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Ukrainian newcomers to the London area with limited language skills are desperate to learn English so they can land jobs before short-term government aid runs out, officials say.

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Dozens of Ukrainian families have already descended on the London area, more on the wider region, since the Russian invasion of their homeland four and a half months ago, in numbers large enough to strain the ability of some groups trying to help find host families to settle new arrivals.

Learning English for those who do not speak the language is a must, as for all newcomers.

“Ukrainians are very goal-oriented, and they have to be because they don’t get the same level of financial support as government-sponsored refugees,” said Sheila Carson, one of the two English-speakers ( ESL) with the Thames Valley District School Board.

A sudden influx of Ukrainians into the London area in late June, under the Canada-Ukraine Emergency Travel Authorization scheme, forced the council to act quickly to set up an English class for around 40 refugees. “Everyone was scrambling for information about settlement services and language classes,” Carson said. “And then our office got a lot more calls. There was a lot of interest. »

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After an in-person orientation, students learn English online for the month of July.

“They’re very optimistic, positive, enthusiastic,” she said. “Every day (of learning English) makes a difference for them.”

About 5.8 million Ukrainians have fled the country to Europe since the start of the Russian invasion more than four months ago, with millions more displaced inside Ukraine, according to the United Nations.

Canada has approved the resettlement of tens of thousands of Ukrainians to this country, allowing them to live, work and study here for up to three years as temporary residents.

Pupils learning English through the Thames board started by learning to use the Google Classroom platform and are now working on the alphabet and literacy skills, said Jennifer Jones, the board’s other ESL coordinator.

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Many students “come from real challenges,” she said, adding that the class is establishment-oriented. “Whether they’re getting to know Canada or improving their language skills, they’ll find there’s something for them,” she says.

Ukrainians arriving in Canada on emergency travel are entitled to a one-time payment of $3,000 per adult and $1,500 per child under 17 to cover their basic needs. They can also apply for emergency assistance that provides temporary financial support for basic needs and shelter in times of crisis, says the Ontario government’s website.

But these Ukrainian newcomers do not have the same rights as those with federal status or government-assisted refugees.

“They have support from the federal and provincial governments, but it’s short-term,” said Valerian Marochko, executive director of London’s Cross-Cultural Learner Centre. “It makes them ready to go really fast, but it’s necessary. . . develop their skills and find a job.

The center is responsible for assessing newcomers’ English, as the system requires their language skills to be assessed against a benchmark.

Several groups in the city offer ESL programs, including the London Catholic District School Board and the YMCA, he said.

The center also offers an informal face-to-face English learning circle for those waiting for a lesson or assessment, Marochko said.

For more information, call the Center for Intercultural Learning at 519-432-1133.

HRivers@postmedia.com

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