14th September 2023

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Host & Guest e-newsletter

Welcome to the latest issue of our e-newsletter for Homes For Ukraine guests and hosts.

Visit the 'Connect to Support' website to read this newsletter in Ukrainian or Russian (using Google Translate).

Відвідайте веб-сайт "Зверніться до служби підтримки", щоб прочитати цей інформаційний бюлетень українською або російською мовами (за допомогою Google Translate).

Посетите сайт "Связь с поддержкой", чтобы прочитать этот бюллетень на украинском или русском языках (с помощью Google Translate).

Newsletter frequency

We are going to switch the frequency of these newsletters to being sent out monthly - so the next edition will be sent out during the middle of October.

If there are any important messages or time-sensitive information that we need to communicate to between newsletters we will send these out as standalone emails.

We will continue to make information available on our Connect to Support website - the pages are regularly updated and contain information about visas, housing, employment, learning to speak English, public transport, schools and much more. The in-built Google Translate function means that the website can easily be translated into both Ukrainian and Russian.

Understanding Universal Credit

‘Universal Credit’ is a payment to help with you and your family’s living costs. It is paid monthly. You can apply for ‘Universal Credit’ if you are on a low income, not in employment or cannot work. Please note that although the word ‘credit’ sometimes translates to ‘loan’ in Ukrainian, general ‘Universal Credit’ is not repayable.

Specific information on financial support, including ‘Universal Credit’, for those fleeing the conflict in Ukraine is available on the gov.uk website. This site is also available in Ukrainian and Russian.

Skills Bootcamps

The Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership (GLLEP) have recently launched a series of Skills Bootcamps.

These are short courses that help train people with skills that are needed by local employers.

These courses are not specifically targeted at Ukrainians but there may be courses available that some of our Homes For Ukraine guests might find helpful. The courses on offer cover a range of employment sectors - digital, driving, construction, electric vehicles, care and hospitality.

Skills Boot Camps are free and can be online courses or face-to-face courses - it depends on the subject. After successfully completing the training course there will be a guaranteed job interview with a local employer.

The available Skills Bootcamps are listed on the GLLEP website. You can also find contact details there for the GLLEP if you need to ask any further questions.

Citizens Advice support for Ukrainians in Lincolnshire

Citizens Advice is a charity that offers free support and advice to residents. They can help with a range of issues including claiming universal credit and other benefits. Citizens Advice can provide home visits in rural areas and can attend community groups in Lincolnshire with translation support.

In Lincolnshire there is a dedicated helpline number and email address for Homes For Ukraine guests to use if you would like to ask for help - you can call 0344 847 6128 or email ukraine@citizensadvicesouthlincs.org.uk

Final thank you payments when guests leave

When a hosting arrangement comes to an end and guests move on to accommodation elsewhere we bring the host thankyou payments to an end as well. Hosts are paid a monthly thankyou payment in arrears - this is a payment of £350 month, going up to £500 a month once the guests have been in the UK for a year.

This leads to the question of what happens with payments when guests leave part way through a month. Of course, very few guests leave their hosts exactly on the same day of the month they arrived - so in the majority of cases guests have stayed with their host for a full number of months and then part of a month.

The government guidance is that we should look at the final part-month to determine if an extra monthly payment should be made. If this final part-month is 16 days or more then the hosts are eligible for another thankyou payment; if it is 15 or fewer days then the hosts are not eligible for another thankyou payment.

For example, if guests arrive with a host on 1st January 2023 and then leave on 20th August then the guests have been there for 7 months and 19 days - so this host would receive 8 thankyou payments in total.

If guests arrive with a host on 1st January 2023 and then leave on 10th August then the guests have been there for 7 months and 9 days - so this host would receive 7 thankyou payments in total.

We do not pay pro-rata payments for individual extra days. Please contact homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk if you have any further questions.

Learning to speak English

Free courses in teaching English

Free courses are now available for Homes For Ukraine guests living in Lincolnshire to train to Teach English as a Second or Other Language (TESOL).

This is a good opportunity to gain a recognised qualification, particularly if you wish to pursue a career in teaching English as a foreign language, or if you'd like to volunteer some of your time helping others to learn to speak English.

There are currently three free courses to choose from that are run by a company called Flying Cows Learning:-

CertTESOL - this is a world-renowned qualification ideal for people who would like to make teaching English as a foreign language their profession in the UK.
There is a 16-week option which requires 10-15 hours of self-directed home study per week. Learners are also required to attend the language academy in Nottingham in person on a minimum of 5 Saturdays to complete the teaching practice element of the course (attendance online on the other Saturdays is required). There is another version of this course that is available completely online.
OFQUAL TEFL Cert - this is a 168-hour online course, this is a good option if you cannot commit to the full CertTESOL course and need a more flexible study option. This is a level 5 qualification which can be completed at your own pace.
Certificate in TESL - this is a 100-hour online course. This is an unaccredited course which is perfect for people who would like to improve their English and gain some experience in teaching English as a foreign language but do not have high enough English language ability for the higher level courses.

