Celebrating the Success of the Warm Circle Peer Support Project
Peer Support Project ‘Warm Circles’ Celebrates 6-Month Mark Bring Together recently celebrated the completion of our successful ‘Warm Circles’ project, generously supported by the Ethnic Minority Development Fund (EMDF), CEMVO Scotland and National Lottery Community Fund. From November 2024 to April 2025, this initiative offered valuable peer support, educational sessions, and meaningful cultural exchanges to the Ukrainian communities in Dundee, Perth, and Blairgowrie. Peer Support Activities for Integration Peer Support Meetings Throughout the project, 49 participants attended educational sessions exploring emotional intelligence, intercultural communication, and essential life skills. They regularly met in peer support groups, forming strong community bonds, sharing experiences, and supporting each other in overcoming everyday challenges. Lived Experience Exchange Participants enjoyed three memorable cultural exchange experiences thanks to the guest speakers. Sarah Young from the Business Gateway Tayside, Scott Cameron from the University of Dundee, and Susan Buglass from the mentoring charity MCR Pathways sshared their fascinating stories of integration and cultural exchange experience, reminding us that seemingly daunting changes can be viewed as opportunities in disguise. The Warm Circle Community presented certificates of appreciation to the guest speakers for their contribution to creating deeper connections and mutual understanding between local communities and Ukrainian community. These meetings significantly enhanced participants’ integration experiences, contributing positively to their wellbeing and social inclusion. Community Education Throughout the project, participants attended educational sessions exploring emotional intelligence, intercultural communication, and essential life skills. They regularly met in peer support groups, forming strong community bonds, sharing experiences, and supporting each other in overcoming everyday challenges. Cultural Visits Throughout the project, participants embarked on guided tours to V&A Museum to explore the heritage of Japan’s national Kimono Costume, HMS Discovery to find out about exploring the Arctic, and HMS Unicorn to learn about the unexpected journey of Scotland’s oldest ship. The visits helped the group to find out more about the history and spirit of Dundee and improve their language skills. Warm Circle Feedback We are happy to share that the ‘Warm Circle’ was successfully launched as a pilot in November and December. The project collaborates with local organisations and communities to provide support in Dundee, Perth and Blairgowrie. “Participating in the project is a valuable opportunity to learn something new and gain practical skills. There is an atmosphere of support and inspiration.” Anna Blairgowrie “I like meeting like-minded people and chatting on various topics.” Liudmyla Perth Participating in the project gives me a positive experience, namely communication with like-minded people, support from participants and speakers, and useful networking. Valentyna Dundee The Warm Circle is indeed a space for communication with peers and experts. It provided vital support and opened new opportunities in both professional and personal areas of our lives. Olena Dundee The Importance of Partnership Work Bring Together continually seeks new ways to support integration and well-being through cultural and community partnerships, such as our ongoing collaboration with the HMS Unicorn Preservation Society. This partnership has allowed community members to engage with local heritage in enriching ways, further cementing our role as a bridge between cultures. We warmly thank all participants, partners, and volunteers for making the Warm Circles project a remarkable success. We are excited about extending this impactful initiative to even more communities in the coming year. Stay tuned for upcoming events and opportunities to join us in building resilient and inclusive communities together.
Hidden Talents Programme
The Hidden Talents Programme supports young people, refugees, and displaced individuals through workshops focused on emotional intelligence, confidence, communication, and pathways to volunteering and employment.
Warm Circle Peer Support
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.
