Ukrainians have praised communities in Argyll and Bute and the Council for making them feel welcome and providing them with a safe environment to help rebuild their lives.
In Argyll and Bute, there are currently over 300 Ukrainian refugees who have fled the war. A new report from Glasgow University spoke to a number of families to hear about their experiences since arriving in the area. It covers the service and support participants have received with feedback used to inform future resettlements.
Argyll and Bute Council work closely with a multi-agency partnership that brings together all aspects of support including health, education, housing and welfare. The report provides a positive summary of this humanitarian support to help families recover from the trauma of war and resettle into a new community. The Council’s Resettlement Team includes support workers, English language tutors and interpreters.
On behalf of the Ukrainian people, Argyll and Bute Council would like to thank everyone for welcoming families into their communities and providing so much support.
Feedback from participants
“Our daughter finds the school great, and we all love the school. It’s really well equipped, and it was very easy for her to study. She easily found friends, she feels like a part of her friend group.”
“[The children] are members of the football club, and they have a lot of friends there through football.”
“I would also like to mention and to thank Business Gateway, the organisation that helped us to develop our business. They helped us to apply for grants, and they constantly have meetings with us [... We have had] consultations with accountants and [...] professionals who could advise us [on specific issues]. We are really grateful for the whole support that we [have received] in Scotland. This is many times more than what we ever expected to get.”
“While we were in the hotel, we saw the resettlement team members often and they helped there. And when we moved out, we got emails from the support workers and the resettlement team, with explanations and support. They explained everything that needed to be explained and it was easy and straightforward.”