What to discuss in an online meeting with your guests
As part of the process of matching, you will be provided with some information about the Ukrainian family you have been potentially matched with. We think it is important for you to have a conversation to get to know each other a little bit before you go ahead and apply for a visa.
Arrange a Call
We strongly recommend these first conversations take place as video calls.
1. Things you can talk about
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What your offer is to the refugee who wishes to come to the UK – room size, freedom to come and go as they please
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Tell them about your local area – how close you are to services they may wish to access. Remember that not everyone will be as familiar with the UK as you are. Explain how close you are to major cities or well-known landmarks, and about local transport.
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Tell them about who they will be living with – including pets
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Be clear that support will be offered by your local council, so there are others involved in this process
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Explain that you will go through security checks which will be made by the local authority
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Be clear that you will be receiving £350 per month from the UK Government for hosting them
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If you expect them to contribute to bills tell them how much this will be
2. Things you can ask
Leave space to listen to what is important to the refugee and their hopes for life in the UK, be respectful and mindful of the experience they have been through. You could ask:
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Do they have any connections in the UK, or people they are likely to want to visit; are these places accessible from where you live?
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What kind of job or schooling they would like to access
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Are there any particular services or support they feel they would need to access?
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What are their expectations or hopes for the life in the UK?
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Anything you need to know about the pets they are bringing with them (if this is the case)
It is possible that your potential guests don’t speak English well or at all, but that shouldn’t stop you from arranging that initial online conversation. We have some resources explaining how you can modify your speech to help someone with low level of English and how to use Google Translate.
Please note that Reset relies on the accuracy of information provided to it by the Ukrainian family. It is not able to separately verify any information it receives.
