Resources for local businesses

Find out how local businesses can help welcome Ukrainian guests

How can local businesses help Ukrainian guests access their products and services?

Put up a sign to say you welcome Ukrainian guests - this is more likely to encourage them to come into your business.

Learn Ukrainian greetings to make them feel welcome such as:

Hello - Здравствуйте (pronounced Zdravstvuyte)
Goodbye - до побачення (pronounced Do pobachennya)

Download one of the many translator apps to aid communication and ensure that you are communicating effectively to respond to guests' needs.

For shops that sell food, make sure you are familiar with the products that Ukrainians typically use for preparing their meals. Many of them are commonly found in our local shops (including Polish shops) and supermarkets but there are some items that may be harder to find.

You can also find helpful resources on Instagram such as cookforukraine or oliahercules to get a better idea of typical Ukrainian dishes.

There is also a list of Ukrainian cuisine within the page below:

Learn About Ukraine Cuisine

Can I employ Ukrainian guests?

Under the Homes for Ukrainian scheme, sponsored Ukrainians can live and work in the UK for up to three years. See this link for employer obligations:

If you wish to, you can register any vacancies you have with the government scheme by contacting them at the following email address, offerwork@homeoffice.gov.uk.

Include the following in your email:

Your company name and contact details
How many roles you have available
The location of the role (if it’s local or national)
Job description
If the role is part-time, full-time or a different working pattern
If English language qualifications are needed
Any support you can offer e.g. relocation packages, mentoring or English lessons

It is likely that a national scheme will take time to process, so you may also want to advertise your vacancies on local job boards.

Wherever you advertise your vacancies, do remember that most of the guests will be women and many will have children with them. They may have witnessed or experienced trauma and could be lacking in confidence and trust, so bear that in mind when considering whether your normal recruitment processes are appropriate. You should also understand how Ukrainian qualifications match to UK equivalents for your particular sector (if appropriate).

Consider the following

What level of spoken English or reading English is necessary for safe working? What support to help improve English can you offer (e.g. access to additional language classes or offering flexible working to allow your employees to attend classes)?

Check if your Employee Assistance Programme is able to provide support for individuals who have faced war trauma. If it doesn’t, see what other support you could offer.

When taking on staff make sure you buddy them with someone who can look out for them to help them understand their role and ensure they find their way around - it's best to ask for volunteers for this type of role. This proactive approach will help them to settle more quickly into their work and feel welcomed which is likely to lead to a more productive employee who is likely to stay with you.

What else can local businesses do?

We are on the hunt for laptops that we can give (or lend) to the children coming into the local area. This is to help them do their school work, as well as to connect, learn and play. These should be in good working condition, but with no preferences as to the make or model. Please contact Maryna on Maryna4culverden@gmail.com or Ukraine Relief Group on ukrainereliefgroupwk@gmail.com

You can also donate pens and paper pads for us to use in the Conversation & Coffee English language classes.

Please go to the below donation and volunteering pages for ideas of what your business and employees can do to raise funds and support.

Donation & volunteering pages

Donate or raise money Donate clothes and goods Volunteer