Private hosting and support for refugees from Ukraine

ABSTRACT

The project explores a new phenomenon in Polish society: the hosting and support of refugees from Ukraine by private individuals in Poland. The study focuses on the perspective of those providing assistance, while also considering the voices of the refugees themselves. We aim to find answers to the following questions:

• What motivates individuals to support and host refugees? How do these individuals engage in assistance, what characteristics distinguish them, and what are the consequences of their involvement?
• What factors facilitate or hinder assistance provided by helpers? What support is needed from government and local administration, as well as non-governmental organizations?
• What are the experiences of Ukrainian refugees who are being supported by private individuals in Poland?

We plan to conduct 75 in-depth individual interviews with hosting and/or supporting individuals of Ukrainian refugees. The study will encompass three waves of interviews: in the first month of the project, after three additional months, and then six months later. Another part of the project involves conducting 20-30 interviews with the refugees themselves who are being hosted and/or supported by the individuals participating in our study. Additionally, we plan to conduct six group-based focus interviews. These interviews will not only provide research material but also create a space for sharing experiences and group discussions among helpers. They will be combined with workshops on support for helpers and intercultural communication. The workshop component will be conducted by psychologists with experience in supporting volunteers and conducting intercultural communication training. In addition to the mentioned research conducted in Poland, we will also conduct 20-25 interviews with helpers in Germany.