From Ukraine to Kingston – Valeriia Works with GRoW to Empower Women into Employment

Belina GRoW are delighted to announce that Valeriia Fedoronchuk has joined the team as an Employment Adviser to support women on our new South London Partnership Project funded by Mayor of London. Valeriia will be working with women in Kingston, Croydon, Merton, Sutton and Richmond to help provide employability advice, guidance and tailored support to help more women into work. Originally from Ukraine, Valeriia resettled in London after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. With two years in the UK, and a background as a Teacher in Ukraine, she brings a wealth of lived experience to provide invaluable advice and guidance to women navigating the job market.

Valeriia hit the ground running with our ‘Successful Summer’ project launch on Monday, marking her first official day with Belina GRoW. The event was a success, attracting 11 women eager to start their journey towards employment. Valeriia was particularly inspired by the enthusiasm and determination of the attendees, which included not only Ukrainian women but also women from other backgrounds.

Valeriia carried out a range of outreach and community engagement activities to ensure we were able to promote our event to women in the local areas who needed the most support, “I contacted people through my local Whatsapp and Telegram groups, I connected with the Resettlement Officer in Kingson and distributed leaflets and was delighted to see people there from all different areas who can benefit from the support we can offer through this project,” Valeriia said.

The project, funded by the Mayor of London, aims to support women in securing employment and offers comprehensive assistance, including CV preparation, mock interviews, job identification, and practical help such as start-of-work bonuses and references from Belina GRoW. The program also focuses on boosting confidence and motivation, essential for women re-entering the workforce.

Valeriia highlighted the common barriers faced by Ukrainian women as primarily language skills. She said “While many of the women we are supporting on the programme have a good command of English, others need to improve their proficiency to help them in their journey to work. Additionally, many women lack local work experience and struggle with the recognition of their qualifications. The project addresses these issues by guiding participants towards relevant training courses and providing crucial information on how to navigate the UK job market.

Valeriia’s own journey to employment in the UK was challenging. A mother to two boys and a primary school teacher with over 11 years of experience in Ukraine, she faced obstacles such as the need for local references and the recognition of her qualifications when she began looking for work 3 months after arriving. She also experienced challenges finding a school placement for her older son. Valeriia found support through the GRoW programme; “Sheeja worked with me to produce a really wonderful professional CV and really helped guide on the job application process.”

Now working part-time with Belina GRoW, Valeriia enjoys her role and is rethinking her career path. Her lived experience and understanding of the challenges faced by other women make her an invaluable asset to the team. Speaking of the GRoW Programme Valeriia said “I feel really passionate about providing the support I once needed to help other women overcome barriers and find rewarding work that is meaningful to them. I am really looking forward to working with the participants on our new programme and encourage more women in these South London Boroughs who want to get back to work to come and join us. Though places are limited we still have room for more and we want to do all we can to make a significant difference in the lives of women to empower them to achieve their career goals.