Sunflowers always follow the sun
Our Mission & Vision
‘Sunflowers in York’ helps Ukrainian refugee children and families to settle and thrive in York by providing emotional health and well-being activities and support.
Our team of experienced Ukrainian teachers and psychologists believes that children’s emotional health is essential to their education, quality of life and ability to process change and trauma.
The recent invasion of Ukraine has displaced over 4 million children. Most of them have experienced disrupted education and are separated from their families – their brothers, fathers and grandfathers who have stayed behind to fight or have been lost to violence.
What We Do
Sunflowers Kids Club
Run a Kids Club for Ukrainian refugee children – a safe space for learning, socialising and enhancing well-being.
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the club
Run a Kids Club for Ukrainian refugee children, providing a safe space for learning, socialising and enhancing well-being.
The Club’s activities and provision are delivered by a team of Ukrainian teachers and psychologists and a local nursery chain ‘Little Green Rascals’.
The unique environment, with Ukrainian native culture and language provides familiar and therapeutic environment for children.
Schools support
Provide emotional well-being support and advice for Ukrainian children in schools in groups and on one-to-one
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support
Provide emotional well-being support and advice for Ukrainian children in schools in groups and on one-to-one:
• Workshops for schools on cultural awareness and support for Ukrainian refugee children delivered by Ukrainian professionals with experience of working with children in UK.
• Individual mentoring and consultations for children who need extra support with their mental and emotional health.
English hosts workshops
Support Ukrainian refugee families and their Englihs hosts through workshops and tailored consultations.
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workshops
Support Ukrainian refugee families and their English hosts through workshops and tailored consultations.
The workshops will provide information and advice to develop cultural awareness about Ukraine, Ukrainian mentality and customs.
These group and family unit sessions will also provide support in enhancing relationships and mutual understanding between English sponsors and their guests, helping them through this transition.
Interpreting support
Interpreting during the group and individual sessions for Ukrainian children and carers (i.e. schools, GR surgeries)
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interpreting
Interpreting during the group and individual sessions for Ukrainian children and their carers (i.e. schools, GR surgeries)
Where We Are
Stories of Ukrainian Families
News
Our Christmas Card
We are honoured to be asked to provide a card for York City of Sanctuary charity this year! These beautiful cards have been created by Anhelina Yangulova as part of the Christmas card competition in our Kids Club. Anhelina, age 12 is not only a talented artist but...
The Importance of Play and Lego
When Ukrainian families come to our club, they spend 2 hours here. The first hour is dedicated to free play and lunch, the second hour contains structured group sessions, like art, mindfulness, music, dance and others. We have been running with this format now for 6...
The Benefits of Sand Therapy
Most children love playing with sand since very early age. And sand remains one of their favourite tactile materials as they grow. ‘Sand art’ is one of the effective and mesmerising variations of art therapy for children. Children can transform a handful of sand into...
Developing Mindfulness Skills in Our Club
During summer holidays Sunflowers Kids Club is open for Ukrainian children and parents twice a week. In the first hour children have a free play, socialise and have lunch. In the second hour they attend a range of sessions that are delivered for 4 different age...
Our Adventure to the Seaside
This weekend our whole Sunflowers Kids Club : kids, their parents and grandparents had a trip to Filey. About 80 people! For most, it was their first trip to the English seaside! The idea came from one of the Club’s supporters, James Bishop, who wanted Ukrainian kids...
Sunflowers Kids Club Launch Event
On 1 July Sunlowers Kids Club celebrated it’s opening. This children’s club has been established in York by Lena Henderson a Mindfulness Educator by profession, to support and enhance the emotional well-being of Ukrainian refugee children and their carers.The Club...
Club is getting ready for opening!
We have been very busy in the last couple of months setting up the club. Now we are pleased to announce that we have an amazing team of talented Ukrainian professional teachers and psychologists, as well as other professionals who helped us to set up the club. The...
Help us to make a difference
Please choose a value from the donate buttons that you wish to gift us to help our Ukgraine refugee kids & families.