United for Ukraine Helping Thousands Rebuild Lives in the UK

• Over the past four or so years, United for Ukraine has supported thousands of Ukrainians in the UK.
• The initiative connects jobseekers with employers, training, and specialist support through a digital platform created by the Growth Company.
• Inspiring local success stories show how Ukrainians are rebuilding careers in Greater Manchester’s tech, creative, and digital sectors.

When Marianna Vaszilyiv first arrived in Greater Manchester ten years ago, she found “hope, community, and a place to belong.” Now, as co‑founder of United for Ukraine, she’s helping thousands of displaced Ukrainians to rebuild their lives in the region.

On 19 March, Marianna welcomed more than twenty Ukrainian companies to Manchester as part of the UK–Ukraine TechBridge, a national programme designed to support long‑term partnership and economic recovery.

Organisers said the visit aimed to give Ukrainian founders insight into the city’s business support offer, and to help them build relationships that could underpin new partnerships and investment in the region.

Marianna told local businesses that many Ukrainians arriving since 2022 had been forced to start their careers again, despite coming from backgrounds in law, engineering, medicine, digital, and the creative industries.

United for Ukraine has supported over 7,000 Ukrainians across the UK, helping 1,000 people into work along the way.

The stories behind the numbers

Marianna shared some of the success stories she has witnessed in Greater Manchester:

• Anastasiia, who is now working as a user researcher for CGI in Manchester, applying her skills within a global technology company.
• Alyona, an award‑winning filmmaker who fled Kyiv in 2022 and went on to create The Rising Sun documentary in 2023.
• Darina, who left Kharkiv during the early days of the full‑scale invasion and is now building a future in digital content from her new home in Greater Manchester.

“These stories show the strength and adaptability of Ukrainians,” Marianna said.

United For Ukraine

United for Ukraine is a coalition of business stakeholders from across the North of England supporting Ukrainian in the UK. The initiative is based on a digital platform, created by the Growth Company, which connects employers with job seekers.

The Growth Company specialist employment services

The Growth Company is an award-winning social enterprise with a 35-year history of enabling growth, creating jobs, and improving lives. We help people and businesses to develop, grow, and succeed through a range of employment, skills, and business support services. We provide employment, justice, and health services across the North of England, Midlands, and beyond.

Learn more about the specialist services that we deliver.