Newcastle Uni worker one of thousands helped by programme which reportedly brings £31.5m boost to UK
Borys Zakharchenko joined the government-backed Specialist Training and Employment Programme (STEP), which supports people from Ukraine to get long-term employment
A Newcastle University worker is just one of thousands of displaced Ukrainians who have been helped by a programme which is reportedly boosting the UK economy. Borys Zakharchenko previously worked as a researcher at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, focusing on synthetic chemistry.
He fled Ukraine with his wife and young daughter after Russia invaded the country in February 2022. His family left the country for Greece, in the spring of that year, before moving to Birmingham in the UK.
Borys joined the government-backed Specialist Training and Employment Programme (STEP), which supports people from Ukraine to get long-term employment. The support he received enabled him to secure a full-time job as a Research PhD Associate in Artificial Photosynthesis at Newcastle University.
Borys, who now lives in Newcastle and has recently celebrated the birth of his second child, said: "My family and I are deeply grateful for everything STEP Ukraine has done for us. Programmes like this provide much more than practical support—they give people hope."
The STEP Ukraine programme has given a £31.5 million boost to the UK economy, according to an independent evaluation commissioned by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).
The evaluation, which assessed the first phase of the programme from August 2023 to August 2024, found that:
- Those who took part in the programme were 8% more likely to be in employment than those who did not take part within seven months of completing the programme.
- Participants were 7% more likely to be in employment than those who had not received support 20 months after the programme with earnings 11% higher than before they joined.
- English language scores also improved by nearly 30% by the end of the programme.
A 2025 survey of the first round of participants found that 65% were in employment a year after completing the programme.
According to the evaluation, STEP Ukraine generated £17.5m in direct benefits to the UK Exchequer, including £8.9m in net savings through increased tax revenues and reduced benefit payments. When wider economic and social benefits are included, the programme delivered £31.5m in total societal benefits, with a net societal benefit of £22.9m.
Borys originally settled in Birmingham when he moved to the UK with his family in January 2024. He joined STEP Ukraine to improve his employment prospects and learn English.
After weeks of intensive English language classes, and one-to-one support from his Employment Advisor to build his confidence, apply for jobs and practice interviews, he secured the position at Newcastle University.
The dad-of-two said: "When the Russian full-scale invasion began in February 2022, everything changed overnight. Like millions of Ukrainians, I was shocked and worried about the safety of my family and friends.
"Despite the war, I continued my scientific work and later started a new position as a Junior Researcher at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. Working in Ukraine during that time was incredibly difficult.
"We faced constant missile attacks, air raid alarms, and long power cuts, but we kept our research going because we believed science should continue even in the hardest times.
"In the same year, I became a father to my daughter, Sofia. After the devastating Russian missile attacks on Kyiv in the spring of 2023, the safety of my family became my highest priority.
"During one of the attacks, our apartment in Kyiv was damaged, and that was the moment we realised we could no longer keep our family there. We made the difficult decision to evacuate to Greece while looking for a safe way to continue our lives."
Borys applied to the CARA Researchers at Risk programme and received funding from the University of Birmingham to start a new chapter at the Pikramenou Research Group. At the end of 2023, CARA helped his family move from Greece to the UK.
He said: "Arriving in the UK was emotional. I was very grateful for the warm welcome, but it was also difficult because I had left my home, colleagues, and many loved ones behind. One of my biggest challenges was my English.
"I could communicate, but I didn't feel confident enough to fully integrate into the academic environment or plan my future career in the UK. Everything felt unfamiliar, and I often doubted myself.
"I also quickly realised how competitive the academic environment in the UK is. At first, I focused on applying for different fellowships and research funding to continue my work.
"Alongside this, I attended research seminars, international conferences, and professional workshops whenever I could. These experiences helped me develop professionally, build new collaborations, and better understand the UK academic system.
"As my position at the University of Birmingham was due to finish at the end of 2025, I also started applying for academic jobs across the UK. I submitted dozens of applications, but without much success at the beginning."
Borys said it was a challenging period and he wasn't sure if he would be able to continue his career in UK academia. During his time, he discovered the STEP Ukraine programme.
He said: "STEP Ukraine helped me in ways that went far beyond improving my English. Of course, my English became much better, but the biggest change was that the programme gave me confidence in myself and in my future. I had regular meetings with my employment advisor, Vida, and those conversations completely changed the way I saw myself.
"She helped me realise that my scientific experience was valuable and that I really could build a successful career in the UK. The programme also provided practical support.
"The team helped me improve my CV and cover letters, which was incredibly important. Before joining STEP Ukraine, I had already sent dozens of job applications without success and had almost given up hope of finding a research position in the UK.
"Vida encouraged me to keep trying, gave me useful advice, and stayed in touch throughout the process. Thanks to her support, I was invited to two interviews, and eventually I was offered my dream job as a Research Associate at Newcastle University.
"STEP Ukraine didn't just help me learn English—it helped me believe that I belonged here. It gave me the confidence to continue improving my English, developing professionally, and building a new future for myself and my family.
"When you have been forced to leave your home and rebuild your life from scratch, it is incredibly important to feel that you are not facing these challenges alone. Knowing that people believe in you, support you, and genuinely want you to succeed can completely change your future. STEP Ukraine gave me that feeling, and I will always be thankful for it."
World Jewish Relief first launched STEP in response to the Syrian refugee crisis. The programme has since supported thousands of refugees and displaced people from a range of backgrounds, including Syrians, Afghans, and Ukrainians.
Janice Lopatkin MBE, UK Programme Director at World Jewish Relief, said: "This evaluation shows that employment programmes for displaced persons and refugees, when done right, can generate positive outcomes not only for refugees, but for all of society.
"Through providing personalised and targeted support, and combining employment support and English language tuition, STEP has helped refugees and displaced people to establish independence, secure employment and integrate successfully into their new lives.
"Leveraging our proud history of supporting refugees in the UK since 1933, we have built on the success of STEP Ukraine to continue to support refugees from a mix of backgrounds, ensuring that more people can access the life-changing support they need to rebuild their lives."
Building on the success of this programme, World Jewish Relief, with the British Council, is currently running a follow-up STEP programme with MHCLG for Ukrainians and Hong Kong BN(O) visa holders.
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