For many people who arrive in a new country, language is one of the first and most difficult barriers they face. It can affect almost every step of adaptation: understanding rules, filling in forms, booking appointments, using online portals, speaking with institutions, or explaining a personal situation clearly.

For Ukrainian refugees, this can make access to support feel much harder than it should be.

A person may know that services exist, but still not understand how to use them. They may not be sure where to write, what documents are needed, what the response means, or what to do next. Even a simple appointment or request can become stressful when the language is unfamiliar.

This is why language barriers are not just a communication issue. They can become a real barrier to safety, health, social support, and integration.

Not speaking the local language should not mean being left alone with the system.

Within RefAid BaltHUB, support includes information, navigation, and referrals in a way that people can understand. This may mean explaining available services, helping identify the right place to turn, clarifying next steps, or supporting a person in communication with relevant services.

Accessible information matters because support only becomes truly available when a person can understand how to reach it.

Language should not be the reason someone postpones asking for help, misses an important service, or feels that their situation is impossible to explain.

If it is difficult to navigate services because of language, you can reach out to RefAid BaltHUB for support. You do not need to understand everything before asking for help. Sometimes the first step is simply writing: “I need support, but I do not know how to explain my situation.”

Support should be understandable, safe, and accessible — including for people who do not yet speak the local language confidently.