The Young Caritas team in Prague recruited and trained forty students and staff members willing to help Ukrainian refugees.

It has been over a month since Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, an independent sovereign state. During this difficult time, according to the UN, the war has driven more than 10 million Ukrainians from their homes and at least 1.400 civilians have been killed.

In the Czech Republic, the refugee crisis has given rise to an unprecedented wave of solidarity. Countless companies, institutions, non-profit organisations and individuals have come together to prepare well for the arrival of refugees.

Within days of the Russian invasion, the Young Caritas team in Prague had built a wide network of volunteers. Within three weeks, it recruited and trained more than 40 students and staff members who are willing to help new arrivals from Ukraine quickly navigate their new environment. Their work is varied: from babysitting to assisting social workers or guiding Ukrainian families. What exactly does helping in these areas means?

Babysitting during registration

A Regional Assistance Centre for Ukraine was established in Prague’s Congress Centre where the primary registration of new arrivals from Ukraine takes place, which often takes several hours. Families can arrange a special long-term visa and find assistance with their next stay in the Czech Republic. Our volunteers mainly help in the children’s corner, which serves to facilitate the whole reception process.

Families with children will find a quiet environment where the kids can play, volunteers will attend to them and parents can take care of the necessary administrative matters. The ranks of Young Caritas include both Czech and Ukrainian speakers who complement and support each other on site. Thus, the help is not only focused on babysitting, but our volunteers also provide interpretation, etc.

Our team of primarily Ukrainian and Russian speakers also works in the so-called OAMPs (Department of Asylum and Migration Policy), where they assist social workers. At this location, refugees deal with a variety of demands from primary registration to employment cards or visas for stays longer than 90 days. Social workers welcome them with help, interpretation, or initial reception of arrivals, i.e. orienting them on the ground so that they know where to go and do not get lost unnecessarily.

Guiding Ukrainian families

Last but not least, our volunteers are instrumental in providing community support that works on a much more personal level. It is no longer an organisation of hundreds or thousands of people, but each volunteer meets units of families personally and becomes their private “guide”. Volunteers help families to communicate with authorities, schools – and doctors –  as well as guide them around their homes, direct them to the nearest shop or look after their children. In short, the Young Caritas team connects individual Ukrainian families who do not yet have any previous links to the Czech Republic with volunteers who become their contacts for a smooth and successful integration.

We also involve our partner organizations and their volunteers in Young Caritas activities, whether in assistance centres, organizing activities for children and youth in hostels, planning suburban camps, etc. Young Caritas is actively looking for more and more opportunities every day to involve its volunteers in helping Ukrainian refugees. We believe that our efforts to make the whole situation of leaving home easier for the refugees will pay off and, most importantly, will really help the Ukrainians.

Thank you to all the volunteers!

Young Caritas Czech Republic team