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We support forcibly displaced people in the Surrey borough of Elmbridge and surrounding area About us We support forcibly displaced people in the Surrey borough of Elmbridge and surrounding area Every day, millions of people are forced to leave their homes due to conflict, persecution, or natural disasters. These individuals face unimaginable hardships - loss of home, separation from loved ones, and uncertainty about the future. Founded in 2016, at the height of the Syrian refugee crisis, Elmbridge CAN exists to welcome and support forcibly displaced people who have found their way to the borough of Elmbridge. Our charity is committed to providing such people with practical help, dignity and hope as they rebuild their lives here, based on our common humanity. However, we recognise that this can't happen without a collaborative, cross-community effort. We facilitate this within the Borough of Elmbridge - bringing together volunteers, businesses, community groups, schools, other charities and the local authority. We are proud to stand in solidarity with forcibly displaced people and believe that collectively, the residents and neighbours of Elmbridge CAN make a difference. Our team Who we work with Impact report Stories Contact us Latest news Our aims 1. Improving lives in Elmbridge We provide small grants and a range of services which foster social inclusion and wellbeing for forcibly displaced people in the borough of Elmbridge and surrounding area. 2. Raising awareness Through our community outreach activity, we advance the education of the public in general about the issues relating to forcibly displaced people. Read more in our Constitution . Our support roadmap In all cases we are guided by our “support roadmap”, which illustrates the process from arrival to becoming a fully contributing, thriving member of the community. Hopes and dreams Read the story of three children who fled Syria, now at UK universities. Find out more Volunteer with us We are always looking for keen volunteers, particularly those with relevant skills. Find out more Stay in touch Sign up for our newsletters to receive quarterly updates on our work. Find out more I am deeply grateful for every gesture: for taking the time to talk to me, for the clothes, for the support to continue my studies... All of this has been invaluable to me and has had a tremendous impact on my life. Thanks to you, I've been able to stay calm and move forward, even within the constraints of the asylum process, which often makes me feel limited. CM

We are proud to partner with these organisations and are enormously grateful to them for funding our work. We are proud to partner with the following organisations, and are enormously grateful to them for funding our work. Who we work with We are proud to partner with the following organisations, and are enormously grateful to them for funding our work. A charitable foundation which works with local partners to tackle poverty and inequality in Elmbridge. We work closely with our local council, which holds the primary responsibility for resettling refugees locally. The Community Foundation brings together local donors and those acting to provide positive solutions for local people and disadvantaged individuals. We also work closely with a growing and varied network of other organisations, including charities, government agencies, faith groups, schools and companies. They all have a key role to play in supporting displaced people, and we achieve more by working together. We also work with a growing and varied network of other organisations, including charities, government agencies, faith groups, schools and companies. They all have a key role to play in supporting displaced people, and we achieve more by working together. Here are some more of our strategic partners: City of Sanctuary is a network of communities, councils, schools and libraries that provide support and opportunity to people seeking sanctuary in the UK. Elmbridge CAN is proud to be a long-standing member of the City of Sanctuary movement. Big Leaf is a local charitable foundation which provides a nurturing programme of activities, projects and events, focussing on combating social isolation and improving wellbeing for displaced young people in Surrey. CSVA is a charity aiming to support and shape best practice in volunteering and social action in Elmbridge, Epsom & Ewell and Mole Valley. Specifically, they help to promote our volunteering opportunities and undertake DBS checks on our behalf. The National Council for Voluntary Organisations is the membership community for charities, voluntary organisations and community groups in England. It helps voluntary organisations achieve their greatest impact. Elmbridge CAN is a member of NCVO.

As the war in Ukraine continues, there is still an urgent need for hosts for Ukrainians - including some who are already in Elmbridge. Become a host To date, over 2,000 Surrey residents have opened their homes to a Ukrainian family. As the war continues, there is still an urgent need for hosts for Ukrainians - including some who are already in Elmbridge but need to move on from their current accommodation. Could you or someone you know offer a safe place to stay? Hosting an individual or a family can be enormously rewarding and there is plenty of support available to both hosts and guests (including financial support from Elmbridge Borough Council). If you are considering hosting and would like an informal chat about how it works, please email us on contact@elmbridgecan.org.uk . You would get the chance to meet a prospective guest/s before making any commitment and would be supported through the process. Elmbridge CAN is not directly involved in hosting displaced people of other nationalities, but there are several organisations who specialise in this. See below some links to useful information for prospective hosts (of both Ukrainians and other nationalities). Useful links for prospective hosts Information on hosting Ukrainians for Elmbridge residents Information on hosting Ukrainians if you live elsewhere in Surrey This Surrey County Council guide has lots of useful information for new hosts or Ukrainian nationals who have recently arrived to live in Elmbridge, covering what you need to know in the first few days Hosting Good Practice Guide produced by NAACOM (The No Accommodation Network) Article on Tips for hosts Specialist hosting organisations RESET : a national organisation tasked with helping to match Ukrainians with UK hosts, as well as other work related to resettling forcibly displaced people, for example via the community sponsorship scheme Refugees At Home and Rooms for Refugees : both charities which connect those with a spare room in their home to forcibly displaced people (of any nationality) in need of somewhere to stay Hope at Home : a UK hosting charity specifically for survivors of modern slavery You can also see our Get help section to find out more about the help available from Elmbridge CAN. Tetiana’s and Olena's story “My family consider you part of our family,” Diane says… “we all knew at the beginning that certain things might go wrong but nothing was insoluble and we always talk things through” Read the full story Hosting a family has been so rewarding – from the joyous sight of Peppa Pig on my staircase when our own family ‘baby’ is doing A-Levels, to sharing experiences, food and culture and helping them learn English. Lesia

