Peer Support Starts in Warm Circle
In immigration, people face language barriers, uncertainty about the future, separation from family members, and the ongoing emotional impact of war and displacement.
These challenges can significantly affect mental health, confidence and the ability to build connections in local communities, particularly for those living in smaller towns with fewer support opportunities.
Warm Circle provides a safe, welcoming and culturally sensitive space where adults can come together regularly for peer support, shared learning and community-based activities.
How the Project Started
During winter 2022–2023, Vitalii Diakov and Hanna Dushkova delivered the Hidden Talents project in partnership with Dundee social enterprise The Circle. The project supported 30 Ukrainians in their transition to a new community through educational workshops and volunteering.
The feedback from Hidden Talents inspired us to create a new project to maintain connections and provide peer support. This is how Warm Circles started.
The project now continues to grow in collaboration with local organisations and communities in Dundee, Stirling, Perth, and Blairgowrie.
The project helps address social isolation, language and cultural barriers, and the everyday challenges of settling in. It also creates more opportunities for families to connect with local communities in Dundee and across the Tay Cities.
Warm Circles offers the following activities:
What participants say
Warm Circle was delivered to 156 people through 14 peer support meetings, educational sessions, and workshops.
Participants regularly met in peer support groups, forming strong community bonds, sharing experiences, and supporting each other in overcoming everyday challenges.
92% participants reported better mental health, stronger social ties, and improved communication and language skills.
How to join
Send us a message with your details, and we will get back to you soon.
Thanks to our partners for support
Thanks to funding from NHS Tayside Charitable Foundation and National Lottery players through the CEMVO Ethnic Minority Development Fund, we can continue supporting families affected by war and displacement.
