Young Ukrainians seeking sanctuary in Leicestershire have got together to navigate growing up in the area.
Forty young people plus their families living in the county due to continuing conflict in their homeland met to share experiences, learn new things and to make new friends.
The 11–18-year-olds were able to ask a guest panel of young Ukrainians questions about their experiences of growing up in England through to issues such as choosing GCSE subjects, chat with the Teen Health Team and enjoy a screening of Inside Out 2 with Ukrainian subtitles.
Parents also had the chance to speak to a Ukrainian teacher who has her own teenage children to help them understand local education and school systems.
The event was organised by Leicestershire County Council, which is currently appealing for people who are interested in becoming hosts to Ukrainian guests already living in the area to get in touch.
Cllr Deborah Taylor, Leicestershire County Council cabinet member for children and families, said: “Many people across Leicestershire have been so welcoming to Ukrainian families; more than 500 have opened-up their homes as hosts and we are incredibly grateful for their support.
“However, leaving your homeland and living in a completely new country can be isolating and present various barriers, which is why we felt it was really important to get young people together to share their experiences and make new connections.
“We’d like to thank everyone who took part and helped out, including volunteers from De Montfort University.”
Speaking after the event, attendee Sofiia Rudenko said: “It was very nice to share experiences in our native language about English schools, colleges, GCSE and A levels. It was really helpful.”
Viktoriia Vasylieva added: “The atmosphere was lovely too. It really felt like home.”
With the continuing conflict, many Ukrainian families are still seeking sanctuary here in Leicestershire and there are some that now need new hosts to live with.
Cllr Taylor added: “We’d really like to be able to keep families in the communities they have become part of since moving here, so we’d love to hear from anyone who would like to help.”
If you’re interested in hosting a Ukrainian family in Leicestershire, visit our support for Ukraine page.
Small grants are also available for community groups or charities that work to support Ukrainians to access services, connect in their communities and to live well in Leicestershire. Read more on our Leicestershire Communities page.
These have been provided via Government funding given to the council to run the Homes for Ukraine scheme.