Finding affordable suitable accommodation is one of the biggest challenges faced by displaced people in Elmbridge. Rent your property Finding affordable, suitable accommodation is one of the biggest challenges faced by displaced people in Elmbridge. Many families are keen to stay in the area, especially if they have children settled in local schools. Lots of the people we support have already experienced considerable upheaval. The property market is tough: rents are expensive and landlords are often reluctant to accept tenants who rely on Universal Credit. Yet for landlords who can be a bit flexible, this is one of the biggest ways you can help and extend a lifeline to people experiencing the most desperate time of their lives. Is my property suitable for a displaced family? It may be if it meets these criteria: a self-contained dwelling with 1 bedroom or more in a reasonable condition available for at least 12 months, preferably longer in or near Elmbridge, ideally with good access to public transport and local amenities such as shops and schools. at a rent which is affordable and sustainable (i.e. close to the Local Housing Allowance rate ) as with any other tenancy, all relevant certification must be in place - gas safety (where relevant), electrical safety and an energy performance rating of “E” or above. If you are interested in renting a property to a displaced household, we recommend that you get in touch with Elmbridge Borough Council’s housing team, either by email on housingpolicy@elmbridge.gov.uk or telephone on 01372 474632. If you would like an informal chat with one of us first, please get in touch on contact@elmbridgecan.org.uk . While we do not offer a property search service or get directly involved in setting up tenancies, we can support clients as needed with various other aspects of the tenancy such as sourcing furniture and equipment, moving costs and setting up accounts for utilities. See also Elmbridge Borough Council’s information on the Afghan Locally Employed Staff Relocation Scheme , including details of the kind of properties needed to resettle households under this scheme and the support offered to landlords. If you think you might be interested in hosting a Ukrainian family or individual in your own home or a self-contained property you own, see our Become a host page for more information on what’s involved and the support available. Spread the word Even if you don't have a home to rent you can still help by sharing the need with friends and neighbours, by signing up for our newsletter to hear about future needs and appeals, or by following us on social media and sharing our posts. Thanks to everyone once again for your generosity, support, and for making our new beginning in this beautiful place so much easier. Natalia

We published our first full impact report at the end of 2023, sharing how our charity has grown and evolved since its foundation. We now offer a wide range of services to support the full integration of forcibly displaced people, including drop-in hubs, employment mentoring, practical and material support, as well as group and one-to-one English classes. Impact report We published our first full impact report at the end of 2023, sharing how our charity has grown and evolved since its foundation. We now offer a wide range of services to support the full integration of forcibly displaced people, including drop-in hubs, employment mentoring, practical and material support, as well as group and one-to-one English classes. In a nutshell As at January 2024, we were supporting 276 families from Ukraine, Afghanistan, Syria and other countries. We had 250 ongoing support cases, and delivered our services through our network of 108 volunteers and seven staff members. In 2023 our staff and volunteers: Helped 89 families with support and advice on accommodation Supported 53 families to set up new homes Provided 70 job seekers with one-to-one mentoring Delivered 40 hours of tutoring and homework help every week Mentored 10 young people through our collaboration with St George’s College, Weybridge. Read our full report here Seeing first-hand the incredible work that all the dedicated Elmbridge CAN volunteers and staff do... as well as the positive impact the charity has on enabling people to rebuild their lives, and feel welcome and settled in Elmbridge, is truly amazing. I feel so lucky to be a part of Elmbridge CAN's mission, and thoroughly enjoy my volunteer role. Ayshe

Our small staff team supports and underpins the work of our volunteers. Our team Our volunteers are - and always have been - the lifeblood of our organisation. We rely heavily on our team of nearly 100 talented volunteers, who come from all walks of life and bring diverse skills and experience. Since 2022 we have built a small staff team to support and underpin the work of our volunteers, most of whom work part-time. They are guided by a strong and committed trustee board. Our staff team Co-director Jeannie Tweedie Jeannie co-founded Elmbridge CAN in 2016 in response to the Syrian refugee crisis. Her goal was to bring local people together to help - based on common humanity. Elmbridge CAN has since grown exponentially. Jeannie is driven and energised by the support she and the team have offered to displaced people and by the feeling that the Elmbridge CAN is making a tangible difference to real lives. Before starting Elmbridge CAN, Jeannie worked in project management, administration and events, and as a pre-school teacher. She holds a degree in History and Politics and a Masters in Refugee Care. Service Delivery Manager Florendia Buckingham Florendia has a diverse professional background, including 13 years as an IT project manager at PwC, followed by roles as a photographer and videographer, and as a trauma-informed yoga teacher. As a child, Florendia experienced first-hand the Cyprus/Turkey conflict, which led her to volunteer in Calais, following which she joined Elmbridge CAN as a volunteer in 2020. Her role expanded significantly to support operations and activities during the influx of Afghan and Ukrainian arrivals and she has helped to build a sustainable infrastructure for our fast-growing charity. Florendia is passionate about promoting wellbeing and fostering healthy conversations about displaced people within the community. Volunteer Co-ordinator / Administrator Sarah Nuttall Sarah is our Volunteers Coordinator, arranging