Supporting Ukrainian Women into Work

We are looking at what extra can be done to support Ukrainian women into work for their and their families benefit and because they have so much to offer the UK economy.

GRoW Ukrainian project co-ordinator Olena has been talking to Ukrainian women to investigate their employability issues.

Key issues raised so far

Their diplomas and qualifications are not recognised, which means they have to spend time and money to confirm their credentials.

They encounter language barriers, especially if certification is required.

Responsibilities, such as caring for children, make it challenging to secure full-time jobs,

Employers are often unresponsive to their CVs.

The experience of a woman with a diploma in biochemistry illustrates the difficulties involved. She has to rent a room and commute for three hours every day because her son’s school and her workplace are in different areas. Cleaning private houses is her only means of livelihood, and she cannot give it up until her son can walk home by himself. Despite her efforts to find other jobs, such as applying for teaching assistant positions, submitting CVs to various companies, and attending webinars, she has not had any success. She cannot afford to lose her housing benefit by not working

Acquaintances’ referrals seem to be the most effective way to find employment, but they are not always available. The are finding that local job centres are not resourced to provide sufficient assistance.

These barriers prevent Ukrainian women from realising their full potential and contributing to the UK economy.

If you have information to share please contact us info@belinagrow.co.uk

The GRoW programme delivered by Belina Consulting is running a project to offer employability support to Ukrainian women who face many barriers to employment in the UK. They are provided with The Grow App, which has information and advice, and they are supported to develop their CVs and build interview skills. They also have access to weekly bulletins that look for part time work in London.