Yorkshire and Humber Ukraine Advisory Panel - Terms of Reference

Type

The Yorkshire and Humber Ukraine Advisory Panel (Y&H UAP) provides non-binding strategic advice and understanding of the lived experience of individuals arriving in Yorkshire and Humber communities, via the three visa routes: Ukraine Family Scheme, Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme (Homes For Ukraine) and Ukraine Extension Scheme. These are collectively known as Ukraine Scheme.

This advice will be provided to local and regional government, and other stakeholders involved in supporting of Ukrainians coming to the UK via the Ukraine Scheme.

Purpose

To offer lived experience insights to strengthen the planning and focus the delivery of the Ukraine Hub in Yorkshire and Humber
To raise awareness with local and regional government organisations, Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations, other key stakeholders, and members of the public to:

highlight the experiences of individuals arriving via this route
increase the level of understanding of how the visa routes work and,
promote examples of good practice that have enabled Ukrainians to successfully integrate and become part of their local communities

To represent the views and concerns of arrivals from Ukraine
To advise and consult with key agencies involved in designing and delivery of the Ukraine scheme support programmes (i.e. DLUHC, Home Office, Local Authorities and VSCEs)
To engage with the media and seek to promote stories highlighting the experiences and the contribution Ukrainians make to Y&H and the wider UK society

How

There are a wide range of opportunities for UAP members, these include:

Participating in meetings and events relating to the Ukraine Scheme
Public speaking and awareness raising, sharing personal testimonies as a newly arrived person from Ukraine
Engaging with consultations with external stakeholders and researchers in the migration field
Assisting service providers and commissioners involved in the Ukraine scheme support programmes, such as local authorities and Migration Yorkshire, with gathering service user feedback on delivery models.
Assisting the group in creating, and abiding by, a UAP’s Code of Conduct.

Where possible, the UAP will request follow up and feedback, following engagement with external consultations.

Membership

The Y&H UAP has a regional focus but the remit of the group extends to engaging at national and international platforms.
The UAP is made up of a maximum of 20 members representing diversity visas of Ukraine Scheme in the region. The UAP aims to include individuals of different genders, ages, faiths, residency statuses, abilities of communicating in English and having disabilities or being carers.
Each member has a 1-year term on the UAP before they either voluntarily step down or are voted back in by the UAP for a further 1 year. Members will have the option to step down early, if they wish to not continue with the group.
When there is a vacancy, the existing UAP members will receive recommendations on potential new members and then collectively decide on who can join based on the representation needs at the time.
The expectation is that UAP members should regularly engage in line with their membership agreement, and to update the Migration Yorkshire staff about their availability as and when appropriate.
Migration Yorkshire are committed to supporting the UAP – there will be a staff member whose remit will be to engage with and promote the UAP and will offer administration and technical support.
Members will vote on existing Terms of Reference and review them on a yearly basis.
Members will nominate and elect a Co-Chair who will be assisting Migration Yorkshire in supporting UAP. The Co-Chair rota will be on a yearly basis.
Members will be supported if they wish to contribute anonymously.

Governance and meeting arrangements

The UAP aims to meet every 2 months either on Teams (or other video conferencing app) or face-to-face – to be decided by the group. Migration Yorkshire will assist with organising dates for the meetings
To attend induction and relevant training sessions
A Voluntary Meeting Chair will be decided for each meeting. (Migration Yorkshire will take on this role at the start of the panel) Their role will be to help in preparing and sending out agenda and notes to other members. Notes will be recorded from each meeting and Migration Yorkshire will assist with this.
Costs in relation to meetings (room hire, lunch, refreshments, travel expenses, childcare, data and other individual access support when needed) for UAP members will be covered.
Time commitment required for the role is expected to be between 2 and 4 hours a month.

Potential benefits to members

Opportunity to apply own expertise gained through lived experience to benefit all Ukrainians regionally
Gain understanding of the role of the local and national government in the UK, and how the wider UK’s public and voluntary sector systems work
Develop links with, and access networking opportunities through, organisations supporting new arrivals from Ukraine at a regional and national level
Access to relevant training and certificate of contribution
Using existing, and developing new skills in teamwork and collaboration
Provide references for employment and future opportunities
Provide one-to-one safe space support
Regular updates about local and regional jobs, training and volunteering opportunities and events
Opportunities to become a guest speaker at events and to share lived experience stories