Opportunities for volunteering for Ukraine refugee crisis

Charles… you might look at this link from Polish Origins which is a genealogy website but they have been organizing lists of aid for Ukraine

https://polishorigins.com/help-ukraine/

What languages do you speak?

I understand your motives but you need to be realistic. At this point there are no refugee centres in Poland, only reception centres where poeple can rest, get information and things they need. Most Ukrainians coming through the border have family/friends in Poland who are actively helping them - Poland is home to about 1.5 mln Ukrainians who came and settled after 2014 (Russian annexation of Crimea). I can see that in my neighbourhood (Warsaw) as lots of cars on Ukrainian number plates appeared in the last week or so. These people need organisational support to go where they want to go (e.g. elsewhere in the EU), or help them settle in Poland, get a job, get kids into schools, etc. Language skills (Polish/Ukrainian/Russian) and knowledge how things work in Poland are very important.

Your nursing qualifications are not recognised in Poland unless you hold an EU passport. I do not know if you are aware how tightly regulated employment in the EU is. Even volunteers need some sort of insurance and paperwork to help in nursing homes. You do not just pop in and say "Hi, I'm here to help". It has not become total lawlessness just because 1.2mln people crossed the border. This is not Africa or Middle East.

I think you should rather consider helping financially. Money is needed to help pay for accommmodation, transportation, overtime for professionals who can provide much more constructive support - social services, health workers, psychologists, teachers etc.

Yes, I agree with the above post about money rather than physical support. The sentiment to help is wonderful and the needs are very high.

But the physical presence of short-term volunteers, and especially those without language and cultural knowledge, itself adds an organisational burden that requires management and therefore can actually add to the workload for those providing support.

Missionaries who evacuated from Ukraine are staying in Poland to help with refugees, but of course they speak Ukrainian.

People are volunteering all over Europe, some spontaneously loading a truck and driving east, others through NGOs. I've seen photos where the people assembling the food, driving the vans and trucks, welcoming others, etc, are volunteers. Check with international organizations: Caritas, International Red Cross, UNHCR, many others. They may not use you as a nurse, but they may need someone for other functions. They would be able to tell you what you need to qualify with a NGO.

So wonderful Charles your desire to provide care for these refugees!! My guess as you are there you will find ways to network with those working on the ground there. Feels useful to help when on site and with your experience. Bet there is something for you to do. You just have to work within existing system. Thank you!

This video is worth watching as it illustrates what challenges we are dealing with in terms of moving people to more permanent accommodation. Ukrainians prefer to stay in big cities they have been to or heard of before, but Warsaw and Kraków are now full. They need to be persuaded to move to smaller towns that still have capacity to provide accommodation, or move westwards to elsewhere in Europe. Warsaw is already housing over 200,000 new arrivals which means about 10% of Warsaw's population is now Ukrainians. In Kraków the percentage is even higher. There are massive crowds at train stations - Kraków main station in the video, Warsaw stations are even busier. The government say there will be no forced relocations so translators are needed to talk to people individually to explain what options they have and convince them to move so that they ease the burden on the cities and do not sleep at train stations
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FntQHT-_IKU

Have you considered contacting Doctors Without Borders or any of the other international aid organizations?

I know you are well-intentioned, but listen to the others with regards to where your help is actually needed.

Why listen to me? I have worked in the refugee field for 27 years, currently in Austria. I know a thing or two.

If you want to help refugees, then I strongly recommend that you volunteer in your community in the US through a local refugee resettlement office. These offices are in nearly every state and in nearly every US city.

While the Ukraine situation is terrible (I'm dealing with it firsthand), there are other similarly terrible refugee crises that are not getting the bandwidth that Ukraine is getting.

Refugees resettled to the US are in great need of exactly the things you are offering. Studies have shown that community support leads to better outcomes and earlier self-sufficiency for refugees. If you want more information, please let me know.

Charles, I agree with your sentiments and have the same desire. I read the other comments dissuading you but it seems to me there is always a way for someone to help and be part of 'boots on the ground". Being physically present is helpful

Check with Samaritan’s Purse. They may need help that you can offer. They are providing a field hospital and clinic in Ukraine.

I am also looking at volunteering in an affected country in a different way, i.e. community projects that help lessen the burden on those services due to current crises. any thoughts on that approach? thank you

Keep in mind that the concept of volunteering in Europe is not the same as it is in the US. In normal, non-war times, the general attitude is that a volunteer would take the place of a person who could be paid to do the work. In Austria, for example, volunteers should technically register with the authorities after the organization demonstrates that it is not taking away a paying job from someone else. In some countries, the idea of people spending their free time in this way is also a foreign concept. I worked for years with refugees resettled to the US from former Yugoslavia. Volunteers were a big part of the resettlement process, but the refugees struggled to understand how/why someone would do work without pay. All of this leads to challenges when trying to find, place and train volunteers, especially those coming from outside of Europe.

I have relatives in Poland who communicate regularly with me. First, probably most of the refugees in Poland now do NOT have relatives or friends to help them. That has changed. Even in my relatives' small village, they are driving refugees from the border, providing housing for them and even the school is used as a refugee shelter. It is an "all man's on deck" situation. The Polish people need our help because these folks are not wealthy and this situation is going to last a long time. Their own children are very distressed hearing the stories from the new refugee children.

I sent MONEY to my relatives to help. I wouldn't recommend sending money to people you don't know. I think the best group is one already mentioned: Samaritan's Purse. They are VERY reputable and have been there since week one and know how to do these things very well. A finely tuned and oiled operation.

Charles- do you speak Polish? If you do, I could put you in contact with my priest relative in Poland.

A.W., that link in your post is amazing. Thank you. I couldn’t stop watching. I know many people on the forum are hesitant to click on links, but this is excellent. Seems like one of the big needs is translators Ukrainian/Polish skills to help the refugees with planning onward jouneys, housing, etc. And the exchange bureau’s chart in the train station dramatically shows that the refugees savings have become almost worthless.

Regarding volunteering with organizations like Doctors Without Borders is the commitment required. Here is a link to their recruitment info:
https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/careers/work-field

I agree with Emily, there are so many needs. Doctors Without Borders, for example, is anticipating more food insecurity in Africa this year, because Ukraine’s major wheat harvest is in jeopardy.