The initiative was designed to help young Ukrainian refugees in Poland further their education and career prospects, improving their social and emotional well-being and empowering them to become agents of change in their communities. Co-designed in consultation with young Ukrainian refugees and scheduled to run until June 2025, Life Chances will address four areas of need: language support, academic tutoring and guidance for career pathways, mental health and psychosocial support and development of social connections and cohesion.

“Save the Children plays a pivotal role in ensuring young people across the globe are safe, healthy and given the tools they need to reach their full potential. The Burberry Foundation is proud to partner with them on Life Chances, a programme that will help the thousands of young people impacted by the crisis to recover, grow, and create opportunities for a better future”, commented Nicole Lovett, Programme Director at Burberry.

The UK-based group added that the initiative will take place exclusively in Poland because the country is home to the largest population of Ukrainian refugees. However, statistics show that only 44% of Ukrainian children were enrolled on a local school at the end of the 2022/2023 academic year.

“So many children have been displaced by the conflict in Ukraine, and for teenagers who are thinking about their future careers and who are trying to discover their identities, it is an incredibly challenging time. Together with FRSI, our local NGO partner in Poland, we are delighted to be partnering with Burberry to give teenage Ukrainian refugees an opportunity to continue their education as well as to improve their social and emotional well-being”, commented Celina Kretkowska-Adamowicz, Director of Programme Operations from Save the Children in Poland.