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YMCA offers ray of light in dark time for Ukrainian war refugees

'We felt like we were at home, they accepted us both in spite of our different origins,' Ukrainian citizen Veronika Aleksyeyenko says of Midland YMCA employment services centre
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Veronika Aleksyeyenko and Andrei Bocharov credit the YMCA for helping them receive a warm welcome after arriving in North Simcoe.

A local non-profit employment service is helping refugees escaping war-ravaged Ukraine start anew.

“Since February 2022, thousands of Ukrainians have fled their country seeking refuge in Canada, including many who have settled in the Midland area,” says Shelby Wise, a spokesperson with the YMCA of Simcoe/Muskoka.

“The Midland YMCA Employment Service centre has welcomed over 40 newcomers and provided them with English-language training, settlement services and assistance securing employment opportunities in the local community.”

Veronika Aleksyeyenko and Andrei Bocharov are one couple who have benefited from the service after fleeing the unrest in both Russia and Ukraine.

The pair arrived in Midland through the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program.

“We could not stay in Russia because of the mobilization and we could not stay in Ukraine because of the war. We went to Turkey and applied for CUAET,” says Aleksyeyenko, who is a Ukrainian citizen.

Aleksyeyenko and Bocharov, who is Russian, arrived in Canada with many other Ukrainian evacuees, and began the process of starting a new life, including searching for employment.

That search led them to the Midland YMCA Employment Services centre located at the intersection of Elizabeth and King Streets.

“We saw a sign outside,” Aleksyeyenko says. “As we looked for a job, we decided to come in and find out. We had to complete some forms and we got an appointment with Irina (Ayres). She told us that we can get help, and it would be free for us.”

Ayres, who works as employment specialist at the centre, says a large number of newcomers to the area speak little English and, therefore, find it difficult to get assistance in the community when they first arrive.

“We knew that in order to provide holistic support to the newcomers, we needed to expand our English-language services," she says.

To assist with that aspect of life in a new land, Ayres started a conversation circle program where newcomers can practise English with their peers. There are currently eight volunteers involved with the program, which is offered throughout the week for both beginners and more advanced speakers.

“Veronika and Andrei’s story is just one of many (involving newcomers) that have come through our doors,” Ayres says.

“We at the YMCA are committed to helping others. Everyone is welcome here, and our staff teams go above and beyond to ensure each individual receives the supports they need to succeed in finding employment.”

With the help of the YMCA employment service, Bocharov quickly found a job as a machine operator. And since they had no income, the YMCA also helped him acquire necessary clothing for the job, including safety boots.

Aleksyeyenko, meanwhile, got a job as a supply childcare worker at the Midland YMCA.

But that’s not the only help the couple received from the YMCA.

After attending a monthly newcomer potluck hosted by the employment service at St. Mark’s Anglican Lutheran Church on Third Street in Midland, the pair found a new home.

“During those potlucks, we met amazing people,” Bocharov says. “With the help of Irina we met a couple who we now rent an apartment with.”

Aleksyeyenko says the services offered by Ayres and others helped them adjust to life in their new community and become more confident about the future.

She adds: “We felt like we were at home, they accepted us both in spite of our different origins.”

To learn more about Midland YMCA Employment Services and the supports they offer, visit their website or call (705) 528-0845.


Andrew Philips

About the Author: Andrew Philips

Editor Andrew Philips is a multiple award-winning journalist whose writing has appeared in some of the country’s most respected news outlets. Originally from Midland, Philips returned to the area from Québec City a decade ago.
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