Offer a sixth form boarding school bursary for Ukrainian Global University students
What is Ukraine Global University? Ukraine Global University (UGU) is an emergency non-profit initiative that aims to bring together the world's best schools to support Ukrainian students (from high school students to postgraduates) at this time of war in exchange for their commitment to contribute to post-war Ukraine. UGU has been launched by a consortium of registered charities such as Ukraine Global Scholars (UGS) and educational institutions such as Kyiv School of Economics (KSE), and others, and in a partnership with the Office of the President of Ukraine.
UGS specifically, a US-based 501c3 public charity, has already placed 200 bright Ukrainian students into boarding schools and colleges in the US, UK and globally on $50M in bursaries. While the UGU initiative has only been running for a number of months, it has received an unprecedented number of applications from young Ukrainians whose education has been interrupted or compromised by the Russian invasion. Both UGU and UGS have been facilitating full bursary placements into UK boarding schools through HMC Projects, UGU’s UK boarding school partner. By working closely together, around 50 Ukrainian students have already been successfully placed in UK boarding schools (both HMC and non-HMC member schools) on full bursaries for this coming academic year.
How does an independent school offer a place to UGU students?
UGU, UGS and HMC Projects are keen to place more students on full bursaries. UGU already have more than 100+ applicants pre-vetted and pre-selected based on rigorous assessments. UK boarding schools may either accept Ukrainian students who are here on the Homes4Ukraine scheme or Ukrainian students eligible for Tier 4 visas. UGU will consider assisting students age 16+ with guardianship support through a UK organisation, or, alternatively, with families sponsoring Ukrainian refugees.
If your school is able to consider one or more Ukrainian students, either now or in the future, please email Marina Mosneaguta, Head of UGU Admissions at marina.mosneaguta@sumterschools.net and copy in Jonathan Wolstenholme, Director of HMC Projects, at director@hmcprojects.org.uk HMC Projects will write to all HMC, GSA and BSA schools in September with further information.
Provide a location for Saturday school and after school places for Ukrainian refugees
Saturday schools are providing Ukrainian children in the UK with a place where they can continue to engage in the Ukrainian language and cultural studies, and to receive other emotional support during this time of crisis in their home country.
We have been in contact with Inna Hryhorovych, Principal of St. Mary’s Ukrainian School, which is the lead Saturday School for the Ukrainian community in London. Inna liaises closely with the Ukrainian Embassy and the UK Department of Education on matters relating to the influx of Ukrainian families. She has explained that the goal for most of these refugees is to return to Ukraine and to be reunited with their families once it is safe to do so. (Most who have come are women and their children and elderly as the men have remained in Ukraine.) The London Saturday school programme is oversubscribed and as groups of Ukrainian families settle in the UK through the Homes for Ukraine scheme, the need for Saturday school premises is becoming urgent. For younger students, maintaining Ukrainian language proficiency is a goal. However, for older students (15+) these Saturday schools also prepare them for Ukrainian exams (Ukrainian literature, history and geography) as this would assist them if and when they return to Ukraine as well as complementing any GCSE/A Level certificates they achieve in the UK.
Venues are being sought throughout the country, wherever there are homes for Ukraine host families. Many of the refugees are teachers who are willing to do this work, but they need venues. There is a particular need in Manchester.
How can independent schools provide after school venues to Ukrainian refugees?
If your school would be willing to make its premises available on a Saturday or Sunday (or after school) for a local Ukrainian language and studies school with a teacher supplied by Inna’s organisation, please contact Inna Hryhorovych on this email: hryhorovychinna7@gmail.com and her organisation will liaise with your school going forward.
Recruit qualified Ukrainian teachers from the refugee community
Among the Ukrainian refugee community, there are qualified teachers who speak English. These people – again mostly women as the men have been required to stay in Ukraine to fight – are able to work and keen to do so. If you have any posts in your schools – teaching or otherwise within the school environment – that you consider might be suited to a Ukrainian refugee, please contact Inna on hryhorovychinna7@gmail.com. Her organisation is also working to facilitate DBS checks.
The Good Schools Guide is interested to know the extent to which schools are responding to the needs of Ukrainian refugees. Please keep in touch by emailing refugees@goodschoolsguide.co.uk. We would also be delighted to receive questions and comments.