Slemish College pupils build global friendships with Ukrainian classmates
- Love Ballymena
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
Kathy Bennett, Head of English at Slemish College (right), with her partner teacher Olga from Pokotylivka Lyceum No. 2 in Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine
Four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, pupils in Ballymena are forging friendships that stretch far beyond the classroom walls.
At Slemish College, Year 10 pupils are working side-by-side — virtually — with students from Pokotylivka Lyceum No. 2 in Kharkiv as part of the UK-Ukraine Schools Partnership programme.
Delivered by the British Council and funded by the UK Government, the initiative brings together 130 schools across the UK and Ukraine. Since January 2025, it has connected around 23,400 young people — and is now expanding to reach a further 300 schools, with an estimated 54,000 pupils expected to benefit.
Learning across borders — and conflict lines
From East to West: Building friendship and connections across borders
The Ballymena pupils are collaborating through shared reading, online lessons and creative projects designed to build empathy, resilience and global awareness.
For Head of English Kathy Bennett, the decision to get involved was deeply personal. Around ten Ukrainian pupils have joined Slemish College over the past four years, and she had already been working closely with them.
She said:
“One of our core values is kindness and community. We’ve been fortunate to welcome pupils from many different countries, including Ukrainian students and in the past four years, around ten Ukrainian students have joined our school.
“Having taught and worked with some of these students over the last few years, I felt that whenever this opportunity came up, that it was a great way to celebrate our own students and to increase awareness of what’s happening in Ukraine. While there’s lots of information in the news, it often gets lost amid all the other noise they hear.
“And as an English teacher and coordinator of the school library with our fantastic librarian, I also saw that the programme’s reading focus provided a positive way for the pupils to engage with the project.”
In January, Kathy travelled to Poland to meet her partner teacher, Olga, for the first time.
She said:
“I’ve been paired with a fabulous teacher called Olga, and she’s been fantastic. We connected immediately, and it made planning the project so much easier. Meeting in person gave me a much better understanding of how to structure the activities for our pupils back in Ballymena.”
Education under air raid sirens
Pokotylivka Lyceum No. 2 is based close to Ukraine’s eastern border. Due to ongoing conflict in the area, all secondary pupils are currently learning entirely online.
Kathy described the realities shared with her during that visit.
“All of their secondary students are now learning entirely online, which brings its own challenges. Some primary schools in the region are still able to offer limited face-to-face lessons, but even then, children often have to take shelter in basements for hours during air raid alerts before returning to class. Hearing about this firsthand was a real eye-opener for me.
“There’s still ongoing conflict in the area, and many of the staff have husbands, brothers, or sons involved in the fighting. The danger is very real and part of daily life for everyone there. Understanding this has made our own pupils really appreciate the resilience of their Ukrainian peers and the importance of the connection we are building through this project.”
Against that backdrop, the partnership takes on deeper meaning. What begins as a reading project becomes a shared space for perspective, solidarity and understanding.
Stories that bridge continents
A highlight so far has been a live online session with acclaimed British children’s author and human rights advocate Onjali Rauf, whose book A Boy at the Back of the Class tells the story of a refugee boy.
Pupils from both schools asked questions, shared experiences and explored themes of resilience, empathy and global awareness.
Kathy said:
“Our Year 10 pupils have really embraced the project so far. The live session with Onjali was a fantastic opportunity for them to explore important themes like empathy, belonging and global responsibility. We’re also looking forward to sharing more about life in Northern Ireland and learning from our Ukrainian peers through future sessions and cultural exchanges.
“The Ukrainian pupils at Slemish have also been very excited to be involved, and it’s been wonderful to see the buzz in the classroom as they share their experiences and make connections with other students. They’ve been exploring where each other lives and reflecting on what home means to them, while our other pupils feel proud to support these links. I hope these connections develop into a lasting partnership.”
She added:
“This project is about more than lessons. It’s about creating meaningful links between young people, helping them understand perspectives beyond their own, and encouraging values such as compassion, solidarity and respect.”
A partnership built on mutual exchange
Colm McGivern, Director of British Council Northern Ireland and former Director of the British Council Ukraine, said the impact is shared on both sides.
“Through the UK-Ukraine Schools Partnership programme, the British Council is proud to support schools in building sustained and meaningful international relationships. Having seen the impact of this scheme in both Ukraine and here in Northern Ireland, it’s clear that the benefits are mutual.
“Pupils here broaden their perspectives through direct collaboration, while students in Ukraine continue to participate in shared learning, cultural exchange, and international dialogue despite the disruption they are experiencing.
“These partnerships are built on genuine exchange rather than one-way support, ensuring that both schools contribute, learn and grow together. Education is one of the most powerful ways to foster understanding, peace and security, and the British Council is proud to support schools in building these meaningful international connections.”
Schools and teachers in Northern Ireland interested in joining the programme can apply before the deadline on 2 March.
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As war continues to shape daily life for families in eastern Ukraine, classrooms in Ballymena are proving that connection, curiosity and compassion can still travel freely — even when borders cannot.