Taking Action, Fast

In September 2022, we chose to act. With thousands of Ukrainians arriving in Glasgow, we reached out to Viktoriia, a Code Division alumna, who helped us connect with local volunteers and grassroots groups.

Grace and Frank visited both accommodation boats in Glasgow and Edinburgh and met many incredible women — highly skilled, professional, and determined to rebuild their lives.

Their strength, warmth, and resilience was incredible and sparked the creation of our Digital Empowerment Programme, designed to offer practical skills, business English skills and community support in a time of great uncertainty.

Grace reached out to Kelly from SDS Women Returner programme and we were able to secure funding.

Sharing the Message

With Vilena, a Ukrainian mother who fled to Glasgow, we created an appeal video. The response was immediate — individuals and organisations stepped up, offering donations, support, and resources. It showed the strength and kindness within our community.

A Space to Belong

Thanks to the generous support of the Clutha Trust, we secured a spacious office in the heart of Glasgow. It quickly became more than just a classroom — it was a safe, welcoming hub where women could learn, connect, and grow in confidence. Avant Assessment kindly offered their services free of charge.

Bianca transformed the space with art, colour, and donated plants, creating a calm, inspiring environment that truly felt like home.

Listening and Learning

Before the course began, we surveyed Ukrainians in emergency accommodation. We listened to their stories, goals, and challenges. With support from our board chair, Jim Cantley, we connected learners with housing contacts and rent deposit schemes to help them move forward.

Launching the Programme

Planned for 20 learners, we actually welcomed 34. Frank and Bianca were able to design the course in under a week.

We decided that the women Alongside Sian and Emily, they delivered workshops in Data, Business English, and wellbeing. The programme was built on trust, care, and a sense of community.

City walks, chill-out zones, and interactive wellness sessions helped everyone recharge and reconnect—reminding us that building a sustainable remote lifestyle means taking care of our bodies and minds too.

A different approach to networking

We wanted to connect the Glasgow community of creatives, freelancers, agencies, non-profits and start-ups. So we hosted this 'Pitching & Giving' networking session. 👥 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Here's how it worked: We had one table of Pitchers: these were founders and freelancers - who either had an idea brewing, or had already started a business. And then we had The Givers - these were people who volunteered to give something to each of our Pitchers! After listening to each of The Pitchers do a 1 minute elevator pitch - they wrote a note card with a gift inside. 🖋️ 🗒️

This could be anything from...

📖 A book recommendation
🧠 A nugget of advice
📧 An introduction to someone
☕️ A coffee to discuss further

What we found was that each Giver went above and beyond - writing multiple note cards and being really generous with their knowledge and time. Each note was hand delivered, and The Pitchers left feeling very grateful indeed.

A closing party to remember

As the sun set on an inspiring day, Remote Alba Fest transformed Box Hub into a full-blown celebration of Glasgow’s creative spirit.

We kicked off the evening with two brilliant comedians who had the crowd in stitches. First up was Iryna, a stand-up comic from Ukraine navigating life in Scotland with a sharp wit and a delightfully dark sense of humour. “Audience LOVED her,” said The Stand Glasgow—and they weren’t wrong. She had the whole room howling.

Next came Alan Jay, whose fearless and clever comedy lit up the stage. He brought serious energy and charm to the stage—definitely one to watch on the Scottish comedy scene.

And the fun didn’t stop there. Headlining the musical line-up was An Dannsa Dub, who fused traditional Gaelic song with high-energy dub beats. DJs Alan and John followed up with vinyl-only sets that took us from post-punk to reggae to dreamy electronica, keeping the vibe alive well into the night.

Digital Empowerment Programme (Ukrainian Women)