According to the data of the Ministry of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania, over 90,000 war refugees from Ukraine live in Lithuania. To facilitate the integration of Ukrainians in Lithuania, it is important to take measures that ensure the efficiency of the process. One such measure is the reduction of the language barrier, which was undertaken by representatives of the Language Centre of the Faculty of Arts and Education of Kauno kolegija Higher Education Institution (HEI).
The Language Centre is implementing a six-month project “Lithuanian language courses for people who have fled Ukraine due to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine”, during which, since October, Ukrainian citizens living in Kaunas, Kėdainiai, Alytus and Jurbarkas have had the opportunity to learn Lithuanian language levels A1, A2 and B1 and Lithuanian sign language free of charge. The project is funded by the 2014–2021 Bilateral Cooperation Fund of the European Economic Area (EEA) and Norwegian Financial Mechanisms.
One of the support forms is teaching Ukrainians the Lithuanian language
Kauno kolegija HEI lecturer Daiva Stankevičiūtė-Volkauskienė often contributes to meaningful initiatives in Lithuania focused on supporting Ukraine through donations. The lecturer states that Lithuania is a country that consistently makes every possible effort to ensure that Ukraine and the whole world move purposefully along the path of freedom of thought and speech, preservation of its legitimate territories, national identity and democracy, and does not tolerate terrorism, intimidation, etc. She sincerely believes in every activity that encourages fearlessness and support for freedom.
Having received an offer to teach Ukrainians living in Kaunas, D. Stankevičiūtė-Volkauskienė was very happy to be able to contribute with her acquired knowledge of the speciality. ‘One of the values of Kauno kolegija HEI – openness – is very important to me as a need and driving force of our institution, encouraging us to share experiences and improve. By teaching Lithuanian, I become stronger and grow,’ notes the lecturer
When asked about the challenges of implementing the project, D. Stankevičiūtė-Volkauskienė shares that teaching Lithuanian to Ukrainians is easy because the participants try very hard, emphasising that they respect the culture of our country, an integral part of which is language, which helps integrate into the labour market, receive and disseminate reliable information in various contexts, and focus on communities. However, she does not hide that it is difficult emotionally – the stories of participants about how they lost their homes and had to part with loved ones, and pets are shocking. According to the lecturer, the war caused undeniable damage to us and our future generations.
D. Stankevičiūtė-Volkauskienė notes that for Ukrainian citizens, every Lithuanian word learned is a great achievement: ‘Halfway through the course, participants begin to say Lithuanian words and sentences more confidently. They willingly recount everyday situations in work or other environments when they used the learned words.’
Free Lithuanian language courses open up wide opportunities
Project participants – students of lecturer D. Stankevičiūtė-Volkauskienė – share their thoughts on the benefits of free Lithuanian language courses.
‘Knowing the Lithuanian language opens up many opportunities: it helps to integrate into this country, find a job, change your profession, improve your financial situation, and increase full-fledged communication with local friends. I would also like to feel a little bit like a Lithuanian among Lithuanians. Free Lithuanian language learning is a great way to achieve this,’ says Julija, who came from Ukraine with her 13-year-old daughter and has been living in Lithuania for two years.
Nadežda, who worked as an accountant in Ukraine and is looking after her 2-year-old grandson in Lithuania, is happy about the free Lithuanian language courses, as she has not felt integrated into Lithuanian society in two and a half years. According to her, this project opens up opportunities for job search and easier integration.
Course participant Hanna says that learning Lithuanian every day makes adaptation in a foreign country easier. ‘I want to work in a school because I am a teacher by education, and for that I need to know the language. This will help me better understand Lithuanian culture and feel more confident in communicating, it will be easier for me to establish contact with students and colleagues, which is very important for successful work. These courses are a great opportunity not only to speed up adaptation but also to expand the circle of communication and improve professional skills,’ says Hanna.
‘Great project! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to get closer to the Lithuanian language and culture. Special thanks to the lecturer. By learning the local language, I will be able to communicate with Lithuanians without any problems, I will improve my work and raise my self-esteem,’ says Olga, who calls Lithuania her second home.
