Public Impact Report
Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain — Glasgow Branch
Glasgow Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund
Grant Reference: REF-1697812151
About the Project
The Ukrainian Mental Health & Wellbeing Support Program was developed to support Ukrainian adults living in Glasgow and surrounding areas through accessible physical, creative and community activities.
The programme was designed around a simple principle: wellbeing is supported not only through individual interventions, but also through movement, creativity, social connection, cultural identity and a sense of belonging.
The original programme combined physical activities with creative sessions and aimed to create welcoming spaces where participants could meet others, develop skills, stay active and feel connected with their community.
Our Impact
During the monitoring period, AUGB Glasgow delivered:
118 activities
including:
37 yoga sessions
40 football sessions
41 art and craft workshops
The programme generated approximately:
722 attendances
including:
272 attendances at art activities
90 attendances at yoga
approximately 360 attendances at football
The project also involved 23 volunteers, including 15 newly recruited volunteers and 8 existing volunteers.
Physical Wellbeing
Regular physical activities created opportunities for participants to stay active while also meeting other members of the community.
Football sessions took place regularly at Glasgow Green and provided participants with physical activity, structure and social interaction.
Yoga was delivered in both women-only and mixed formats, allowing participants to choose the environment in which they felt most comfortable. Participants reported benefits including relaxation, greater calm and improved emotional resilience.
Creativity and Cultural Connection
Creative workshops formed another major part of the programme.
Activities included Ukrainian traditional arts such as Petrykivka painting, Yavoriv painting and embroidery, alongside other creative formats including painting, macramé, monotype printmaking, lino printing and handmade decorations.
These sessions gave participants opportunities to learn new skills, express themselves creatively and spend time with others in a relaxed community environment.
Activities connected with Ukrainian culture were particularly valuable in helping participants maintain a sense of cultural identity and belonging while building their lives in Scotland.
Supporting Mental Wellbeing
The project contributed to two key fund outcomes:
Increased mental wellbeing and prevention
Improved resilience of communities
AUGB Glasgow estimated that approximately 500 people experienced improved mental wellbeing as a result of participation in the programme. Glasgow Wellbeing Fund for Adul…
Impact was assessed through a combination of:
- short participant surveys
- informal feedback
- conversations with participants
- observations of engagement, confidence and mood
Participants reported stronger social connections, increased confidence and opportunities to manage stress through regular activity and community participation.
Building Community
One of the strongest outcomes of the programme was the development of new social connections.
Many participants were adapting to life in a new country while experiencing isolation and uncertainty. Regular activities created spaces where people could meet others, communicate in a familiar environment and gradually build friendships.
Some participants also moved from taking part in activities to volunteering and helping with their delivery, creating new opportunities for involvement and a stronger sense of purpose within the community.
What Participants Told Us
Participant feedback consistently highlighted the importance of friendship, relaxation, creativity and community connection.
One participant described the activities as an important opportunity to make friends and reduce stress, while others highlighted how art sessions helped them discover new interests, build confidence and take time away from everyday worries.
Participants in yoga and art activities also described the value of the welcoming atmosphere and the relationships they developed through regular attendance. For some, these connections helped reduce feelings of isolation after moving to Scotland.
What We Learned
The project showed that community wellbeing activities work best when they are welcoming, flexible and low-pressure.
Participants’ availability and circumstances could change from week to week, so flexibility was essential. The team also found that informal conversations and observation were sometimes more effective than formal written feedback.
Another important lesson was the role of culture and belonging. Activities connected with Ukrainian language, traditions and shared experiences helped participants feel more comfortable, connected and understood.
Organisational Impact
The funding also strengthened AUGB Glasgow as an organisation.
The project contributed to:
- increased skills and knowledge among staff and volunteers
- stronger links with the local and wider community
- increased visibility within the community
- a stronger position from which to develop and fund future projects
It also demonstrated the value of combining wellbeing support with ordinary community activities rather than treating wellbeing as a separate part of community life.
Looking Forward
The Ukrainian Mental Health & Wellbeing Support Program demonstrated the importance of providing regular, accessible opportunities for people to move, create, connect and belong.
The experience and learning from the project continue to inform AUGB Glasgow’s wider programme of social, cultural, creative and wellbeing activities.
Through future programmes, we aim to continue creating spaces where Ukrainians in Glasgow can build relationships, develop confidence, maintain cultural connections and feel part of a strong and welcoming community.
