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Welcome to your dedicated newsletter for Homes for Ukraine hosts in East Sussex.
Happy New Year from everyone in the Homes for Ukraine team.
The mantra of 'New Year, New You' can be heard ringing through homes across the county, especially if, like us, you set yourself some resolutions for 2024.
But some things remain the same, and 2024 marks nearly two years since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainians fleeing the country continue to arrive in our county in need of shelter, and support.
This March will mark the two-year anniversary of the Homes for Ukraine scheme. To date, 807 hosts have homed 1,751 guests in East Sussex. An amazing show of generosity and compassion for our Ukrainian guests. Something that will continue this year judging by the results of our host survey. Your voice has been heard, and plans are underway to ensure the scheme continues to support everyone involved.
Remember, if you would like to help you can contact a member of the Council's team for an informal chat about how to join the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
We love reading your hosting stories, so please get in touch and share your story with us and your fellow hosts.
It's really important to us that all Ukrainian guests are safe and well. It is a requirement as a host on the Homes for Ukraine scheme to complete the appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks for all household members over 16 years old - this does not include your guests.
Your local council will decide which type of DBS checks are required in line with government guidance. You will not be charged for these checks.
It may be that one person in the household has not completed their check, or that we've not been able to verify your DBS certificate. The Homes for Ukraine Contact centre will be contacting all hosts with outstanding DBS checks. If contacted, please respond as soon as possible. It's very important you complete the checks.
A full explanation of what needs to be completed will be provided at the time of contact.
For further guidance please see the Government's Eligibility, safeguarding, DBS and accommodation checks: Homes for Ukraine webpage.
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Hosts share their thoughts on HfU scheme
Results of a survey with Homes for Ukraine hosts has given a snapshot of how well the scheme support options are working and which areas could be improved.
The survey asked hosts to tell us what they/you thought about the scheme. The results will now be used to inform any improvements we make.
For example, hosts told us ‘regular contact/check-ins' from the Council’s Homes for Ukraine team would encourage them to continue with the scheme. We'll therefore start doing this soon; we'll bring you more information about this in future newsletters.
We're also going to increase awareness of all the support options available through the Homes for Ukraine scheme. This information will be shared with hosts and guests and included on our Homes for Ukraine webpages.
More than half of 24 respondents to the survey said they are ‘very happy’ or ‘fairly happy’ with hosting and are keen to continue hosting in the future.
Of the respondents, 17 hosts still have guests staying with them, and seven are willing to continue hosting for at least a year.
One host told us: ‘All potential hosts should be encouraged to ensure they look at all the aspects of hosting before doing so. Our hosting arrangement was very successful but many fail due to lack of understanding what is involved.’
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Guests on the Homes for Ukraine scheme can apply for a start-up grant to contribute towards the essential furniture they may need to start a new home.
A total of up to £500 can be awarded through the grant.
All applications must be made within two weeks of signing the tenancy agreement, and the grant must be spent within two months of the tenancy start date.
Items that can be approved include:
- Bed, including mattress
- Wardrobe
- Dining table and chairs
- Sofa, armchair
- Washing machine
- Fridge, freezer
Products not considered essential, and will not be approved include: decorative ornaments, mirrors, coffee machines, TVs, hoovers, rugs, bed linen and lamps.
More Information on the process can be found on Sussex Community Development Association’s website www.sussexcommunity.org.uk.
Sussex Community Development Association is working with East Sussex County Council to provide a Private Rented Sector Move-on Grant.
The grant will support guests who are living in East Sussex move on from their host/guest families into a privately rented property.
This grant is available to those on the Homes for Ukraine Scheme and the Ukraine Family Scheme.
Types of help available:
- Holding Fee. A holding deposit is a payment to a landlord or letting agent to reserve a property.
- Rent in advance. Most landlords ask for at least 1 month's rent in advance before you sign the agreement and move in
- Landlords and letting agents often ask for a tenancy deposit before you sign a tenancy agreement and move in. A tenancy deposit is normally 5 weeks rent.
- Some landlords and agents ask for a guarantor before they'll offer you a tenancy.
Please be aware that guests can only access this grant once.
More Information on the process can be found on Sussex Community Development Association’s website www.sussexcommunity.org.uk
You do not need to tell the UK Visas & Immigration department if your Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) expires on 31 December 2024 but your immigration status (for example, your visa) allows you to stay longer.
You will not need a BRP from 1 January 2025. You’ll be able to prove your immigration status online without a BRP.
UKVI will update their information on how to prove your immigration status in early 2024. You do not need to do anything and your immigration status will not be affected.
You can learn more about BRPs on the government website.
