Hopes Ukrainian refugees in Scarborough can start to live independently

An information event is taking place tomorrow

Author: Karen LiuPublished 18th May 2023

It is hoped many Ukrainian refugees in Scarborough can now start to live independently away from their sponsor families.

A workshop tomorrow (Friday 19th May) aims to show them how to get a job, their own accommodation or into higher education.

It will be from 10.30am to 2.30pm at the Sunflower Cafe and Hub at the Salvation Army on Alma Parade.

Migrant English Support Hub (MESH) is running the education and training workshop for Ukrainians and sponsor families with multi-agencies there and English-Ukrainian interpreters.

Iryna Kutsemakhina has been in Scarborough for more than a year now with her two daughters. She said: "It'll be mainly informative in order to give people more information about their opportunities, benefits, everything they're eligible for and what support and help they can get.

"It was very hard for me because it was really difficult as I wasn't part of this society but after my sponsor family when I and my children felt very confident and safe, we had to change our place.

"It's very, very important. During that time and now I've got this support and because of this, I feel more confident where I can ask a question, I can get a reply and I know what I'm eligible for so I can manage my life and the life of my children.

"I'm thinking about the future of my children and because of this period I was thinking I can stay here in England for three months, then six months and now it's more than a year. I have to think about higher education because of my eldest daughter and I have to think about college but I know nothing about this system."

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