screening and training for new volunteers and staff, and making sure we remain up-to-date with DBS checks and crucial training, for example in safeguarding. Sarah also supports the directors and staff team with general administrative tasks and coordinates our activities around donations of material items such as furniture and helping clients move to new homes. Sarah had a successful career in project and contract management with London Underground before switching to the community and charity sector, working for the Co-op before joining Elmbridge CAN in 2022. Ukrainian Integration Worker Olga Gaieva Olga is а Ukrainian citizen who relocated to the UK from Kyiv at the start of the war. Before working at Elmbridge CAN she volunteered at The Lighthouse in Woking as a member of the Ukrainian Welcome team, and at Wandsworth Food Bank. Olga is also an administrator at St Mary's Ukrainian School in Woking. She has wealth of experience in running her own craft business which she started in Ukraine, and continues developing in the UK. Olga is deeply inspired by the possibilities and importance relating to the integration of Ukrainians into our local community, and dedicates herself to supporting individuals and families on this journey. Co-director Melissa Day Melissa holds a degree in Modern Languages and is qualified as a solicitor, having trained and practised in a large City law firm, specialising in Family Law. She took a career break following the birth of her second child which included living in Spain for five years. Melissa is passionate about volunteering in the community and joined Elmbridge CAN as a volunteer in its early days, became a trustee in 2020, and finally took up her current role as co-director (in a job share with Jeannie) in September 2022. Melissa previously volunteered as a trustee at Citizens Advice. Programme Co-ordinator Charlotte Takla As Programme Coordinator, Charlotte works closely with our community partners to meet the education and employment needs of our supported families. She previously supported Elmbridge CAN for two years as a volunteer, having been introduced by a Homes for Ukraine host who had benefited from the charity's support. Since leaving a corporate career in Telecoms to bring up her family, Charlotte has volunteered for local children's charities and schools with an emphasis on fundraising and education initiatives. Arabic-speaking Integration Worker Huda Farran Huda is a Saudi citizen who was born and raised in Jeddah. A native Arabic speaker, she began volunteering at Elmbridge CAN with families who had arrived on the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (which closed to new arrivals in 2020). Since 2022 Huda has been employed by the charity as our Arabic-speaking integration worker, initially in a role funded by Elmbridge Borough Council to support the Syrian families on their path to becoming fully integrated and independent. More recently, Huda’s responsibilities have expanded and she has used her experience to help clients of various other nationalities, especially but not limited to Arabic speakers. Ukrainian Integration Worker Olena Dykalo Olena arrived to live in the UK shortly after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and has since devoted herself to supporting other Ukrainians in need. Since autumn 2024, Olena has worked full-time at Elmbridge CAN, where her strong communication and interpersonal skills - as well as her commitment and determination - are highly valued, enabling her to provide fast and effective assistance for Ukrainian families and individuals. Olena is a Master of Sports in fencing with over a decade of experience as a children's fencing coach in Ukraine. Our trustees Chair of Trustees Suzy Mellor Suzy combines her role as Chair of Elmbridge CAN with active volunteering projects. She has been a volunteer since 2020 and our Chair since 2023. Suzy is motivated by the strength and resilience of displaced people and their contributions to our local community. In particular, she loves working with the children of the families we support. As a leadership and management consultant, Suzy brings experience in team development. Throughout her career, she has worked as a senior manager in the technology sector in Europe and the Asia Pacific. She holds an MSc in Human Resource Management and Organisations from the London School of Economics. Suzy lives in Elmbridge with her husband and two teenage children. Trustee Hannah Addison Hannah has been involved with Elmbridge CAN since 2020 as an ESOL volunteer and joined the trustee board in 2022. She has a Postgraduate Diploma in Youth and Community Work and a background in the charity and public sectors setting up community projects and working with communities, families and young people. Hannah is a qualified ESOL teacher and enjoys teaching English to the families supported by Elmbridge CAN. Hannah works as a Pilates teacher and is co-director of a local studio, specialising in movement and strength work for women aged 40 and over. Trustee Tom Citroen Tom has been a professional fundraiser for 16 years, beginning his career as a face-to-face fundraiser for Greenpeace. He has since held roles at charities including Friends of the Earth, the Disasters Emergency Committee, and Barts Charity. Specialising in major gifts fundraising, Tom currently works as a Senior Philanthropy Manager at Save the Children. A resident of Elmbridge for the past six years, Tom became involved with Elmbridge CAN in 2021, inspired by the charity’s work with local families evacuated from Afghanistan. He is passionate about helping secure the funding needed to support Elmbridge CAN’s work and feels privileged to be part of such an inspirational team. Deputy Chair of Trustees Stephanie de Sarandy Stephanie has run her own leadership consultancy for 15 years and prior to that worked in numerous HR roles in the tech and finance sectors . She is a qualified executive coach and has worked with several charities including Save the Children , Water Aid and the Kings Fund . She brings all this experience together with a passion for equality, human rights and a fairer world to the trustee role. Trustee Jon Carr Bio coming soon. Trustee Nurettin Sevi Nurettin has been an active volunteer of Elmbridge CAN since 2017. Having personally navigated the asylum seeker and refugee processes, Nurettin brings valuable insights and experiences that deeply inform his advocacy work. With over 20 years of project management experience in defence operations and IT, Nurettin possesses strong skills in leading cross-functional teams, managing complex projects, and optimising processes. He combines this professional expertise with a personal understanding of the challenges faced by displaced people. Nurettin holds Masters degrees in Management & Leadership and National & International Security Strategy, equipping him to help drive impactful initiatives at Elmbridge CAN.

