In Inishowen, the new Ukrainian Support Workers want to help everyone in the community

BY KATIE BARR

Three new Ukrainian Support Workers in Inishowen, Co. Donegal, want to do everything they can to help not only their people –but everyone in the local community.

Alina Edel, Olena Dzhos and Olha Kysliuk are Inishowen Development Partnership’s (IDP) newest staff members. Unlike other staff at the community development organisation, Alina, Olena and Olha all fled conflict and arrived in Inishowen around six months ago from their native Ukraine.

The three women arrived separately in Inishowen last April and May, and now they are employed by IDP to help support other Ukrainian arrivals as they arrive in the country and help them in their journey towards independence.

Alina came from a small town near Kyiv. She provides support to the Ukrainian population living in the Malin and Carndonagh areas primarily, from her base at the Colgan Hall.

Olha, who has been living in Moville Hostel since May, has a central base in Moville Family Resource Centre, while Olena, who lives in Buncrana, works from the IDP office in the town.

The support workers provide translation services as well as employment and CV support for Ukrainians. Alina has also teamed up with IDP enterprise officer, Sinead McDaid, to run the popular Start Your Own Business course for Ukrainian nationals in Carndonagh.

“We have a lot of talented successful business people in the Ukrainian population – they just need a little help and guidance,” said Alina. “I think these things will be key for independence as well as helping the local economy”, she added.

However it is not just the Ukrainian people that the three women want to help. They are very keen to do their part and give back to the Inishowen people while they are here.

“We are aware of the problems that are facing everyone in Inishowen, not just Ukrainians,” said Alina. “We know about the mica crisis and the pressures of the cost of living. We want to be able to help everyone in Inishowen and give back

Some negative perceptions

While most of the support is hugely positive, IDP is aware that there are some negative perceptions out there, and this has been felt by staff members as well. It’s important that people understand that the challenges of housing are faced by many families, especially with the mica crisis in Donegal.

“We are running a charity shop in Carndonagh and people are so supportive and have dropped in to chat and connect. But we received some negative comments on Facebook – the general idea was ‘what about us?’,” said Alina.

classroom and their children are missing out.

to the people after they showed us such empathy and kindness when we arrived,” she said.

“Shortly after we arrived, I attended the volunteer fair in the Colgan Hall and I met a local woman called Carmel Doherty – she organised a lot of help and support for Ukrainian people and set up English classes for us.

“She organised activities for us and helped us to get involved in sports groups/hobbies. She is the heart of the Carndonagh volunteer scene – she is a beautiful lady,” she said.

“We know it is a big issue but the Ukrainian people are not guilty here. We didn’t want this war and we didn’t want to leave our homes – but now we are in this situation.

“I know the government has spent a lot of money – but hopefully as we become more independent, we will need less support from government and be able to contribute to the local economy.

“I feel guilty about it all the time – I realise it is not my fault, but I still feel guilty – psychologists say all the time how bad the feeling of guilt is for your mental health.”

Olena explained how they have also had reports from parents that some Ukrainian children are taking up too much teaching time in the

Meanwhile, Olha is finding it difficult trying to explain the situation to her children.

“My kids are constantly asking to see Granny and asking when are they going home – they don’t understand why we are here. It is very hard to explain it to them,” added Olha.

The thought of home is a constant worry and stress facing our new Ukrainian population and IDP’s support workers are no exception.

‘I cannot turn off the red alerts’ Russia’s renewed bombing campaign of parts of Kyiv and other areas, including those far from the front line and civilian areas have hit home for Alina, Olena and Olha.

“Things can change in an instant,” said Alina. “I thought my parents were in a safer area in a small town outside Kyiv but anything can happen any moment. You just never know. We just have to hope that everyone will be OK – my parents told me to turn off the red alert texts but I cannot.

“I am very stressed all the time but now that I am working in IDP