UKRAID Ukrainian Refugee Centre of Valencia

UKRAID’s mission is to support Ukrainian refugees in Valencia as they rebuild their lives, communities and social networks, fostering a resilient, self-reliant community that is fully integrated into Valencian society. The organisation’s work is structured around two complementary areas:

• Meeting basic needs and ensuring immediate well-being

UKRAID provides essential support to vulnerable refugees through the distribution of food, clothing, hygiene products and social support, helping to ensure minimum standards of well-being, safety and dignity during the early stages of the reception process.

• Social inclusion and long-term autonomy

The organisation runs programmes aimed at fostering the linguistic, cultural and community integration of refugees, promoting language learning, access to resources and services, social participation and the strengthening of ties with the local community.

This comprehensive approach enables us to support refugees not only in meeting urgent needs, but also in the gradual development of personal autonomy, emotional stability and a sense of belonging to the host society.

In addition to material support, UKRAID promotes initiatives aimed at emotional well-being and psychosocial resilience, particularly among refugee women with caregiving responsibilities and greater difficulties in integrating. These initiatives include support groups in the mother tongue, community spaces for support, and activities that help restore self-esteem, confidence and mutual support networks.

The active participation of the refugees themselves is a cross-cutting priority for the organisation. Many service users subsequently collaborate as volunteers, cultural mediators or active participants in new initiatives, strengthening community cohesion, peer support and collective empowerment. Furthermore, UKRAID promotes initiatives based on solidarity, sustainability and the reuse of resources, fostering circular economy practices and social commitment within the community. The organisation’s aim is to contribute to a more inclusive, cohesive and intercultural Valencian society, facilitating the active integration of Ukrainian refugees and promoting spaces for coexistence, mutual support and community participation between the refugee population and the host society.