'I remember packing in a hurry': The Ukrainian teen helping other displaced children settle in Coatbridge

A Ukrainian teen who was forced to leave behind his home, friends and loved ones, including those who had to stay and fight, has recounted how he came to Scotland and how he is helping those like him adjust.

Maksym Vivchar was forced to flee Ukraine following Russia’s invasion aged just 12, living aboard an accommodation vessel docked in Glasgow with other displaced Ukrainian families.

“I remember packing in a hurry and not knowing what I was supposed to take, because nobody could tell me how long we would be gone,” he said.

Whilst he may have found safety in Scotland, his journey had only just begun. Struggling with the trauma of what he had experienced, Maksym became withdrawn and found it difficult to adjust to a new country, school and language.

“On the ship everything was quiet and safe but my head was still back home,” he recounted.

But there was to be a lifeline for Maksym and children like him, in the form of Mission of Innocents. Using creative and community activities to help children affected by war process what they had experienced, rebuild confidence and begin to settle into life in Scotland.

Maksym was one of the children who became involved. And now, four years later, the once withdrawn 12-year-old is one of those helping to support younger Ukrainian children facing many of the same challenges he did.

Mission of Innocents was founded by Joyce Landry, CEO and co-founder of Landry & Kling, which provides floating accommodation for humanitarian and disaster relief efforts around the world. Joyce relocated to Scotland and lived alongside displaced families while managing the project, where she saw first-hand the impact war and displacement were having on children.

Joyce said: “I remember Maksym as a quiet boy who stayed close to his family and said very little. He was far from the only one. We were seeing children who were safe but who were carrying everything that had happened to them, and that was what made it clear something more was needed.

“Seeing Maksym four years on, coaching younger children who have gone through the same things, is why the charity exists.”

Maksym began taking part in Mission of Innocents activities, including sports, board games, crafts and woodwork, gradually making friends and becoming more comfortable around other young people.

“We just played, and after a while it stopped feeling like an effort to be around people,” he said.

His mother Olga Vivchar, now executive director at Mission of Innocents, said Maksym initially found settling in much harder than his younger brother.

“My younger son Andrii was 10 when we arrived and he settled in quickly. Maksym was 12, which is a harder age to be taken away from everything you know, and for a long time he kept it all to himself.”

Two years ago, Maksym chose Mission of Innocents for his Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award volunteering placement, helping with sports, crafts and woodwork.

He completed the award and went on to achieve straight As in his National 5 exams, all studied in English as his second language. He is now in S5.

Today, the 16-year-old helps during table tennis sessions for younger Ukrainian children in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, and supports Mission of Innocents events and exhibitions.

“Sometimes a younger boy comes in and stands at the side of the room, not joining in, and I know exactly how he feels because that was me,” he said.

His experiences during the war have also shaped his ambitions for the future. After witnessing the impact of the conflict on animals, Maksym spent this summer gaining experience at veterinary practices and animal shelters and now hopes to become a vet.

He said: “I saw injured and lost pets, and the animals didn’t understand what was happening to them. That is the part I have never been able to forget.”

Around 140 Ukrainian families have relocated to Coatbridge, including an estimated 100 to 120 children and young people under 18, with more than half regularly taking part in Mission of Innocents activities.

Olga said having support close to home can make a significant difference to families rebuilding their lives in Scotland.

“A lot of the parents here don’t have a car, and paying for clubs and travelling into Glasgow simply isn’t possible for many families. When the activity is a short walk away, children come along, they make friends and they start to feel part of the place where they live.

“Painting or making something gives children a way to express what they can’t put into words, especially the ones who don’t want to talk about what they feel. We see it here, in practice, how these creative programmes improve children’s emotional and social wellbeing.”

Founded in 2022, Mission of Innocents has supported nearly 800 displaced Ukrainian children through creative programmes including art, music, dance, storytelling, poetry, sports and performance.

Earlier this year, the charity opened its first permanent Creative Arts Centre at Ocean Terminal in Leith, close to where its work began. It is now looking to extend its model to support children affected by conflict and displacement from countries including Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen and Sudan.