Eleven projects have been awarded up to £100,000 each to help Ukrainian refugees in Brighton and Hove.
The grants, from a £1.1 million fund, are aimed at helping in seven key areas such as English lessons, business start up advice and mental and wellbeing including support for those traumatised by the war.
Brighton and Hove City Council said: “The grant scheme was launched earlier this year as a response to the Ukrainian refugee humanitarian crisis, using funds from the Homes for Ukraine programme.
“The aim of the grant is to back innovative projects supporting the independence and integration of Ukrainian guests, enabling them to fulfil their potential and contribute to the city.
“The successful applicants have been awarded a maximum of £50,000 to £100,000 for each project based on seven predetermined key priorities.”
The seven priorities were based on government guidance, lessons learnt from the council’s Ukrainian Refugee Programme, input from local organisations and a survey of needs and concerns of Ukrainians in Brightonand Hove.
As well as English lessons, health support and employability advice, the key areas include community cohesion and integration for hundreds of Ukrainians living in Brighton and Hove and access to information, advice and guidance.
The organisations that have been awarded grants are expected to have projects up and running promptly and to carry out the work within 15 months.
Eleven projects have secured funding.
Stand for Ukraine will be promoting integration through arts and cultural events, family educational outings, drop-ins and online spaces. Their second project will use the funds to improve their organisational capacity building.
Refugee Radio (in co-operation with Ukrainian Voices, Best Foot Music and Brighton Therapy Centre) will be endorsing Ukrainian music, setting up events and providing therapy, advice and guidance.
The Network of International Women will be funding their weekly drop-in sessions at a multi-purpose space for the Ukrainian community at All Saints Church, in Hove.
Conversation Over Borders will be offering integrated wellbeing support and conversational English classes for Ukrainians.
Phoenix Therapy Practice will be providing one-to-one therapy and counselling services for adults and children.
Sussex Interpreting Services and Together Co will be offering social prescribing, translation services and pathways for Ukrainian refugees.
The Launchpad Collective will be providing start up support for entrepreneurs, tailored work and careers support and community and corporate outreach.
Brighton and Hove LGBT Switchboard will be providing help and support for LGBT Ukrainian refugees.
The Trust for Developing Communities will be providing English language classes for Ukrainian refugees. They also secured funding to set up a multicultural employability support hub and provide information, advice and guidance services for Ukrainian refugees.
Sussex University will be introducing an English language scheme for refugees.
Brighton Swimming Centre will be supporting integration through Pool to Pier swimming. Additional grant was allocated to swimming and water safety sessions and language and culture classes for Ukrainian refugee children.
Councillor Leslie Pumm, who chairs the council’s Equalities, Community Safety and Human Rights Committee said: “I’d like to thank all the local organisations who came forward with so many innovative projects to support people needing a safe haven and also everyone who has already been working hard to lend a helping hand to those in need.
“It’s fantastic to see smaller organisations led by refugees themselves running some of the projects who will now be able to help others thanks to their courage and initiative.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the projects provide new opportunities for Ukrainians who found their home in our city.”
So as per usual virtue woke signalling groups have been given a big chunk of the £1.1 pounds that many Ukrainians needed to survive. They don’t want Ukranian radio or cultural events or LGBT support they need help with housing and speaking English so they can work and survive here and not have their money gorged on by pointless charities.
I’m part of one of the groups that is receiving some funding. We worked closely with members of the Ukrainian community on the application and will continue to do so. Our part in the work is something the community groups asked for. As chair of a voluntary organisation, neither myself nor any other members of the organisation will be making any money from the work. Every penny spent will be accounted for.
Additionally, although I don’t know all the other groups involved, so can’t speak for them, it’s worth adding that there is a rigorous application and reporting process for the work. It’s fairly safe to assume that the other groups will have worked closely with the Ukrainian community on the applications. Some of the groups in the list have been set up and are run by members of the Brighton Ukrainian community.
And what have you done to support Ukrainian refugees lately?
Apart from hosting 4 refugees, and spending about £20,000 in donations absolutely nothing. I know first hand radio stations in Brighton are not what they would have wanted when every day is so difficult from them on so many levels. They arrived here with nothing and to establish yourself in a foreign country with nothing and often not even speaking the language is tough. If you were in their shoes would you have like money for furniture or more language lessons for your child or Ukranian radio and arts events.
