Civil Network OPORA conducted a series of facilitated dialogues in three cities of the United Kingdom (Preston, Manchester, and Liverpool). These dialogues aimed to improve Ukrainian citizens’ engagement and integration of their opinions into government policies, which will guarantee their implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. The key objectives of OPORA's dialogues with Ukrainian communities abroad were to systematise their experience, develop a strategy for their interaction with Ukraine's democratic institutions and civil society, and develop a common understanding of the problems, needs, and ways to involve Ukrainian citizens abroad in policy-making in Ukraine. A total of 67 people took part in the three dialogues. OPORA explored what connects Ukrainians abroad with Ukraine, what their motivations to engage in social and political life in Ukraine are, and the tools they know and may use to do so. We also explored the challenges faced by Ukrainians abroad and the reasons that prevent them from returning to Ukraine.
Key findings
Three key aspects that support the unity of the dialogue participants with Ukraine while abroad are as follows: awareness and fostering of Ukrainian identity, emotional and social ties to the Ukrainian community (in Ukraine and abroad), and ties to the Ukrainian state and businesses. All of these aspects are equally important.
Ukrainian identity remains dominant for the majority of the dialogue participants. They spoke of themselves as members of the Ukrainian community, directly pointing to differences between Ukrainians and the British in such aspects as the way they perceive the world, their way of life, business culture, and political culture.
The respondents emphasised the unifying role of Ukrainian culture and language, Ukrainian symbols, and national cuisine. It is important for the participants to be attached to things and phenomena that are common in Ukraine, remind them of their home, and create a sense of comfort and stability.
The dialogue participants claim that they are united with Ukrainian society primarily by their common experience. In this context, they mention their previous experience of living in Ukraine, as well as the experience of war, shared grief, and hatred of the enemy, which, according to the respondents, are key unifying experiences for the entire Ukrainian society, both in Ukraine and abroad.
Despite the opportunity to build new social ties, most respondents retain the strongest ties with their family and friends who remain in Ukraine. They stress that their experience of living abroad is very different from that of Ukrainians living in Ukraine, but say that these differences do not prevent them from seeing a common perspective and a common future in Ukraine
The dialogue participants actively engage in social and political activities, remaining closely connected to the Ukrainian information space and staying informed about the political situation at home. They contribute to public initiatives in the United Kingdom, supporting Ukraine through fundraising efforts, humanitarian aid, and organising or participating in public events and rallies.
Local Ukrainian communities and active participation in the life of the local society play a crucial role in maintaining connections with Ukraine. At the same time, the dialogue participants express a sense of inability to organise a systematic civil society effort abroad. They emphasise that uniting the community and influencing local authorities is significantly more challenging in a large city than in smaller towns and villages.
The emotional connection with Ukraine is also extremely important for the dialogue participants. In this context, much discussion centred around the values and character traits common among Ukrainians, as well as shared experiences—pain for their homeland, anxiety, worry, and a sense of uncertainty. They emphasised that what unites them with Ukraine and Ukrainian society is a shared vision for the future and plans to return to Ukraine.
When discussing their connection to the Ukrainian state, many participants in the facilitated dialogues emphasised their personal responsibility toward Ukraine, recognising that the country needs their knowledge and skills. They also highlighted the importance of maintaining a legal connection with the state, particularly through paying taxes and participating in elections.
The dialogue participants actively use Ukrainian state services, which further strengthen their connection to Ukraine. They mentioned platforms like the state mobile app “Diia”, the pension system, banking services, as well as medical and educational services. Additionally, Ukrainian businesses in the UK serve as a link to the participants’ homeland. Many respondents prefer Ukrainian mobile operators and postal services.
The dialogue participants are generally well aware of the opportunities to engage in socio-political processes in Ukraine that are available to them. Respondents who have been active in Ukraine are generally more familiar with the participatory instruments.
According to the respondents, the main way to engage Ukrainian citizens abroad in socio-political life in Ukraine is to create associations of Ukrainians abroad and to hold various thematic events. Participants emphasised the need to develop an information platform for communication and educational activities.
Ukrainians abroad are motivated to promote Ukraine and feel responsible for the reputation of the whole Ukrainian society abroad. Among the main ways to support Ukraine, the dialogue participants mentioned informational activities among foreigners, in particular through social media, and wearing Ukrainian symbols. The respondents are ready to counter the influence of the Russian Federation, for example, by blocking platforms that promote Russian culture.
