A Glimpse of Our Activities for Afghan and Ukrainian Children and Young People

Our Gateway to Education Project for Ukrainian and Afghan children and young people in London and North Hertfordshire is well underway. We're offering extra educational and well-being support for young refugees to help their transition to the UK. Read below to hear about our recent activities and how we're seeking to empower young refugees.

Young Afghans Receive Well-Being Support

Young Afghans residing in Islington recently benefitted from a well-being session delving into topics such as friendships, bolstering confidence and self-esteem, and navigating the challenges of a new environment. Our discussions aimed to provide a supportive space for students to share their concerns and equip them with the necessary tools for their emotional and social development. Students also met Carol Jardine-- their English tutor who will be helping them enhance their language skills for the duration of the project. Carol has over two decades of experience in tutoring both in the UK and abroad and we're thrilled to welcome her to the project.

Young Afghans in Islington during their well-being session

Ukrainian Children Enhance their Education, Parents Receive Psychological Support

In addition to Ukrainian children's regular English lessons, students recently learned how to write their own fairy tales from a Ukrainian children's author. The activity was a huge success with the children aged 7-13. They used their imaginations, developed their critical thinking skills and expressed their creativity. 

We also established an important psychological support group for Ukrainian parents led by an experienced family psychologist from Ukraine. Parents can attend the group while their children are in lessons. The group is designed to help parents identify ways to support their children as they adapt to life in the UK and give them a space to share their experiences with other Ukrainian parents. 

We began our GSCE Maths classes in April for teenagers to help them keep up with their peers. Classes are conducted online twice a week and are aimed at helping them become more familiar with the UK school system and the exams. 

Ukrainian children learn how to create their own fairy tales, parents in the support group

Our activities are funded by the Department for Levelling Up and will continue until March 2025. 

Our project represents our belief that all children deserve the best start and opportunities in life, despite the challenges they face. We're eager to continue our work and empower children and young people for a better future.