The St John Of God Hospitaller Services (SJOG) Homes for Ukraine matching service was launched last September, in collaboration with CSAN, and has since seen many successful matches across the country.
The scheme was launched to address the demand for hosts and match vulnerable Ukrainians with welcoming individuals and families across the UK. The team have worked tirelessly throughout the year to promote the scheme across parishes and dioceses, as well as appearing on local radio stations. They conducted in-person information sessions in Liverpool, Bristol and Middlesbrough, where they were also featured on the evening ITV news.
The scheme was promoted widely across parishes and embraced by the Catholic community, with matches made from as far north as Middlesbrough to Somerset in the South. The team have provided specialist support to both the hosts and Ukrainian guests throughout the process, including post-arrival to ensure successful matches, and have also supported re-matches for Ukrainians already in the UK and in need of refuge.
Susan, a host with the SJOG scheme, shares her experiences of hosting:
June marks the annual festival of Refugee Week, during which we recognise and celebrate refugees and people seeking sanctuary in the UK. This Refugee Week we celebrate the successes of the SJOG matching service, and the many Ukrainian families they have supported with seeking refuge across the UK. We celebrate the compassion shown by British families who have hosted previously and those who continue to host, putting into action the four verbs, to welcome, to protect, to promote and to integrate.
The theme for this year’s celebration is Compassion, and we encourage all to exercise and grow their compassion during this month. There are a number of resources available on the CSAN website where you can learn more about refugees across the UK and how to get involved in your communities.
The SJOG team will be marking Refugee Week throughout the month, with a series of webinars, including an in-person event. We have compiled a schedule of events for which you can register and learn more about the scheme, with the opportunity to hear directly from hosts and Ukrainian guests about their experiences. As the war in Ukraine continues, the need for hosts remains high and we encourage those interested in hosting to reach out and learn more about the scheme to truly consider hosting as an option.
The schedule can be downloaded at the above link. To register for an event, click on the title and it will take you to the registration page.
If you have any queries, please contact the SJOG team at homesforukraine@sjog.org.uk.
