Directory will benefit refugees
A directory to help support Ukrainian refugees in West Lothian will be up and running within the week.
A swift response from groups and individuals taking part in a special meeting last week will allow the help directory to go live on the Voluntary Sector Gateway website tomorrow (Friday).
More than 40 individuals and organisations from across the county joined the hastily convened conference last week.
Alison White, West Lothian Council’s Director of Health and Social Care, outlined the work the council was doing to enable the two government schemes, one launched by Westminster and one by Holyrood, to go ahead.
This includes carrying fitness checks on homes and individuals who have volunteered to help.
The new directory will contain contact details of charity organisations, what they do, and how they can help Ukrainian refugees and the families who are helping them.
Those interested in offering help should add their details by Friday by visiting here: https://forms.office.com/r/974DzzWKhb .
Among the groups which have already volunteered to help are those who work with children with special needs charities which collect and distribute children’s clothes and toys and also council teams which can provide help with job seeking and benefit advice.
Newly arrived refugees each receive a £200 payment as well as initial welfare advice. Volunteers who are providing homes will be paid £350 through the Homes for Ukraine scheme which was set up by the Home Office following a groundswell of public support for refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine.
The Gateway’s CEO Alan McCloskey said: “West Lothian welcomes Ukrainian nationals and their family members. Following a meeting with Community Groups and West Lothian Council, VSGWL has agreed that it would create a ‘Directory of Support’. We will continue to add new offers of support from community groups and statutory partners in the coming weeks.
“If there’s anything else we can help with, please let us know.”
The directory is available at https://www.voluntarysectorgateway.org/ukraine-support/