We have created a full guide for you to understand the different transport options in Elmbridge. Transport The public transport network of trains and buses can be confusing for new arrivals to Elmbridge. We have created a full guide for you to understand the different options and help you get around the local area: Public transport information sheet Homes for Ukraine (H4U) temporary bus pass scheme Surrey County Council has worked with bus companies in Surrey to set up this scheme. It offers those who arrived on the H4U scheme a free bus pass for 6 months for travel on their most used bus route. Participating companies include Stagecoach, Compass, Metrobus, Falcon, White Bus and Reptons. Find out more details and how to apply here . Driving in the UK Can I use my driving licence issued by my home country? This government webpage has a tool you can use to see if you can drive in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) on your licence issued by another country. In most cases, you can drive any type of small vehicle (for example cars or motorcycles) listed on your licence for 12 months from when you first arrived in Great Britain. However, Ukrainians (who entered on a Ukraine visa scheme) can continue driving here for three years from arrival. After the end of this period, you will need to either exchange your licence for a UK licence or pass theory and practical tests to acquire a UK licence. Visit this page to find out how to do this. Can I drive my car that I brought with me from another country? Generally you will be allowed to drive your car for up to six months. After that time you must “import” your vehicle which involves registering and taxing it. See this government webpage for more detail on the process. How can I get a UK driving licence? You will need to follow these steps in order to get a UK driving licence. This includes applying for a provisional licence, and passing both a theory test and a practical test. Elmbridge CAN runs driving theory lessons, visit our What’s On page to find out more. We recommend these books to help you pass the theory test: The Official DVSA Highway Code The Official DVSA Guide to Driving There are also various apps which can help, such as the Official DVSA theory test kit. You can buy and download this using these links: App for iOS / Apple App for Android eLearning platform (to use on a tablet, computer or mobile device) Once you are learning to drive, there are videos on YouTube which can help you, such as these: DGN Driving Drive London How expensive is it to run a car? The AA (Automobile Association) has published some useful guidance on the cost of running a car, here . In addition to the cost of buying and maintaining the car, and the cost of fuel, there are various other costs to consider - including tax, insurance and MOT (annual safety check), all of which are mandatory in the UK. Oxshott Care This local charity arranges lifts for Oxshott residents to medical appointments. They may be able to help with lifts to other important appointments, and with shopping and picking up prescriptions. See their website for more details or call them on 07950 478329 (phone line open from 9am to 12pm Monday to Friday. You can also leave a message).

This page gives important information to help you find a job. You can also get help from our employment volunteers - contact us or attend one of our hubs to access this support.  Employment It can be daunting trying to find a job in the UK, with systems and a working culture that may be very different to those in your home country. This page gives important information to help you find a job. You can also get help from our employment volunteers - contact us or attend one of our hubs to access this support. Some key steps to success 1. Learn English as quickly as you can This is the most important thing you can do to help you integrate into the local community. 2. Think about your long-term and short-term goals Is there a way to build your interests into your work? 3. Consider training while you are learning English or waiting to find employment Speak to your Job Centre coach about free courses on offer. 4. Prepare a good CV Here are some tips to get you started. 5. Interview Practice Practice makes perfect. Get help to improve your interview skills. 6. Work Experience Having some UK work experience can really boost your CV. By volunteering or doing work experience for free, you can improve your network and it could offer you a way into paid employment. 7. Get online Most recruitment in the UK takes place online and it is important to have some basic IT skills to search for jobs and submit applications online. Local colleges and the Job Centre can help you find a course to improve your skills. 8. Persevere Try not to be too disheartened if you get many rejections or do not hear back after submitting a job application. Looking for a job There are many different ways to find a job. This can vary depending on the type of company or industry you are looking to work in. Generally, large international companies will recruit through their websites or use recruitment agencies, whereas smaller businesses may find staff through word of mouth or by direct approaches. We have collated information about different ways you can find a job. Find out more here: Online recruitment websites Company websites Linked In Ask people you know The DWP Job Centre Recruitment agencies Specialist roles Construction industry Types of employment Employment contracts UK Employment law regulates the relationship between employers and employees. It governs what employers can expect from employees, what employers can ask employees to do, and employees’ rights at work. For more information about Employee rights, please refer to ACAS . Self employment For some people self employment may be the best option. Your skills or your family commitments may mean this works for you. For example, job roles such as gardeners, taxi drivers and photographers often work in this way as they have many clients. Being self employed offers: The chance to choose your own work schedule Self-agency and accountability Personal connection with customers Independence, freedom, being one’s own boss Direct payment from clients There are a number of things you need to consider when setting up a business in the UK. Take a look at this government guide Working for yourself - GOV.UK . You can also seek advice from the Job Centre; business support services and training providers like the The Rebel School . Overseas qualifications You may wish to continue working in a similar role to your former job in your home country. To do this, employers may ask you to provide translated copies of your certificates and qualification equivalency, so your employer can see how your qualifications equate to qualifications in the UK. Sometimes, an employer will do this for you, however, it is often useful to be prepared and have this ready yourself, so you know if your