Support for Ukraine Community – Update

Support for Ukraine community update for hosts in South Cambridgeshire, as well as District Councillors, community coordinators and parish council colleagues.

Contents

  1. Which forms when? Clarification for Hosts
  2. ESOL Classes Online – new courses
  3. Creative Community Crafts Sessions
  4. Reminders

Which forms when? Clarification for Hosts

As part of our work within the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, we are obliged to ask our hosts to fill in a number of forms so that we can ensure the scheme is working as intended.  We appreciate this is a chore, but it does enable us to provide the best support for both hosts and guests and ensures the correct financial help is available at the right time. Below is clarification on when to fill out our forms to keep us updated on your guests and to receive or stop payments:

Arrivals Form to inform us of your guests’ arrival:

  • When your guests first arrive with you.
  • If they have been absent from your property for more than 4 weeks and they return.

Additional Host Payment to opt in to receive the extra £150 host monthly payment.

Leavers Form to update us when your guests:

  • Are no longer coming.
  • Have vacated your property / moved elsewhere.
  • Plan to be / have been absent for more than 4 weeks.

ESOL Classes Online – new courses

Please let your guests know that the WEA (Workers Educational Association) will start new ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) online evening courses via Zoom from March.

If guests are interested to join one of the new groups, they should register for one of the Skills Check meetings where friendly staff can help them find the right course and complete a few short tasks to see which is the best choice. The Skills Check meetings are on 6, 8 or 9 March. Please ask guests to register as soon as possible to secure a place:

Reference: C2229514 Date: 06/03/2023 11:00am

Reference: C2229515 Date: 08/03/2023 11:00am

Reference: C2229516 Date: 09/03/2023 9:15am

When registering, please quote the course reference either online at wea.org.uk or by ringing 0300 3033464. If you have any questions, please email cambs@wea.org.uk

Creative Community Crafts Sessions 

The Cambridge-based charity Rowan, which provides an arts centre and forest school for adults with learning disabilities, is welcoming all Ukrainian refugees to join them for a series of evenings of socialising, refreshments and opportunities to get creative.

The sessions, running over eight weeks, will start on 23 February and will continue to run on Thursdays from 18.30 to 21.00 at 40 Humberstone Road, Cambridge, CB4 1JG.

The sessions are FREE to attend. For further information and to sign-up, visit www.rowanhumberstone.co.uk or call on 01223 566027.

Reminders

 Free online support session for Hosts – February 15: Diary date – the next online hosts get-together session from the Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice (AFT) is Wednesday 15 February from 19:30 – 21:00. Free tickets can be booked at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/support-for-hosts-of-ukrainian-families-online-event-tickets-528411201127

Updating contact details for guests: We would be grateful if you could remind your guests to return to us by tomorrow (10 February) the response form verifying their preferred means of contact.

Employment Survey: Please make your guests aware of our Ukrainian Employment/Skills Survey which will help us assess how we can best support guests into suitable employment.

Free weekly English classes: In partnership with A Learning Place, the Council provides free weekly English classes in Cottenham (Tuesdays 17.30), Sawston (Thursdays 16.15, 17.30 & 18.45) and Waterbeach (Wednesdays 16.30 & 17.40). Contact Amy on 07753 282967, email hello@alearningplace.co.uk or complete our short form

Volunteering: CCVS runs FREE in-person Volunteering Workshops for Ukrainian refugees who would like to learn how to be volunteers. The remaining sessions are today (9 February) and on 16 March, 10am-1pm, at 16-18 Arbury Court, Cambridge CB4 2JQ. For information or to register to attend, call 07840989719 or email ellie@cambridgecvs.org.uk

IMPORTANT NOTES

All hosts will receive information from us relating to DBS checks, accommodation checks, £350 monthly host and £350 one-off guest payments from the Government; plus additional ‘opt-in’ payments of £150 per month from this Council which we are paying to hosts in the district to help with extra costs such as rising energy bills. Once hosts have sponsored a guest for one year, their £350 payment from the Government will increase to £500 per month. For questions not covered in this update or on our Support for Ukraine webpages, please email duty.communities@scambs.gov.uk

We continue to look for new potential hosts via our Spare Room campaign which appeals for anyone who would like to get involved to apply to re-match existing guests via the Homes for Ukraine scheme. Hosts receive up to £500 per month as a thank you payment. If you are interested in hosting, or know of someone else who may be interested, please take a look at our website for details of the support available to new hosts and text ROOM to 88802.

News previously shared here can be found on our Support for Ukraine webpage and the Ukrainian Guest information hub which we encourage you to share with your guests who should be able to switch to view in their own language.

Thank you for taking the time to read this latest update. We hope that it is useful for you and your guests, and we thank you for your continued support.

Please do look out for next week’s newsletter as we will be providing a special edition on the options and support available to guests when they are ready to think about moving on to living more independently.

Bill

Bill Handley

Lead Cabinet Member for Communities

South Cambridgeshire District Council