The dialogue participants are ready to engage economically in the socio-political life of Ukraine. The main ways they mentioned were volunteering (donations and humanitarian aid collections), purchasing military bonds, and paying taxes to the Ukrainian budget. Some respondents consider paying taxes to be a manifestation of patriotism and responsibility.
Among the ways of political participation, Ukrainians abroad mention voting in Ukrainian elections. Occasionally, they called for expanding the list of voting options available to them. They also mentioned e-democracy tools: electronic petitions (national and local), participatory budget projects, and polls in the “Diia” app.
Ukrainians abroad are ready to contribute to strengthening international cooperation: to facilitate the establishment of links between British and Ukrainian communities, and foster cooperation in the educational sphere.
The respondents are mostly not involved in the socio-political process in their local UK communities. However, they mentioned the successful cases of Ukrainians working in the UK local government bodies as advisors.
The main motivation to engage in Ukrainian socio-political life is the desire to be heard, particularly by Ukrainians remaining in Ukraine. The respondents pointed to insufficient communication between the Ukrainian authorities and communities of Ukrainians abroad and their exclusion from decision-making processes concerning them. Some participants directly expressed fears and concerns about being forcibly returned to Ukraine.
Many participants are motivated to engage in socio-political life by the desire to preserve the Ukrainian identity. An additional motivation is the perspective of returning to Ukraine: people who say that they are in the UK permanently, do not want to break ties with the socio-political processes in Ukraine.
An important motivation to be active in the socio-political life of Ukraine for Ukrainians abroad is the desire to influence the development of Ukraine. Many dialogue participants emphasised they want to share the experience they gained abroad.
Among the personal motivations for engaging in social and political life is the desire to be useful and make a personal contribution to the development of Ukraine. For some respondents, activism is a kind of therapy.
The dialogue participants also reported obstacles that prevent them from engaging in Ukrainian socio-political processes. They mention that such participation is not a priority for them against the background of more pressing problems. Other respondents do not feel in demand in Ukraine or feel disillusioned with any changes for the better.
The most frequently mentioned challenges faced by the dialogue participants, after they moved to the UK, are the problems with adaptation and integration into the new environment in a new country, especially given that their usual lifestyle and standard of living had changed dramatically. Many respondents mentioned financial problems, problems with employment and starting their own business, as well as finding housing.
Many respondents also had to overcome emotional challenges. These include stress due to the forced departure, anxiety about their relatives, the uncertainty of their situation, and the inability to return home. Some respondents faced a lack of moral support, they felt loneliness and society’s indifference to their problems. They shared that they had difficulties socialising in the new society.
There were many active people among the dialogue participants who were constantly involved in helping Ukraine. For them, difficulties in socio-political activities became an additional challenge. They mentioned that engaging people in active actions in favour of Ukraine is not always easy, as well as raising donations in the UK for Ukraine.
The security situation is the main reason why the dialogue participants do not return to Ukraine. The respondents mentioned the danger to their own and their children’s lives and health. Many of them have lost their homes, or they are located close to the front line.
The participants who do not see any prospects for the future in Ukraine are also reluctant to return. They talk about the lack of understanding of when the war will end and that the post-war period will be difficult; they are also concerned about the possibility of a freeze in hostilities.
Social factors also keep respondents from returning. In particular, they mention the economic situation and social insecurity. Many respondents are afraid of becoming poor if they return to Ukraine. Others refrain from returning because of the education (mostly of their children) and work in the United Kingdom.
Among the internal Ukrainian problems that deter the participants from returning to Ukraine is distrust of the government and the social system. The respondents speak directly about their dissatisfaction with the country's top political leadership, high levels of corruption, and unfair treatment of different categories of citizens.
Many respondents feel fear of rejection, condemnation, hostility, aggression, and anger from those who remain in Ukraine toward those who return from abroad.
Methodology
Preparatory stage
At the preparatory stage, the Civil Network OPORA developed and adapted the methodology to be used for the discussions to the context and specifics of the UK. OPORA’s representatives determined that the key method of data collection should be a facilitated dialogue, as it creates a trusting atmosphere that will encourage Ukrainian citizens abroad to discuss their experiences and needs in a frank and in-depth manner. In addition, a preliminary study of the communities in which the dialogues will take place was conducted to identify key local leaders who can help organise facilitated dialogues on the ground.