Community Co-production Visits to Verdant Works and V&A Dundee
Where The Jute Was Made Ukrainians Together in partnership with HMS Unicorn was delighted to start with the Co-Production Sustainability Project with the first visit to Scotland’s Jute Museum at Verdant Works on 24th August. Memorably the 24th of August is the Independence Day of Ukraine. The jute industry was fundamental to the history of Dundee and the British economy. The Verdant Works has a unique exhibition of the machines that are still used across the world. Industrialisation brought a massive change in how jute was produced, although it needed a large workforce. At the end of the tour, the group watched a short documentary film about the city the life and challenges of that time. Here is feedback from one of the participants “It was interesting to explore how Dundee became a Juteopolis in the nineteenth century and the jute industry was developed, how tough was the life of those working at the factories as well as how the strong community was formed”. Weaving Workshop After the tour, families enjoyed participating in the weaving workshop on producing their pieces of textiles. Ukraine also has a rich history of producing linen at home and a sewing machine that was a way to earn money for the family. Feeling that cultural connection, the group shared the stories of how the textile was made in their communities in Ukraine. Here is feedback from one of the participants about the workshop “The workshop led to getting an exciting experience of making textiles. It was interesting as well as calming for the mental health of adults and children”. Cultural Impact of National Dress On the 12th of October, UkrainiansTogether embarked on a tour of the Kimono Exhibition at V&A Dundee. The group enjoyed the story about making the Kimonos and were excited by the Wedding dress and modern examples from the films. The group discussed the similarities between Scottish and Japanese cultures and how Kimonos compare with Scottish materials including Tartan. Participants raised a point of how it is quite upsetting to see the section where the Western influence was trying to be forced upon the traditional Kimonos. However, modern designers now are embracing the culture and are becoming more sympathetic to the traditional styles and incorporating them. Despite the non-ideal weather, everyone had an amazing experience visiting and learning many things about Japanese culture and design. We appreciate the invitation from V&A Dundee and the brilliant guidance from the museum’s team Andrea and Cat.
Congratulations to The New Cohort of Bring Together Children
We Celebrated The End of Bring Together Children Summer Programme 2024 Two groups, ages 8 – 10 and 11 – 15, participated in mediation and peacebuidling training in August. They practiced various exercises that shaped their listening and communication skills. The programme helped them play different conflict scenarios, where they found their way from tricky situations. The YMCA welcomed the project at the century-old building in the heart of Broughty Ferry. Dave and Isobel told participants a story of the historical buildings that now serve as a community space. When the war in the Ukraine emerged YMCA Broughty Ferry and the local community sent humanitarian aid to many Ukrainian cities through the YMCA hub in Berlin. On the final day, the children showcased their new abilities by running a role play with their parents. Our young mediators demonstrated skills to ask questions, explore the stories and help those in a dispute to restore relationships. It was heart-touching for the organisers and parents to see joy and engagement of young participants. The summer programme wrapped up with the celebration of achievements, a golden medals presentation and a tea and cake tasting. We are looking forward to the upcoming programme in October 2024. I want to thank you for yesterday’s lesson. And to say that we really liked that it helped children to deal with unclear situations with friends. (This is a situation about two boys who played football). Looking at my children, I understand that teenagers do not know how to talk about the fact that something does not suit them. They do not know how or do not understand the importance of talking about the situation with friends. As a result, they withdraw into themselves, stop making friends with their peers, and become “prickly hedgehogs” for their parents, – Yulia Tymoshenko, a mother of three children who took part in the programme. I was impressed by inclusive atmosphere of the event focused with celebrating achievements of children of all ages and fostering their mutual kindness and empathy with one another. The participation of their parents was a lovely touch. It enabled them to socialise and interact in safe supportive environment which was lovely to observe, – Rada Krevulko, joined our celebration event and engaged in conversations with the Ukrainian community. The board and staff of Broughty Ferry YMCA were delighted to host the recent Bring Together Children 2024 Programme. It was wonderful to meet both the children and their parents and to have the opportunity to discuss their journey on the road to becoming “NEW SCOTS”. As part of our policies, we agree to follow the UN Convention on the Rights of a Child (UNCRC). It is very heartening to see these children blossom in a safe space that they can call their own. We look forward to many more activities with both adults and children as part of our partnership, – YMCA Broughty Ferry.
