CAMDEN COUNCIL RESPONSE

Camden Council’s Community Partnerships Team Ukraine Response update
Since the Ukrainian Resettlement Community Response Meeting, held on 15th March, The Community Partnerships Team have been working with a range of partners to develop Camden’s response – below are the outlines of some key follow-up initiatives.

Arrival Reception and Rest Centre:
An arrival reception and rest centre for people arriving into the UK via St Pancras Station has now been set up. The response included support from Little Village (who provided immediate provisions for households with babies and young children), Urban Community Projects (who provided snacks and refreshments for onward travel) and volunteers who have been providing Ukrainian and Russian language support. There are ongoing meetings with a core group of VCS organisations working in and around St Pancras to develop and refine the support offered.

Ukrainian Nationals Arriving and Settling into Camden
Details on the Homes for Ukraine scheme and matching process are still being developed by central government. Camden Council will have a role in undertaking safeguarding checks and home visits to assess the appropriateness of accommodation, and an ongoing responsibility in terms of the provision of statutory services for those who settle in Camden.  
We are working to develop a welcome pack and information pack for Ukrainian nationals settling in the borough and their hosts. This guidance will include information about the immediate steps that people will need to take on arrival into the UK, it will also include information about Camden’s wider community offer.  

VCS Support Survey
We’d like this guide to include information about local independent services that can support Ukrainian nationals settling in Camden with urgent and immediate needs such as links to language communities or counselling support. We’re working with Voluntary Action Camden to ask you to provide some information in this short online survey.
Some of our key local issues are to encourage groups and individuals to sign up for the Homes for Ukraine campaign, to support and promote public giving locally – such as the Equality Fund for Refugees from Camden Giving, and internationally – such as the Disasters Emergency Committee campaign.
We also need to promote the donation of medical and humanitarian items which are being collected at points across London, and encourage Ukrainian and Russian speakers to support the welcome team at the arrival points. Fluent speakers wishing to register interest can do so at ‘Help support new arrivals from Ukraine’ here