qualifications are correct for a specific job role. ENIC is the UK National Information Centre for the recognition and evaluation of international qualifications and skills and they offer a statement of comparability service. Translation and Certification services: There are many organisations that offer these services. If you require a recommendation, please contact us. UK Education levels When joining a course like ESOL classes at a college, the admissions team will be keen to identify your existing level of English or your qualifications. Many courses and job descriptions will also ask for a specific level of qualifications, for example, GCSEs or equivalent Level 2 qualifications or a Level 3 qualification. This website gives guidance on what the different qualifications mean: What qualification levels mean: England, Wales and Northern Ireland - GOV.UK Apprenticeships Apprenticeships are an alternative way to employment that offer you the opportunity to train as you work, so you can earn a salary while gaining a qualification. Apprenticeships are offered at various levels from school leaver (Level 2 / 3) to Degree apprenticeships (Level 6). They are available in a variety of industries including business, accountancy, healthcare, construction, hairdressing and many more. For further information on how apprenticeships work and different opportunities available please visit the government apprentice information page . Common barriers to work Childcare: For the latest information on how to find childcare and get help paying for it and what to do if your circumstances change, please refer to Get childcare: step by step - GOV.UK . Cost of finding a job: There are costs to finding work that you may find difficult to pay for, for example, work / interview clothing or travel to interviews. The DWP has funds that may be able to support you with these expenses. Please speak to your Job Centre work coach. Loss of benefits: You should not have a lower income by going to work. For up to date information, please check the government’s Universal Credit webpage. Disability support: Surrey County Council offer a supported employment programme called Work Wise. Work Wise is a free employment service available to any person with a mental or physical health condition, disability, or neurodivergence, who wants to work. Find out more on their website . Long term unemployment: Restart is a programme offered by the Job Centre, specifically for individuals who have been out of work for more than 12 months. If you think you are eligible for this programme and would like the opportunity to join, please contact your work coach. If you have any specific questions that are not answered here, please attend one of our drop-in hubs or get in touch by email at contact@elmbridgecan.org.uk and we will connect you with one of our employment volunteers. Looking for a job There are many different ways to find a job. This can vary depending on the type of company or industry you are looking to work in. Generally, large international companies will recruit through their websites or use recruitment agencies, whereas smaller businesses may find staff through word of mouth or by direct approaches. We have collated information about different ways you can find a job. Find out more below. Online recruitment websites Many job vacancies are advertised through online recruitment websites. Think about the keywords you put in to search engines like Google to ensure you find the most suitable job vacancies for you. Reed - Jobs and Recruitment on Reed.co.uk, the UK's #1 job site Indeed - Finding a job | Indeed.com Total Jobs - Jobs are our job | Totaljobs Back to top Company websites Most companies and international organisations advertise their job vacancies on their own websites. Search on the internet for companies you know and look on their careers pages. For example: www.jobsatamazon.co.uk www.tesco-careers.com/search-and-apply https://costacareers.co.uk Careers at P&G United Kingdom Back to top Linked In LinkedIn is an extremely popular online professional network that you can use to search for a job. If you set up a LinkedIn profile, you can then use LinkedIn to find the right job or internship, connect and strengthen professional relationships, and learn professional skills. Here’s some help with how to set up a profile: How to use LinkedIn 7 Tips On How To Use LinkedIn For Beginners Back to top Ask people you know Most companies and international organisations advertise their job vacancies on their own websites. Search on the internet for companies you know and look on their careers pages. For example: www.jobsatamazon.co.uk www.tesco-careers.com/search-and-apply https://costacareers.co.uk Careers at P&G United Kingdom Back to top The DWP Job Centre The Job Centre works with local employers and training providers to try to help people into work. Attend their job fairs, speak to your work coach and look at the notice boards in the Centre for the latest opportunities. Back to top Recruitment agencies Recruitment agencies can be national or local and offer job vacancies across many industry sectors. They can also specialise in a specific sector. Local agencies give you the opportunity to meet with the recruiters in person and will often have vacancies in the immediate area. National recruiters Request a call back | Michael Page External job board - AMS Examples of specialist recruiters HomeOrganisers | Housekeeper and Nanny Placements - HomeOrganisers Manufacturing & Engineering Recruitment | Martin Veasey Talent Solutions Health and Social Care Jobs | Search Jobs | Safehands Recruitment Milkround | Graduate Jobs, Schemes & Internships Surrey recruitment agencies March Recruitment Leading Recruitment Agency in Surrey & Sussex | The Recruitment Consultancy Back to top Specialist roles Specialist roles may require a different approach when searching for a job. For example, medical professionals, dentists, and teachers may need to undertake a period of retraining to practice in the UK. In the first instance, it is useful to approach the industry regulators to understand the process you must follow for your profession. General Medical Council: Full registration for international medical graduates - GMC General Dental Council: Overseas Registration Examination British Dental Association: Overseas dentists working in the UK Teaching for Internationally qualified teachers: A fairer approach to awarding QTS to overseas teachers - GOV.UK Apply for qualified teacher status (QTS) if you teach outside the UK - GOV.UK For some there are opportunities to receive loans or grants to help fund your training, exams and fees. Take a look at these organisations to see if you are eligible: Ruth Hayman Trust ReAccreditation Loans— RefuAid Back to top Construction industry Construction workers must complete a CSCS course to acquire a card to authorise them to work on building sites in the UK. These courses vary by profession ie plumbers, bricklayers, labourers etc, however the key focus is on ensuring best health and safety practice on site. Applying for CSCS cards | Official CSCS Website Back to top

