Co-researcher Dr Irina Kuznetsova said: “Many young Ukrainians who have arrived in the UK since 2022 have left school, started higher education or started working and are trying to build their lives in the UK. United. They succeed despite the difficulties linked to forced displacement, war trauma and adaptation to a new country. We must support this population by establishing pathways to citizenship and ensuring that Ukrainian communities have access to information and support that will enable individuals to plan for their futures.

The researchers also looked at other aspects of the lives of young Ukrainians in the UK, such as schooling, housing, employment and access to healthcare. Their recommendations included:

• Launch awareness campaign to attract more hosts for displaced Ukrainians

• Put in place statutory measures to ensure that schooling is accessible and prioritized for Ukrainians and other children affected by forced displacement.

• Develop resources adapted to the program and offer a decolonial vision of the history of the Russian Empire and the USSR.

• Provide guidance for access to higher level qualifications for Ukrainians and improve processes for UK recognition of Ukrainian qualifications.

• Raise awareness and educate employees about the experiences of young, formerly displaced workers, whose experiences may be different from those of UK youth

• Provide training and employment opportunities for Ukrainian-speaking mental health experts and improve access to interpreters in health and mental health services

“The young Ukrainians we interviewed for this study generally felt welcome in the UK, but it is also clear that the uncertainty about their future here is detrimental,” says the co-author of the report, Dr Natalia Kogut, who has experienced these challenges herself. she had to flee kyiv with her children in 2022. “Something needs to be done regarding the visa extension, as applicants are only allowed to apply 28 days before the initial visa expires. It is difficult to rent accommodation or find a job without any guarantee regarding the visa,” she stressed.

Return to Ukraine is not an option for many men and people from the occupied territories. Men are at particularly high risk if they have to return to Ukraine, as they may be called up at a certain age. Residents of occupied territories and areas destroyed by war are also particularly vulnerable, having lost their property and suffered trauma and loss.