UCC course to help Ukrainian refugees settle into new life in Ireland
Larysa Samosonok, former vice-rector of Donetsk National University of Economics, Ukraine, has had a relationship with UCC since 1995. Picture: David Keane.
University College Cork has announced details of a new course to give Ukrainian refugees who have had their “whole world destroyed” an authentic student experience in Ireland.
Organised by the Adult Continuing Education (ACE) Centre in UCC, the course aims to orientate Ukrainians and integrate them with Irish students, who will show them the ropes of life as a young adult here.
Starting on Tuesday, April 19, the course will run three days a week for six weeks and is completely free for any Ukrainian refugees over 18 years of age.
UCC students will teach modules on life in Ireland as a young adult, UCC lecturers will cover the fundamentals of Irish politics, laws, and society, and the college’s career service will explain how students can access basic services, as well as going through CV prep and interview skills.
The course will also include daily lessons in conversational English, and an orientation “Freshers Week” filled with activities such as exploring Cork City and a trip to Cobh.
Those who enrol will also be able to avail themselves of campus facilities such as the library and Mardyke gym.
Director Séamus Ó Tuama said ACE cannot fix the “horrible nightmare” of what people have fled from, but it is trying to offer some kind of authentic experience to those who have had their “whole world destroyed”.
“Some of these Ukrainian students will be staying with families, and they may not have much opportunity to meet people their own age,” he said
“If one student comes, and they benefit from it, we’re doing something positive. We don’t care whether it’s one or 100. However many come, we will reach out to, and we’ll do the best we can for all of them.”
Key to making the course reality has been Larysa Samosonok, and her 19-year-old daughter Victoria, who fled their home in Ukraine to shelter in Cork when the invasion began.
Ms Samosonok has had a relationship with UCC since 1995 when UCC started collaborating with her home university in the Donbas region of Ukraine.
She said her daughter was largely the inspiration and the auditor for what the course should cover.
“I think it’s very important to my daughter to understand the culture of Ireland," she said.
“She needs knowledge about Ireland’s political and cultural system, but also very practical things like where is dangerous in Cork in the evening time, or the real values of Irish students and if they are really different from Ukrainian or the same.
“It’s very important because she would like to integrate in society, and feel comfortable and be useful.”