Also, just to reiterate this was their money. Most of the ones I know and I know a number now outside the circle of just the one I have hosted don’t want to go to Ukranian cultural events. They turn up to one or two to see if they know anyone at them but it bores them in the same way as if I was a refugee I wouldn’t want to spend my time going to St George’s Day or Coronation Day events if I was forced to live in France. They are tired, are glued to the news back home and have their own established social circles in this country and do things like sightseeing or meeting their friends who they would have had something in common with back home. They meet to talk and cry not look at Ukranian greatest cinema treats etc.
The Ivana Kupala, Vyshyvanka and Independence Day events, organised and attended in large numbers by the community would suggest differently. Social inclusion activities can be an important part of people feeling welcome in the area and help provide support networks and friendships
I spend a lot of time on twitter engaging almost exclusively with the invasion tweets – IT IS A HUGE ABSORBING MOMENT. The future of so much is at stake. There is amazing unity and glimpses of possibility. I cry. I laugh. There is an awesome education in being glued to the war news, in viewing the soldiers trench & combat videos tweeted using phones, Go Pro, headcams.
And there are plenty of ways to donate to volunteer NGOS who buy & deliver to front line needs as well as humanitarian relief in dangerous areas where people have not evacuated.
It must be a nightmare for Ukrainians here to have to think of anything else. I agree with you Sarah.
Slava Ukraini!
Three of the organisations listed are providing English language classes!
I think that English language classes for kids or by reputable organisations may have value especially six months ago. There have always been plenty of these available for adults so I am not discounting everything on this list. However, £1.1 million is a lot of money and many Ukranians have had no help at all from the money that was allocated to them. After school clubs so they can work would have been useful. Furniture would have been appreciated not piffle put together by woke organisations in Brighton who may mean well.
Easily explained Chris! TEAFL provision in various settings, such as formally and in VSCE spaces, and for different demographics, such as adults and children. If you want to learn more, access their websites, talk to their members, and attend the community spaces. Learning about the challenges is the first step to understanding them.
With all due respect, your comments are not accurate. You have written “they don’t want Ukranian radio” but nowhere in this press release does it say that the funds are going towards radio activities. I manage the local charity Refugee Radio and we are providing specialist casework advice and trauma therapy as part of a partnership funding bid with members of the Ukrainian community. This work is very much direct support. Perhaps you have jumped to conclusions because of the name of our organisation. Refugee Radio started life as a radio show and we do still make radio programmes and podcasts, but this is a small part of our charitable work. The music and events referred to in the press release involve our partners in the Ukrainian Voices Choir, who are in a better position to speak directly about what the community does or does not actually want.
I think you’d benefit from taking part in these activities or offering some time supporting, I believe it would hugely benefit your worldview to have an informed perspective.
The streets in Brighton are littered with homeless veterans , who suffered the traumas of war and conflict , and now find themselves a forgotten army , i am ashamed to be British and a veteran myself , £millions spent on charities that in most cases are just to line their own pockets , the same with the people that issue this money
Veterans are protected and support organisations also receive money to support veterans. The right wing have convinced many people that money is spent on others, these charities ARE the communities they serve. Stand 4 Ukraine are Ukrainians. It’s called Asset Based Community Development and I am glad it thrives. as there is a WAR in our Europe, all these charities enable us to learn about each other, we have more in common and the 1939’s right wing rhetoric must not return!
Dear John, ad hominems make for poor-quality discussion. It is a fallacy to think that because one cause is just as worthy as another, it is detracted from the former.
For those people saying “they don’t want cultural events” etc. There was a midsummer festival yesterday in Preston Park, Brighton. Ivana Kupala was organised by the local Ukrainian community group (partly funded by this grant). It was attended by around 300 people, the majority of whom were Ukrainian, many recently arrived since the invasion. There was food, music, dance, theatre and workshops with cultural activities (egg painting, art, folk dancing, singing etc,) plus lots of games for kids. People came from across Sussex, and from observation, it looked like a much-needed, enjoyable and relevant event. Perhaps some of the critics here could attend similar events in future?
Our Ukrainian visitors have left. It was a rewarding experience to host them but we cannot do more.
I am a trained English teacher and have worked with VIE in the past. I am interested in helping Ukranians as a teacher if anyone will show me the in. I have the necessary DBS certificate and TESOL qualification and some experience with our own and other guests.
I have a classroom set up in my dining room and I can also work remotely or in some other place near bus routes 1,6,49.
Please contact me if you can make use of my effort. I will work free with small groups, parents with teenagers or children 8+