COPOCS Project » RESEARCH OUTPUTS: Community Sponsorship and CS-like programmes for Ukrainians

One of the goals of the COPOCS project is to document and analyse community sponsorship and CS-like programmes aimed at supporting people displaced from Ukraine. We present a database that summarises the identified initiatives, organised into the following categories: country, programme name, programme description, state institutions’
involvement, period of accommodating required, and financial compensation provided by the (local) government. This table offers a comprehensive overview of diverse state-supported programmes that facilitate(d) hosting refugees* from Ukraine by private actors in
Europe and globally.

To see the table, click the LINK.

By community sponsorship, we understand programmes that involve the controlled arrival of refugees, as well as the collaboration between private sponsors and national authorities in the reception and integration of refugees, particularly with regard to providing accommodation. By CS-like programmes we mean private refugee hosting initiatives, such
as those for Ukrainians, which are state-supported, particularly through facilitating the matching of private hosts with refugees and/or providing financial assistance to private hosts. These programmes differ from proper community sponsorship programmes in that they do not involve the controlled arrival of refugees, and the hosts are not responsible for
the full maintenance of the refugees.

The programmes were identified through an extensive revaiew of the following sources: European Website on Integration, UNHCR fact sheets, OECD publication Housing Support for Ukrainian Refugees in Receiving Countries, and European Commission publication Solidarity and Housing: Supporting Safe Homes. Considerations, Key Principles, and Practices, European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions report Policies to Support Refugees from Ukraine, and European Migration Network report Arrangements for Accommodation and Housing for Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection. Additionally, keyword-based internet searches (e.g., “community sponsorship”, “Ukraine”, “housing
support for refugees from Ukraine”) were conducted to supplement these findings.

A total of 26 programmes** were identified across 20 countries, primarily in Europe, but also in New Zealand and the United States. Among the European countries, 10 were Western European (8 EU members: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, and Spain, two non-EU countries: Switzerland and the United Kingdom), and eight Central and Eastern European countries (seven EU members: Croatia, Czechia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia, and one non-EU country: Moldova). Interestingly, Hungary, a country bordering Ukraine, did not implement such programmes—supported by the state—for Ukrainians fleeing war.

The identified CS-like programmes for Ukrainian refugees encompassed two main types: financial support from the state for individuals hosting Ukrainian refugees and online platforms connecting potential hosts with Ukrainian refugees, coordinated or supported by state authorities. A key common feature of these programmes was the involvement of state authorities (national or local) in supporting private hosts.

The 26 programmes can be categorised as follows:

14 financial support schemes for private households hosting refugees (e.g., the Accommodation Recognition Payment Scheme in Ireland, the 50/20 Programme in Romania, and the Homes for Ukraine in the United Kingdom).
9 online platforms connecting hosts with refugees (e.g., Helfende Wände in Germany, Pomagam Ukrainie in Poland, or #OffroAiuto in Italy).
3 other initiatives, either did not provide financial support to hosts (e.g., Familia Necesita Familia in Spain) or required sponsors to fully support the hosted individuals (e.g., Uniting for Ukraine in the United States and the 2022 Special Ukraine Visa Programme in New Zealand).

Most of these initiatives should be classified as CS-like programmes. Only the programme implemented by the United States can be considered a proper community sponsorship model as private individuals bear full responsibility for the financial support and integration of incoming refugees. The New Zealand programme is similar, but the sponsors’ responsibilities are limited to providing financial support for the refugees.

The identified programmes varied significantly in several aspects, including:

Duration of support: The required period ranged from as short as one week in Moldova to as long as two years in New Zealand. In some countries, such as Denmark or Slovakia, the duration of hosting refugees was not explicitly specified.
Eligibility for financial support: Not all hosts of refugees were entitled to financial assistance, with eligibility criteria differing between programmes.
Amount of financial support: aid amounts provided to hosts varied widely, with some Danish municipalities offering up to EUR 67 (DKK 500) per person per day.
Dependence of the amount of financial support on the number of hosted refugees or accommodation provided In many programmes, the amount of financial support was tied to the number of refugees hosted (e.g. Latvia, Lithuania). Ireland and the United Kingdom it depended on the number of accommodations offered.
Scope of requirements for receiving financial support: The requirements for receiving financial support by hosts varied. For example, in Poland and Denmark, support was provided to those who offered both accommodation and food, while in Croatia, it was offered to those providing only accommodation. However, the amount of support was usually predetermined and did not reflect the actual costs incurred by the hosts***.

* For simplicity, we use the term “refugees”, keeping in mind that most people displaced from Ukraine benefit from temporary protection rather than refugee status.
** The list of programmes is intended to be as comprehensive as possible. If you are aware of any programmes not included, we would be grateful if you could inform us via email at copocs.project@gmail.com.
*** The symbolic nature of this benefit was sometimes reflected in the name of the benefit, such as the “thank you payment” in the United Kingdom or the “solidarity contribution” in Czechia.