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Welcome to your dedicated newsletter for Homes for Ukraine Hosts in East Sussex.
Unsurprisingly, there will be many Christmas events in our communities. If you’re not feeling festive yet, our regular ‘What’s On’ guide is sure to inspire you with events across the county from mid-November to mid-December.
Our regular reminder of the eVisa application deadline, includes information anyone who hasn’t yet completed the process should read carefully.
Our regular host story features Penny Downes this month, who shares her experience of being a host with us.
We’re also taking the opportunity to share ESCC Libraries offer in improving English for guests, some informal mental health support from the translation services, and opportunities to apply for a start-up grant as a child minder, followed by our regular useful contacts.
We’d like to thank our amazing community of hosts. If you need any advice or support on any aspect of your hosting journey, contact us on 01273 337010 (10am to 4pm Monday to Thursday) or Ukraine@eastsussex.gov.uk
If you’re thinking about starting your own child-minding business, you can apply for a start-up grant.
The grant is for childminders either registering as a childminder for the first time, or those who have been de-registered for at least 12 months before their current registration.
You can apply for the grant if you
- registered as a new childminder after 15 March 2023
- work as a childminder in England
- have already completed your Ofsted or childminder agency (CMA) registration
The start-up grant can be used to recover the cost of registering as a childminder.
Childminder start-up grants provide eligible new childminders with a one-off payment. You do not have to pay the grant back.
Apply for a childminder start-up grant - GOV.UK
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A new display in East Sussex libraries is highlighting the positive experiences of Ukrainian guests as they reflect on their lives in East Sussex.
A display of posters called ‘Voices of Ukraine’ shines a spotlight on the positive experiences guests have had integrating into local communities.
The Voices of Ukraine project involved Ukrainian guests who attend the English conversation group at Eastbourne library. These groups are relaxed, drop-in sessions and aim to help international adults improve their spoken English.
Guests learning or improving their spoken English is important for securing jobs and feeling connected to community as their build their lives in the UK.
The council’s library service offers informal English conversation groups, and useful guides for people who are users of English as an Additional Language.
Learn more about the library’s conversation groups.
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Have you been feeling down or worried about something going on in your life? Have you felt lonely, and like you needed to speak to someone?
A translating and interpreting service is now available to give you informal wellbeing and mental health support.
The service can help with:
- Cultural & linguistically appropriate support Proactive support
- Identifying needs Support to ensure that
- individuals do not develop or suffer lapses of mental health.
- Emotional support
- Reduce loneliness and isolation Reactive support
- Follow up support - one off support or signposting
This service is provided by Links Project, Counselling Plus and Vandu.
For more information email admin@vandu.co.uk
Have you applied for your eVisa yet? If not, you must apply before 31 December 2024.
Most people will need to prove their immigration status electronically by using an eVisa in 2025.
It’s important to note that:
- creating a UKVI account does not change, or remove your current immigration status, or your rights in the UK
- you must keep your UKVI account up to date with your latest passport/travel document and contact details.
- you’ll need your in-date physical immigration documents when you travel internationally. You will not be permitted to travel without a valid passport
- If your passport is due to expire, it is your responsibility to apply for renewal. You should contact the Ukrainian Embassy in London or Edinburgh https://uk.mfa.gov.ua/en for advice on how to do this.
Applying is easy
Support is available forvisa holders to move to eVisas.
Get help with your online application – including support by phone and email if you need support with IT-related aspects of creating a UKVI account.
Support is also available in East Sussex from The People Matter Trust.
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Unsurprisingly, a lot of Christmas events are being held for the next few weeks in our communities. We’ve collected some events happening from mid-November to mid-December. These are bound to inspire and get you in the festive spirit.
Easier way to get about
If you find it hard to get around East Sussex because you live in areas with limited or no public transport then why not try Flexibus.
The on-demand ride share service can help connect you with your local area and the wider public transport network so you can visit more of our wonderful county.
Flexibus operates Monday to Saturday 7am-7pm, excluding Bank Holidays.
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Jobs round-up
The latest jobs for guests interested in a new career?
Is your guest looking for a new job? We've the latest selection of roles and learning and training opportunities to help your guest get the job they want.
The jobs round-up is also now available online.
Being a host: my story so far...
I started working with the Refugee Buddy Project in Hastings in March 2022, writes Penny Downes. In November 2022 I was paired with a young Ukrainian woman; a mother of a 4-year-old son, who had been here nearly a year. Up to that point she had had very little support and spoke very little English.
As our lessons and friendship progressed, she was gradually able to tell me that her mother – Tetiana - was still stuck in the Donbas region of Ukraine and had had to move to her cousin’s apartment as her own home had been bombed. The village where she lived had been virtually razed to the ground. The apartment opposite her cousin’s was then bombed. Seeing the photos, it was at this point last December that my husband and I decided to sponsor her to come to the UK to be reunited with her beloved daughter and grandson.
The application was very laborious, what with the language barrier and the fact Tetiana had no access to an up-to-date smartphone. She was forced to summon up all her courage to travel alone to Poland to get her visa. This was a daunting experience that ended up taking her many days with lots of frantic phone calls.
Our guest arrives
Tetiana finally made it here in May. Any misgivings we may have had (our house is quite small, we had recently suffered a bereavement, communication due to the language barrier …) disappeared in an instant when I saw her daughter’s tears of joy and the huge smile on her grandson’s face as he told me: “This is my baba.”
The first few weeks were quite a challenge - sorting the biometric pass, helping Tetiana to get a bank account, navigating an online universal credit application, registering with a doctor to get vital medication and getting her medical documents translated and so on.
Google Translate (although a lifesaver) often comes up with some rather incomprehensible translations! We were thankful for support from The Refugee Buddy Project, RVA and a Rother Social Prescriber the GP surgery referred us to.
Wonderful friendship
Stressful as everything was for all of us, it has not taken away from the wonderful friendship that has developed between us as we have shared our interests in horticulture and cuisine and have begun to learn about each other’s cultures.
It has been a privilege to know Tetiana, and her family and has certainly enriched our lives beyond our wildest expectations. We hope to be a part of each other’s lives for many years to come.
Useful contacts
Homes for Ukraine contact centre. If you need advice, call 01273 337010 (pick Option 1 to speak to someone in English, Option 2 to speak to someone in Ukrainian) or email ukraine@eastsussex.gov.uk.
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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