Bring Together Children Summer Programme 2024
Starting Second Summer Programme For Ukrainian Children In Tayside Our goals is to bring children and parents together to learn mediation skills and how to resolve disagreements peacefully. War displacement has affected the mental health and well-being of Ukrainian parents and their children. Being away from their home children feel isolated and experience difficulties in adapting to new schools. According to a recent PISA survey, approximately 36% of pupils in Scotland reported experiencing conflicts between peers, reporting seeing someone get hurt and seeing their schools being vandalized. It is twice as much compared to the average level of 17% which creates an additional factor to the challenges of Ukrainian children. At the end of July 2023 we started the first summer programme called “Ukrainians Together (love) Kids” in partnership with The Circle and thanks to support of The Leng Charitable Trust. You can find a social media post on Hanna’s LinkedIn with outcomes and testimonials here. To prepare Ukrainian children for a new school year, we invited a group of 14 children to attend a course where they: Gained knowledge and skills in peacebuilding and mediation Practised resolving conflicts peacefully Developed their emotional awareness Integrated through activities and exchanging experiences Made new friends at the project Explored the marine history of the HMS Unicorn The outcomes of the programme are improving confidence speaking to peers, developing problem-solving abilities and improving social skills. Bring Together aims to promote peaceful conflict resolution and improve relationships within families and education environment. What Is New About Summer Programme 2024? Bring Together Children consists of the Summer Programme and mediation days for Ukrainian parents and children living in Dundee and Tayside. The Summer Programme offers workshops and activities to improve communication and self-help skills. That will help children to resolve disagreements peacefully with their peers. The topic of this Summer Programme will be dedicated to the history of the Declaration of Arbroath. It is a significant moment in the history of Scotland that shows how long conflict between Scotland and England was resolved using creativity and negotiations with the help of the third party. Mediation Day is a moot mediation for parents and children to practice mediation skills together and celebrate achievements. By involving parents, we aim to foster strong family relationships, make parents proud of their children, and show a new perspective on how to manage difficulties with youngsters. During the next school breaks in October, we will prepare young mediators to participate in moot mediation and celebrate their achievements with their parents. We are grateful to the Corra Foundation, YMCA Broughty Ferry, our team, and the Ukrainian community in Dundee for their joint efforts in making this initiative possible. “Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it” – Mahatma Gandhi.
HMS Unicorn Co-Production with Ukrainians Together
We invite you to join this exciting project and use your imagination to rethink cultural visits together for people with English as a second language.
Conflict Management In The Workplace
On April 10, 2024, the third training was held as part of our community engagement campaign at the Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce. Bring Together Team, Vitalii Diakov and Hanna Dushkova shared conflict management skills with the representatives of different sectors from the Tayside region. People have a natural tendency to avoid conflict situations and ignore underlying issues. However, it causes mistrust and tension in relationships as well as a risk of escalation of disagreements at the workplace. By employing new strategies in conflict management we can enhance communication in the workplace, prevent conflicts before they escalate and create a more collaborative environment. Hanna Dushkova: “Today, we were delighted to share effective and peaceful strategies for handling disputes and barriers in communication that can be used to reach win-win solutions in the workplace environment. Thanks to the participants’ engagement the workshop was enriched by their experiences“. If you are interested in such kind of training for your organisations please get in touch and we would be happy to have a chat about our learning programmes. Feedback Here is our participant’s feedback: “Thoroughly enjoyed. A lot of good information and friendly open atmosphere. Definitely recommend”.
My Big Creative Book For Ukrainian Families in Dundee
Hanna Dushkova and Vitaliy Diakov helped develop ‘McManus Connects’ by translating resources from English to Ukrainian. Thanks to our collaboration The McManus Creative Learning Team has begun distributing their free ‘McManus Connects’ Activity books and art resource packs to Ukrainian families as part of an engaging outreach initiative. Also, an associated programme of in-house and outreach workshops designed to foster creativity and community integration, and welcome Ukrainian families to the museum, was taking place in February 2024. One of the sessions was organised for the project ‘Ukrainians Together’ on the 20th of February. The session included a mini tour and introduction to the museum, a creative print activity, and an introduction to McManus Connects resources. Judy Dobbie, Director of Leisure & Culture Dundee said “The McManus Connects project is part of our ongoing efforts to support Ukrainians who have sought refuge in our city. We aim to provide them with the warm and welcoming environment we are known for at The McManus and a little respite from the huge difficulties faced in Ukraine. We’re also grateful to Scrap Antics, Ukrainians Together and everyone who is contributing to the success of the project.“ Read more about the project at the McManus website. Feedback Here is feedback from our participants: “Thank you. It was an amazing event”
Conflict Resolution Workshop In The Braview Academy
On February 28, 2024, Vitalii Diakov and Hanna Dushkova spent a day at the Braview Academy in Dundee teaching conflict resolution classes as a part of the school’s engagement programme with the Developing the Young Workforce Taycities. We believe that it is important to keep up-to-date school curriculum with conflict resolution skills and give examples of positive resolution. Bring Together is grateful to the team of the Braview Academy for this chance to engage with their work. Feedback Scott Cameron, Developing the Young Workforce Tay Cities: “Thanks once again for the fantastic work that you do in engaging with our young people”.