A total of 67 Ukrainian citizens participated in the facilitated dialogues in the UK. The dialogues in Preston were attended by 36 people (28 women and 8 men), in Manchester by 15 people (13 women and 2 men), and in Liverpool by 16 people (15 women and 1 man). The average age of the dialogue participants was 42. The youngest audience was in Preston, where the average age of the participants was about 38. The oldest audience was in Manchester (45 years old on average). 68.7% of respondents reported being employed. Another 17.9% are unemployed, and 13.4% did not indicate their status. In Manchester and Liverpool, participants also indicated their region of origin. Participants from the southern (Odesa, Kherson) and eastern (Kharkiv, Mariupol) regions of Ukraine, as well as residents of Kyiv and Kyiv region, predominated.
Some of the participants moved to the UK from cities and villages that were under direct threat of occupation or occupied at some point during the Russian-Ukrainian war (particularly Mariupol and Bucha). The departure was related to the consequences of the war, but the length of stay in the UK varied. Some have been living in their current host communities since 2022, while others have been living in the UK for only a few months.
It is important to note that participation in the facilitated dialogues was voluntary and relied solely on the motivation of the participant. This could have influenced the subsequent results of the discussion. Participants who have a strong Ukrainian identity, maintain closer ties with the Ukrainian community, and are socially and politically active (participate in rallies, meetings, etc.) were likely to be more motivated to join the events.
Main stage
The main stage of the research consisted of facilitated dialogues in three UK cities: Manchester, Liverpool, and Preston (Lancashire). The first dialogue took place in Preston on December 9, 2024, the second in Manchester on December 11, 2024, and the third in Liverpool on December 12, 2024. The duration of the facilitated dialogues varied from 2 to 3 hours, depending on the activity of the participants.
The key questions of the discussion during the facilitated dialogues were:
● What connects you to Ukraine when you are away from home?
● How and why to get involved in the socio-political life of Ukraine while abroad?
For the dialogue held in Liverpool on December 12, 2024, the second question was modified to read: “What motivates you to get involved in the socio-political life of Ukraine while abroad? How can you do this?”
In addition, in the final block of the facilitated dialog, the facilitators asked the participants to anonymously answer two more questions in writing:
● One challenge you face while abroad.
● What keeps you from returning home?
Taking into account the sensitive nature of the topics discussed, as well as the need to create comfortable conditions and a trusting atmosphere for the dialogue participants, the Civil Network OPORA deliberately did not record video or audio during the events. Instead, during all three dialogues, the OPORA representatives recorded the key points of the discussions in a confidential manner, which was communicated to the participants in advance. The event also included photography, for which the participants provided written consent in advance.
Final stage
During the third and final stage, the data obtained during the facilitated dialogues was structured and systematised for further analysis. The results were depersonalised, converted into electronic format, and processed by analysts of the Civil Network OPORA. After that, the results of the discussion were divided into thematic blocks and described. The generalised conclusions were prepared and subsequently integrated into the final analytical report.
Mapping of communities
Manchester (December 11, 2024)
Location: Unit 12, 13 and 14, Royal Mill (17 Redhill St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 5BA).
Number of participants: 15 (13 women and 2 men).
Co-organisers: Maryana Vasyliv / Growth Company, Oksana Nepyjvoda / Growth Company & United for Ukraine.
The Ukrainian community in Manchester is one of the oldest and largest Ukrainian diasporas in the UK. The first Ukrainians moved to the Manchester area in the early 20th century, and a large wave of emigration took place after World War II.
Nowadays, a range of Ukrainian organisations functions in Manchester, such as the Dnipro Ukrainian Cultural Centre and its Saturday school, founded by the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB), the largest organisation of the Ukrainian diaspora in the United Kingdom. After the full-scale invasion began, businesses from Manchester and other regions of the UK came together to launch the United for Ukraine project under the umbrella of The Growth Company. This initiative, in particular, offers employment assistance to Ukrainians who moved to the UK because of the war.
It should be noted that the participants of the facilitated dialogue that the Civil Network OPORA held in Manchester were mostly Ukrainians with experience of living in the war zone, on the frontline and/or occupied territories.
Liverpool (December 12, 2024)
Location: Liverpool AUGB Ukrainian Community Center (15 Laurel Rd, Fairfield, Liverpool L7 0LJ).
Number of participants: 16 (15 women and 1 man)
Co-organisers: Liudmyla Serhiienko / UAGB, Mykhailyna Kukharchuk / Resilience Center, Father Taras Khomych / UAGB & Hope University.
Liverpool has a branch of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB), an organisation of the so-called “old” diaspora. Ukrainians who moved to the United Kingdom after the start of the full-scale invasion are also actively involved in its activities. Since 2024, the Ukraine Resilience Centre has been operating, with the main task of providing psychological assistance to Ukrainians (free individual and group psychological counselling).