From arriving in the UK with next to nothing, to establishing a successful business. Read how three Ukrainian women have joined forces and rebuilt their lives in Elmbridge Ukrainian sunflowers It was mid-June and there were just a handful of days before the Wimbledon tennis championships began at the All England Club. At a house just around the corner from the famous old venue a race against the clock had begun, as the Sunflowers gardening team set about transforming a front and back garden. “We only had a few days to get it done before they closed the roads for the tournament so we knew the project had no chance to fail,” Alyona recalls. “It was challenging as there was a lot of concrete to dig up in the garden but we did it in time. It was quite funny, too, as the neighbours walked past and watched our progress each day. At the end, some of them asked for our number as they were impressed with the job. It was a really interesting project to work on.” Sunflowers was set up by three Ukrainian women, who moved to the UK not long after the Russian invasion in the Spring of 2022. Alyona was working as a project manager in the construction sector of the real estate industry in Kiev when the war broke out. She moved to Surrey with her young family under the government’s Homes for Ukraine programme and soon became involved with Elmbridge CAN. “I used to live in America so settling in a new country has been ok for me,” she explains. “This time I was forced to leave so that was a bit different but the British people, and Elmbridge CAN especially, have offered us an enormous amount of support. I’m super grateful to everyone I’ve met here. When I first arrived here I focussed on volunteering with Elmbridge CAN, helping with paperwork for the other Ukrainians coming over.” She soon met Lena and Tetiana, friends from Vinnytsia in central Ukraine, and it was not long before they were hatching plans to find a way of contributing in their host country. “While working with the people who came here from Ukraine, I was thinking about what we could do and what helps,” Alyona continues. “Working outdoors together doing gardening is good for mental health and it unites us, doing something together. Most of us used to have families with houses back home which had gardens. My Mum lives in a house with a big garden, it is like an allotment, so we had flowers in the front and in the back we grew vegetables. I helped in the garden since I was three years old, so I know how things grow. I love the taste of organic fresh fruit and growing flowers is quite inspiring.” With plenty of green spaces in their new surroundings there appeared to be an opportunity to develop a hobby into something more serious. “I noticed that many British people have gardens to enjoy nature,” Alyona adds. “So I started talking with the girls in the hub and we decided we should do something. We all liked gardens so it was a perfect match for us!” The three women began by working in the gardens of some of the volunteers they had met at Elmbridge CAN. After settling on a name for their fledgling business, the company was registered and marketing began with some adverts on Facebook and a word-of-mouth campaign that quickly grew. Initially, the garden work was restricted to general maintenance and tidying but it was not long before more ambitious projects were undertaken with a full range of landscaping services. “Lena is a designer, so she can do full landscape design for any project,” says Alyona. “Tetiana is good with the accounts and can also work with plants. Sunflowers has spread mainly through word-of-mouth since we completed our first job. We do a high-quality job. Lena would never leave a single leaf on the lawn, she’s a perfectionist! “It’s all year round, too. We do maintenance, planting, irrigation, projects for gardens that you want to transform, we can do everything. We have up to five people on call so the business can manage everything. I see enormous potential with this.” Their work extends beyond horticultural skills. Sunflowers also offers fencing and lighting services to enhance the gardens they work on, with an emphasis on creating harmonious and functional spaces. At the Weybridge Community fair this summer, a landscape design exhibition attracted many visitors. Sunflowers was proud to take part in the event, which brought together designers from all over the country with the main theme of the exhibition focussing on environmentally-friendly landscaping and the use of natural materials. As Sunflowers continues to grow, the three women are proud of what has been achieved in a relatively short space of time since their lives were turned upside down back in early 2022. And, as their untimely clash with the lawn tennis championships proved, they are more than happy to take on any gardening challenge that is laid down in front of them. For more information on Sunflowers’ work and availability you can visit www.sunflowers.design .

Olena and Tetiana: stories of hosting Ukrainians in Elmbridge Tetiana's and Olena's story ‘I have learnt how fortunate I am,’ Diane insists. ‘When I think something in life is a bit of a nuisance, I think “How dare I”. I have enjoyed everything about having them here.’ ‘We can’t imagine what they have been through,’ says Bob. ‘I love the fact that so much is happening all around us,’ Cathy adds. ‘We’ve gained far more than we’ve lost.’ Hosting Ukrainian families in the community here in Elmbridge has been a profound experience for those who have done it. Opening up a home and welcoming others into the family takes courage but it is also a hugely rewarding experience. ‘I’d been thinking about it for a while and I was in the lucky position of having space,’ Diane continues. ‘I had followed the war in the news and had been in touch with Elmbridge Council to say I’d be interested in having somebody. I had a phone call one day and I was introduced to these three people.’ These three are Tetiana and her two children, Alex (15) and Daria (11). They lived in Vinnytsia, a city in central Ukraine. When the war broke out on 24 February 2022, Tetiana’s husband stayed behind to join the military. A bomb landed at the military base just three kilometres outside the city on the first day of fighting. ‘It was six o’clock the next morning when we left,’ Alex recalls. ‘We travelled to Chernivtsi, which is a city near the Romanian border. I was the guy with the map and I had to lead two cars. I was sharing the map reading with Nikita, we’d do four hours each at a time. I was trying to figure out where to go. Across the border we found a city about 50 kilometres away.’ Nikita is a year older than Alex. He has a younger brother, Mike, who is eight, and they travelled in convoy with mum Olena, who owns a travel agency with Tetiana back in Vinnytsia. The two families are close but nothing could have prepared them for the epic journey across Europe which lasted over two months. Taking in Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Belgium and France they travelled over 3000km to reach the safety of these shores. ‘We never thought about coming to England at first,’ Alex explains. ‘I’ve always wanted to study abroad, I learnt English when I was four, then I started to learn French. I never thought about coming to the UK because it’s so hard to get a visa. I tried to learn some Czech on the way here but I didn’t really like it so I said to Mum, “Let’s go to America”. She said, “How are we going to go to America with this car?” Then Mum found on a Facebook group the Homes for Ukraine programme in the UK and we applied for that.’ Diane’s son and two daughters live locally and have been very supportive. She is a former primary school headteacher who retired from her most recent role as a director of a counselling charity and had lived alone in Weybridge for the past six years when she opened her doors to Tetiana’s family. ‘My family consider you part of our family,’ Diane says, as the five of them sit around the garden table reflecting on the events of the past year. ‘We all knew at the beginning that certain things might go wrong but nothing was insoluble and we always talk things through, we’ve become like a close family. Tetiania’s children attend school locally and feel secure and safe in their new environment. ‘Everything is good here,’ says Daria. ‘I love Di because she’s so happy every day and is always joking. Rose is a lovely dog too.’ A mile away in Oatlands, Cathy and Bob have two dogs at their home – Maisie and Lola - and the bustle of more footsteps through the door when Olena, Nikita and Mike arrived in September 2022 has been one of the many positives of this extended family. Cathy is also a recently retired primary school headteacher while Bob is still busy combining work as a part-time lecturer, local councillor and amateur cricketer. ‘After working 24/7 for 40-odd years, I like the fact that people are coming and going all the time,’ Cathy says. ‘We get on really well. When you live with people occasionally some things annoy you but not a lot, to be honest. The better you get to know people the better you can work things out. We eat separately but occasionally at weekends we’ll get a takeaway together or cook together. We love the way our two daughters have embraced the whole thing and there are times when we all go to family events together which is great. ‘We have arrangements in the house to allow independence and inter-dependence. You have to be flexible. Historically we’ve always opened our doors to people. I have two nieces from the United States who both have lived with us for a time, so we’re quite used to that sort of thing. You’ve got to not mind about sharing your house as a home for someone else, and we don’t mind that at all. You become a household that understands how you all work together and that develops over time. And the best thing is Olena’s cheesecake, she makes the best cheesecake ever!’ ‘The dogs love having more people around,’ Bob adds. ‘Olena and the boys tend to fit in with what we do. We have little rules about the house to stop things like eight-year-olds traipsing through the house with muddy shoes from the garden, but that’s part of life! I have taken both boys to an Arsenal match and we’ve also been to see their school performances. Early on I asked Mike what his teacher was like and he said, “So, so!” I don’t think he’d have learnt that turn of phrase in the Ukraine.’ ‘They help our boys with their homework sometimes which is great,’ Olena reveals. ‘I love this family and it’s an amazing place to live. For Nikita, who is older, it was difficult to settle at first but Mike doesn’t want to go back to the Ukraine, he loves it here. He does football, tennis, gymnastics, everything. We are lucky with this family as our life depends on the environment here in this home.’ Olena and Tetiana are embarking on new careers too. After leaving the travel business behind they are taking their first steps into landscape gardening after initially working at their hosts’ gardens and then expanding to the neighbours. ‘I know a lady in Ukraine who is a biologist and I got in touch with her and she helped me out about how to look after plants, treat diseases and make sure they are healthy,’ Olena explains. ‘I have 20 clients here now, and there are nearly ten of us working together.’ ‘It is difficult to plan but maybe our dream could be a landscape design company in the future,’ adds Tetiana. ‘That is the challenge, how can we make our life comfortable?’ Contributing to the community is important for Olena and Tetiana. They left a wholesome life behind and want to embrace the new world as much as possible. ‘When we came here I put my heart into it to make it an interesting trip,’ Tetiana continues. ‘It would have been very difficult to think about the bigger problem of the war in Ukraine. Sometimes I can’t understand what has happened to us and what will happen in the future and when I think about this it’s very bad for my mental health. So I think about what we have here, with Di and other very nice people nearby, my children studying in school, and a lovely garden for us, a safe place where there are no rockets flying over us.’ The war is, inevitably, a constant presence in their lives, with Nikita and Alex paying particular attention to what is happening back home. ‘I have to follow it, my Dad is in the military so I get to know all the news,’ Alex explains. ‘Dad has been in dangerous situations. He has been near the frontline at times. Then Dad started to do a role involving more paperwork so he got moved to headquarters, but he still travels to the frontline at times.’ Out of the most terrible circumstances these two families have formed a lifelong bond with their hosts in the UK. And for the hosts, this has been a fulfilling opportunity to share something incredibly precious: a home. ‘When you ask about living in the same environment, it has to be our house together - all five of us’, Cathy points out. ‘It can’t be “Our house – Bob and I – and you three are living in it”, that wouldn’t work.’ Olena and her boys will always appreciate that. And just a mile down the road, Tetiana is equally thankful that Diane has come into their lives. ‘Di has opened not just her house but also her heart and we thank her so much for that.’

Jay recounts how she and her family fled Afghanistan under persecution and were given a safe home in Elmbridge. Jay's story Persecuted in Afghanistan for their religion, Jay and her husband had to make the difficult choice to leave their birth country to protect their family. She had no idea that she would end up in the UK. Theirs is a story of a long journey with tragic loss along the way, yet ultimate sanctuary and integration into Elmbridge, where they finally feel safe.