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Help our Ukrainian guests celebrate the Day of Unity - We Are Ukraine at an event in Newhaven this month.
The event will include live music, food and refreshments. Everybody is welcome to attend the event on 20 January between 11am to 3pm at Denton Island Community Centre.
Activities planned for the day include: Arts and crafts, Circus skills, Nature activities by Wakehurst Place, Yoga and massage, Tennis coach, School uniform bank, and Live music and performance.
The event is paid for by Sussex Community Development Association’s (SCDA) Positive Activities project for young people in East Sussex. For more details contact the Positive Activities team at cypsp@sussexcommunity.org.uk or call Suzi McCraig on 07513 824 313
Long history
The Day of Unity for Ukraine is celebrated on 22 January – the day in 1919 the Ukrainian People’s Republic and the West Ukrainian People’s Republic were united.
On 21 January, 1990, Ukrainians joined hands to create a chain between the country’s Eastern city of Kiev and the western city of Lviv (around 483 kilometres). This symbol of unity continues today, with human chains forming a traditional part of the Day’s celebrations.
The "Day of Reunion of Ukraine" (Den’ Sobornosti Ukrainy) was announced as a government holiday on January 21, 1999.
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The Café Ukraine in Eastbourne is closing its doors after 19 months of providing a safe and welcoming meeting place for Ukrainians.
Café Ukraine opened its doors in May 2022 in response to the crisis in Ukraine following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Volunteers ran the Café and the language school and therapy sessions.
The Association of Ukrainians has opened a Eastbourne branch. This is being run by Ukrainians.
Support in Eastbourne
There are two other groups who meet in the town regularly.
The Eastbourne Hub for Ukraine offers people a social meeting space with host and Ukrainian guest support and advice. There will be cake and refreshments, hot meals and activities for adults and children.
The hub meets on Tuesdays 4-6pm at St John the Evangelist Church, Eastbourne, BN20 7ND. For more information contact ukranianhubeastbourne@gmail.com
The Our Neighbourhood Ukrainian Support offers one-to-one support sessions with Ukrainian speakers and the 3VA team. Please pre-book a timeslot in advance.
The sessions are held every Monday between 4.30 to 6.30pm at Leaf Hall Community Arts Centre, Eastbourne BN22 7NB.
There’ll be advice on different issues and questions such as how to rent a flat, how to enrol to English for Speakers of other Languages (ESOL) courses, how to apply for a visa for a relative, how to fill out forms and other issues. If the issue cannot be resolved in the hub, you might be referred to other organisations if needed.
For more info and to pre-book a session contact katerina@ourneighbourhood.org.uk
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Do you need help with English language skills? If you do, the Library and Information Service has two offers that can help you.
Step Into Reading
Free one-to-one support with a volunteer to help build your English reading, writing, speaking and listening.
These sessions are held for adults at local libraries.
For more information speak to a member of staff at your local library, call 0345 60 80 196 or email library.enquiries@eastsussex.gov.uk
Conversation Groups
Free, relaxed drop-in sessions for people who have English as a second language. All languages and levels are welcome.
The weekly informal conversation groups are at:
- Eastbourne: Mondays 10.30-11.30am and Thursdays between 10-11am
- Bexhill: Mondays between 10.15- 11.15am
- Hailsham: Mondays between 12-1pm
- Hastings: Thursdays between 10-11am
- Seaford. Tuesdays between 10.30-11.30am
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Free positive activities are available for Ukrainian children and young people to help them make personal progress, improve their mood, confidence and friendships.
The activity is for the child to choose, and will usually be after school. Activities could be anything from sports, art or clubs.
Schools, families and support organisations
can refer children into the programme, and a Positive Activities Worker will get in touch. They will book some time with the child, in a convenient place, such as school or at a group, to get to know them. Together they will decide on an activity for the young person to try, and the Positive Activities Worker will work with their family to arrange it. They can help the family, too, by finding other support they may need in the local community.
Learn more about Positive Activities and how to get involved.
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Useful contacts
Welfare checks
It's really important to us that all Ukrainian guests are safe and well. As we continue to carry out welfare visits for all guests who have been living with their hosts for six months or more.
The purpose of the welfare visit is to check guests are safe and well, confirm your guests are still living at your property and to provide advice, guidance and information to you and your guest(s). It also provides you the opportunity to express any concerns or difficulties you might be having. We would appreciate the cooperation of guests and hosts when welfare visits are arranged with you.
If you found this a useful guide to hosting our Ukrainian guests, then why not share it with a friend so they can sign up to our monthly newsletter and stay informed of all the latest Homes for Ukraine news. You can read previous newsletters at our host newsletter archive.
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