This project builds on the successful programme from 2022 and is running a programme of activities based at the Slowianka Leisure Centre in Gorzow for 30 Ukrainian refugee children alongside local Polish children each week during the Summer (total: 240 children).   Each child will sign up for one week of activities (30 hours) and activities will include:

• swimming lessons,
• play time on the floating slides,
• sports and art/craft lessons, games etc
• lunch

The project also includes the provision of a Ukrainian co-ordinator and translator to oversee the project so that communication and information is shared with parents.

Forty five additional children will attend a swimming course of 9 lessons (running 3 x per week for 3 weeks). Swimming lessons will be conducted by experienced  and qualified instructors, who permanently run courses at the Słowianka Swimming School all year round. All of those registered on the Swimming course will be eligible for a lunch voucher which they can use to purchase 4 pieces of pizza and a drink or 2 pieces of pizza, a dessert and a drink.

The project aims to achieve the following outcomes for Ukrainian refugees:

• Enable children to feel more settled in their new ‘temporary’ homes and achieve a sense of normality.
• Improve mental health and wellbeing for participants by enabling them to forge new friendships, be children and have fun over the Summer.
• Increase integration between refugee children and local residents
• Increase opportunities for language development for refugee children by exposing them to the Polish language.
• Improve swimming ability, general fitness and water safety for children and young people particularly those attending the Summer Swimming school (45 participants).
• Reduce holiday hunger by offering meals in Slowianka.