A story about students from Syria who Elmbridge CAN have supported Syrian students Ayram is 18 years old now, studying law at the University of Surrey in Guildford. It is a dream that once seemed impossible when she fled a burning Syrian refugee camp at the age of seven. Never far from her thoughts is Areej, her neighbour and best friend who never made it out of the camp. ‘Sometimes I feel like I am doing this for her,’ Ayram explains. ‘When we were together, we used to talk about schools because we had no education in the camps.” Ayram and her two sisters left their home in Damascus when the Syrian War became so intense in the city that their parents were left with no other option than finding a way out. ‘There was literally no choice for us,’ Ayram continues. ‘Originally, we thought it would be a few weeks of protest and everything would go back to normal. But people started dying in ground attacks around us and there were airstrikes and bombings, with buildings all around us collapsing. The family headed south and crossed the border into Jordan where they spent six weeks at the Zaatari Refugee Camp, which at one point was home to over 100,000 refugees. It was a brutal and overcrowded environment where nobody was safe. ‘The Syrian regime would send people to attack the camps. They would pretend to be refugees but then they would set fire to the camps. Our tent burnt but we managed to escape, as my dad was awake at the time and he got us all out. But Areej’s family next to us didn’t get out. It was a really hard thing to witness and I will never forget it.’ Mohammed, 19, and Ali, 18, are brothers from Kobani, close to Syria’s northern border with Turkey. The small city and its surrounding area came under attack from Islamic State in September 2014. The Siege of Kobani lasted for five months and had a devastating human impact, leading to over 300,000 Kurdish refugees being displaced to Turkey. Mohammed and Ali had left home with their mother and three other brothers in search of safety, several months before the IS attack. They joined their father in Erbil, Kurdistan, where he had found work in the construction industry. ‘It was emotional leaving our home, saying goodbye to our grandparents,’ Ali recalls. ‘We didn’t know if we’d see them again and now it’s been over 10 years since I’ve seen them.’ ‘We were lucky,’ Mohammed insists. ‘But all my cousins and their families struggled a lot. My grandparents still live in Kobani now. At the moment it is safe, but you can never really call it safe as you never know when something will start up again.’ Mohammed is studying accountancy and finance at Oxford Brookes University while Ali is taking a biomedical science degree at University of Westminster. Along with Ayram, they represent the successes of the Syrian resettlement programme and demonstrate what can be achieved with the right support network. Mohammed and Ali arrived in Surrey in August 2017 after spending three years in Kurdistan. After leaving Zaatari Refugee Camp, Ayram spent five years in Jordan, where her education suffered, before being resettled to the UK in March 2018. ‘We arrived at night and were so tired when we got here,’ Ayram says. ‘I remember falling asleep in the clothes I was wearing. I woke up the next day and looked out of the window and it had been snowing. I had never seen snow before. I just thought it would be like this a lot of the time, but it hasn’t snowed since!’ None of the new arrivals spoke English when they came to the country, but that soon changed. ‘When I first came here, I was doing a sort of sign language to socialise with people,’ Ayram adds. ‘Everyone was so nice, they wanted to help me understand. We used Google Translate sometimes. Everyone did their best to put me in a comfortable situation and that really helped. It made me think, “Okay, I’m not hated here”. I knew I could take my time to get it right, and within a year I could speak English.’ ‘When you are in a school with English people you catch on really quickly,’ Mohammed adds. ‘It was challenging being in a new country with new people but I’m quite a social person. I used to play every sport at school and then I played football out of school for Oxshott Royals as a left winger. I played with them for a few seasons and I met loads of people that way.’ ‘I have Elmbridge CAN to thank for all the help they gave us with homework,’ says Ali. ‘We were able to bring an adult translator in for the lessons at first. After school a volunteer called Carly helped me, tutoring me twice a week with chemistry and maths. Then Sue used to take us shopping because we didn't have a car, that was so helpful. They have so many volunteers who provide support.’ That assistance gave Ali the confidence to visit another school in Oxshott and give a charity talk to the other pupils about his journey from Syria, to Kurdistan and finally the UK. Education has opened up a new life to all three of them and that has not been something these young students have taken for granted. ‘Since I was little, I have always dreamed about going to university and having this amazing life’ Ayram continues. ‘When we went to Jordan, the Syrians there were not allowed to work so Mum and Dad could not continue their jobs. We had to survive off anything we could. Coming here, that whole dream of university returned. My dad has been able to work again too. I have always wanted to help people. Elmbridge CAN has played a big part in helping us so I want to give back to society and help. To be a human rights lawyer or an immigration lawyer would be great, to go around the world and help people. Some people can’t afford lawyers so I’d like to be able to help those who struggle. I can help in places where there is need, maybe even refugee camps one day.’ Ali hopes his degree will lead to a career in dentistry. He remembers his brothers having painful tooth extraction treatment without access to the right medical care before they came to the UK. Mohammed has always been good with numbers and is planning for a career as a chartered accountant in London. ‘At the beginning of uni when we had our ‘ice breakers’ chats and I told the other students I was from Syria they were surprised,’ Ayram reveals. ‘Some were saying, “Oh My God, what happened? Tell us your story.” Some people already knew quite a bit about what happened in Syria but others knew nothing at all. I like talking about it because it is part of my experience in life, and what happened drove me here.’ Ayram thinks back to her childhood conversations in the refugee camp and perhaps the biggest inspiration of all, her friend Areej. ‘We used to say, “We can go to school when we get out of here”. Education is my way to survive in this world. We dreamed about this, so I am doing this for me and for her.’