Ukrainian refugees' path into Swedish society
Since 2023, Botildenborg has been working with Ukrainian refugees to help them enter the labor market, improve their health, and develop their language skills. After completing the project, 75 percent of all participants found employment.
About the project
Many refugees arriving from Ukraine are single women and mothers, who sometimes also have elderly relatives to care for. As Ukrainian refugees are accepted under the Temporary Protection Directive, they are entitled to housing, schooling for their children, and the right to work. Sweden currently has no labor market support for Ukrainian refugees, and the waiting time for SFI (Swedish for Immigrants) and similar programs is long. When you are new to a country, there is a great need for support and knowledge to help you integrate into society.
Botildenborg started the project to help make the Swedish labor market more accessible and understandable by providing training in social guidance and different ways of looking for work. We combine this knowledge with Swedish language training through cooking and gardening.
Research from SLU
In 2024, SLU and Associate Professor Anna Maria Pálsdóttir launched a research project in which she follows Ukrainian participants' path into Swedish society.