In this section you will learn about all aspects of supporting a refugee staying in your home. This is a selection of resources that hosts can go back to at different stages of their journey. Resources on the empowerment approach & boundaries, finding your hosting style or using Google Translate will certainly come in handy early on. But we also have resources that may be more useful a bit later – for example tips on preparing for the end of hosting.
Politeness in Ukraine can be expressed differently than it is here in the UK. To help you navigate those cultural differences we partnered with English Unlocked again. We hope this series of short videos will help you understand Ukrainian approach politeness and showing care.
Many Ukrainians who have been living with hosts across the UK are now searching for alternative options as their sponsorship comes to an end. Ukrainians who have come to the UK through the Homes for Ukraine scheme have three years’ leave to remain, meaning they are able to work, claim benefits and rent property in the UK for that period of time.
When it’s time for your guests to leave you, they may ask you for guidance on what to do next. It’s always good to have conversations around ending your support early on. You may have followed our guidance on how to plan for the end of your support but still need some more practical support on the next steps.
When your guest arrives, you may need to help them in several areas of support. Be mindful where your responsibility ends and the local authority responsibility begins, if you are in doubt, check with your local authority. Always remember the empowerment approach when helping your guest to understand different systems in the UK – never doing something for someone.
Another video recorded for us by Shelley from English Unlocked, this time focusing on the ways in which you can modify your speech to make it easier for your guests to understand English.
Shelley Purchon, a director at English Unlocked shares her top tips for using Google Translate.
Thinking about the end of your support is one of the first things we encourage all hosts to do when planning their support for refugees. It may feel strange to start thinking about the end of your support offer before a guest even arrives, but planning for the end of your support is just as important as planning for the initial welcome.
We all have a responsibility to one another to prevent ourselves and one another from harm. Your local authority will have a safeguarding board and when you meet, you should make sure that you ask about how you can report a safeguarding concern relating to the person you are sponsoring should it is needed.
When your guests arrive you may find yourself in a new situation: living with people you never met before, uncertain of what to do and how to approach challenges, and yet equally, in charge of things as it’s your home.
The people you support have been displaced from their homes. They’ll be adjusting to a new culture, way of working, and new customs. They may be navigating this alone, with no connection with people other than you and those living in your household at first.
Financial matters under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme can be confusing. We’ve made this resource to help you get a better idea of finances related to the scheme. For most people, talking about financial matters can be uncomfortable and daunting, especially with new guests in your home that you want to make feel welcome.
Mental health, self care and being aware of trauma are things that we think hosts should be aware of. Becoming a host will expose you to many situations that you might not know how to approach, both for you and your guests. This resource is not a tool to diagnose or treat those who are experiencing the effects of trauma but to raise awareness and guide hosts on how to best offer understanding and support to refugees.
“In many ways, mental health is just like physical health: everybody has it and we need to take care of it. Good mental health means
Are you hosting a Ukrainian? Would you like to learn more about the cultural differences you may encounter? Katia, who is Ukrainian herself, has shared with us what she discovered about the differences between Ukrainian and UK culture.
When your guests arrive you may find yourself in a new situation: living with people you never met before, uncertain of what to do and how to approach challenges, and yet equally, in charge of things as it’s your home.
Domestic abuse can be described as an incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening, degrading and violent behaviour, including sexual violence. Usually, the abuse is from a partner or ex-partner, but it can also be from a family member or carer.
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