chance to live without alarms and explosions. For some people, it literally saves their lives. I plan to find my first job in my field and continue to improve my English. My sponsors have showed me nice cities and places nearby. I am now looking for a job.”
Laura and her husband began hosting a mother from Kyiv and her two sons earlier this year through USPUK. She wrote to thank us for our help:
“Things are going very well with our guests. The boys seem very happy, have enrolled in local sports clubs, talk to their father regularly and have started to settle in at school. From our perspective - they have been a delight! Engaging, enthusiastic, polite, houseproud and appreciative of our welcome.
We have close contact with my mother-in-law, who lives independently close by. The family have embraced her and have supported her when we have been away; something that has reduced both her anxiety and ours.
We did not anticipate the generosity of the local community. It may be that the family are 'novel' in a large village, but people we do not know have offered money, bicycles, clothing and bedding. The boys have been provided with sports kit by the local clubs. Both the local church and the church in the nearest town have been helpful. They have provided social and practical support and hold weekly get-togethers for local Ukrainians, which were a lifeline at the beginning.
All in all, a life-affirming experience, as you had indicated. We have no regrets and would recommend the experience to anyone interested. We would certainly do it again, or take in other refugees if our family are able to become independent or (God willing) the conflict in Ukraine resolves.”
What Next?
Our efforts to support displaced Ukrainians and Afghans will continue into 2024. We plan to build upon the successes of our Afghan Resettlement Project and Communities for Ukraine over the last year in order to further ensure that the UK remains a place of safety and stability for some of the most vulnerable in the global community. On behalf of everyone at USPUK, we wish you a happy 2024!
Best wishes,
The USPUK Management team (George, Tanya, Peter, Anastasiia, Anil and Nasir)