If you are interested in finding out more or applying for any of these courses please visit the Flying Cows website and click on the "Apply Now!" button. Flying Cows will contact you to discuss choosing a course and to check your eligibility. Spaces on these courses are limited.

Online English lessons and employment skills training

The UK Government recently announced the STEP Ukraine programme - this is a free 12-week online English and employment skills course run by World Jewish Relief. The course is designed specifically to help Ukrainian guests with English language skills and also to provide training to help find meaningful employment in the UK - for example training in CV writing and interview skills.

The course runs for 2.5 hours per day Monday-Friday and you can choose to attend in either the morning, the afternoon or the evening. Morning and afternoon sessions will be timed so that parents can still take children to and from school.

There are 10,000 places available across the UK - if you are interested you are encouraged to register as soon as possible to secure a place in the programme. The registration form is available in Ukrainian as well as English.

English lessons starting in September

We still have spaces available at some English courses starting across Lincolnshire in September.

Courses run by Lincolnshire County Council
These are free 12-week courses and are available to adults aged 19+. The courses offer Essential English for new learners. For those with a basic level of English they offer classes to work towards a qualification in English Literacy (AIM).

There are currently spaces at the following locations with September start dates (courses run term-time only, from September to December 2023):

Bridge Central, Lincoln: 12:30pm - 2:30pm, Monday
YPLP, Spalding: 12:30pm: 2:30pm, Monday
Stamford Children’s Centre: 9:15am - 11:45am, Tuesday
One Hub Bourne: 12:30pm: 2:30pm, Tuesday
Spalding Children’s Centre: 9:30am - 11:30am, Wednesday
Stamford Children's Centre: 9:30am - 11:30am, Friday

Advance booking is required. To register your interest and find out more, including start dates, please contact Pauline Mould, Education Project Officer, pauline.mould@lincolnshire.gov.uk

Courses run by TaylorITEX CIC
There are currently spaces at the following locations with September start dates:

Black Sluice Lock Cottages, Boston: 9:30am, Monday
Black Sluice Lock Cottages, Boston: 12:15pm, Monday
Black Sluice Lock Cottages, Boston: 12:30pm, Tuesday
Black Sluice Lock Cottages, Boston: 9:30am, Thursday
Fenside Community Centre, Boston: 9:30am, Tuesday
Fenside Community Centre, Boston: 12:30pm, Tuesday

The courses run by TaylorITEX CIC are for various different levels, please contact Julie on 01205 360800 or julie@tayloritex.co.uk to discuss which might be the most appropriate course for you or your guests.

English lessons in Gainsborough

We are also currently assessing the provision of Essential English classes in Gainsborough.

If you’re a Ukrainian guest living in the Gainsborough area and would be interested in learning English at a location in Gainsborough please email Pauline Mould, Education Project Officer at Lincolnshire County Council: pauline.mould@lincolnshire.gov.uk. Please include your name and postcode along with a rough idea of your current level of English.

If there is sufficient interest we will look at the possibility of delivering Essential English classes in Gainsborough.

Further information on learning English

There is much more information about learning to speak English on ‘Connect to Support’ including locations and contact details of all Lincolnshire providers of English lessons. This website can be instantly translated into Ukrainian and Russian.

You can also find details of some English courses listed on 2aspire.

Events

Please send any events for this newsletter to: homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk

New or existing events, activities and any other support services open to Ukrainian guests can also be added to the 'Connect to Support' directory by completing the sign-up form (add ‘Ukraine Support’ to the title of your listings).

Wellbeing Lincs support for Ukrainians in Lincolnshire

'Wellbeing Lincs' offers emotional and practical support - for example, help with advice on accessing health, education, benefits and housing - to all hosts and guests in Lincolnshire.

If you need to have a potentially difficult conversation with your host / guest, the 'Wellbeing Lincs' team may be able help you navigate this. They are trained in providing mediation and can support you in talking things through openly and honestly to reach a positive solution.

For help, email ukraine.wellbeing@e-lindsey.gov.uk with your name, address, contact information and a brief description of what you need.

The team will aim to be in touch within two working days. They can also be contacted by phone on 01507 613044 from 9am to 5pm Monday to Thursday or 10am to 4.30pm on Fridays.

Important Links / Важливі посилання / Важные ссылки

Contact us

If you have any questions, please contact Lincolnshire County Council's 'Homes for Ukraine' team on homesforukraine@lincolnshire.gov.uk.