Tag: dance

Mission of Innocents has opened a new Creative Arts Centre at Ocean Terminal in Leith, offering a safe, welcoming space where resettled children and families can come together, express themselves and begin to thrive through creativity.

The centre will be home to Mission of Innocents’ programmes using art, music, movement and storytelling to help children and families who have lived through war, displacement and crisis feel safe again, build confidence and reconnect with childhood.

Last night’s opening was marked by a special event attended by Deputy Lord Provost Lezley Marion Cameron, alongside members of the High Constables of Leith and the Consular Corps. The evening included the unveiling of a commemorative installation and a performance by children supported by Mission of Innocents.

Mission of Innocents was founded in 2022 by Joyce Landry, whose company, Landry & Kling, managed two ships brought to Scotland to accommodate Ukrainian families fleeing conflict. Witnessing first-hand the profound impact that war and resettlement were having on children far from home, Joyce was moved to act. 

What began as a small, urgent response to the Ukrainian refugee crisis has since grown into a mission supporting children and families from many different cultures and backgrounds affected by conflict, climate disasters and political crises, including families from Ukraine, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen and Sudan.

The new centre gives the charity a permanent base in Scotland, allowing it to support more children over a longer period of time, with free classes and programmes running throughout the week.

Among the young people supported by Mission of Innocents is Dmytro Miskova, who arrived in Scotland after fleeing Ukraine following the Russian invasion in February 2022.

Dmytro’s first home in Scotland was onboard the MS Victoria, docked in Govan, where hundreds of Ukrainian families were temporarily housed. Arriving frightened and unsure of what the future would hold, he struggled with the uncertainty of starting again in a new country.

It was through a poetry performance organised for families onboard that Dmytro first connected with Mission of Innocents. The experience became a turning point, helping him rediscover confidence and a sense of identity beyond his circumstances.

Now living in Coatbridge and attending secondary school, Dmytro is thriving and hopes to pursue a career in aircraft engineering. His journey reflects the wider impact of Mission of Innocents’ work, creating safe spaces where children who have experienced resettlement can rebuild confidence, form friendships and begin to look forward again.

Joyce Landry, Founder and CEO of Mission of Innocents, said: “Mission of Innocents started because I saw children who had lost their sense of safety, routine and joy. They had been through things no child should experience, and there was very little support focused on how they were feeling.

“Through simple creative activities, we began to see changes, children opening up, making friends, laughing and smiling again.

“What began with Ukrainian families has grown to support children from many different backgrounds, all carrying their own stories. This centre gives us a place where children and families can feel safe, be themselves and begin to thrive, and that means everything to us.”

Nataliia Pidruchna, Director of Children’s Programmes at Mission of Innocents, said: “Creative arts give children a way to express feelings they don’t yet have words for. Through art, music and movement, we see confidence grow, friendships form and smiles return.

“I’ve worked with children in Ukraine and here in Scotland for years, and I’ve never seen anything break down barriers in the way creativity does. One little girl I worked with barely spoke at all, she had become completely silent. Over time, through dance and movement, she slowly began to find her voice again.

“It’s for children like her that we do this work. This centre will be a place where children feel welcome, supported and free to be themselves, and where families who’ve been through incredibly hard times can begin to thrive together.”

Since 2022, Mission of Innocents programmes have reached over 800 resettled children, providing vital support across Scotland and beyond, with clear improvements seen in confidence, wellbeing and social connection.

***CASE STUDIES***

For many children, the journey with Mission of Innocents began onboard the MS Victoria and the MS Ambition, and continues today on land in Edinburgh and across Scotland – a journey from fear and upheaval to belonging, rebuilt through creativity.

These are children who fled war, left behind homes, loved ones and familiar routines, arrived in a new country without the language, and began again in temporary accommodation. Through art, music, movement and performance, they have found ways to process trauma, rediscover their voices and rebuild confidence.

The stories below show how young people have moved from receiving support to leading, performing and contributing – strengthening wellbeing, restoring cultural identity and forming lasting community connections:

Dmytro Miskova

When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, millions of families fled their homes almost overnight. One of them was Dmytro Miskova, then just a schoolboy whose world revolved around theatre rehearsals, poetry clubs and years of dedicated taekwondo training.

Within weeks, everything he knew had gone. Forced to leave his home, his friends and the life he’d built, Dmytro arrived in Scotland not knowing what would happen next. He spoke some English, but he didn’t know a single person. He was scared but he was also quietly determined to make the most of this unexpected new chapter.

His first home in Scotland wasn’t a house or a flat, it was the MS Ambition I, the large cruise ship docked in Govan, Glasgow, which temporarily housed hundreds of Ukrainian families arriving in the UK. It was there, surrounded by other resettled families all trying to adjust to a new reality, that Dmytro first came across Mission of Innocents.

At the time, Dmytro was just 10-years old. He arrived in Scotland with his mum, Mariia, leaving behind a family in Ukraine.

Life on the ship was safe, but it was uncertain and everyone was adjusting. Everyone was waiting to find out what came next. Not long after arriving, Dmytro signed up to take part in a poetry performance organised for families onboard. He has been engaged with poetry since around the age of six or seven, reciting and performing in Ukraine, and has continued to develop this talent and interest in Scotland. Standing up in front of a room full of strangers in a new country, speaking in a different language, felt completely different to Dmytro. He was nervous, but he did it anyway.

That moment, on a ship docked in Leith, far from home, changed everything. Through Mission of Innocents, Dmytro began getting involved in theatre sessions, creative workshops and volunteering opportunities. It wasn’t just about keeping busy for him, it was about rebuilding confidence, feeling seen and being known for his talent and not just his circumstances.

Slowly, he found his feet, like many other children on the ship. He made friends with other young people he had first met on the ship – friendships that have lasted well beyond those early days, and he embraced life in Scotland.

Now 14 years-old, and living in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, Dmytro is in his third year at Coatbridge High School. He’s settled, focused and ambitious for his future. 

His dream is to become an aircraft engineer, inspired by a lifelong fascination with aviation and how planes work. He is determined to build a future here, not just for himself, but to give back to the country that gave him safety when he needed it most.

From a frightened young person arriving in an unfamiliar country to a confident young man with big plans for the future, Dmytro’s story shows what can happen when resettled children are given the right support, creative outlets and belief.

Mariana Aleksandrova

Mariana was 13-years-old when she joined Mission of Innocents onboard the ship, having taken on caring responsibilities for her younger sister during a period of upheaval.

When invited to join the Harmony Choir, she said simply, “I love to sing.”

She is now a soloist and event host at major performances, a powerful example of how creativity can help a young person rediscover confidence and identity.

Nadiia

Arriving in Scotland at 17-years-old with a strong musical background, Nadiia’s artistic journey was disrupted by displacement.

Through fundraising support, Mission of Innocents helped secure her traditional Ukrainian instrument, the Tsymbaly, enabling her to perform again.

She now contributes live music to community and cultural events, restoring both her artistic identity and cultural continuity.

Platon

Platon joined the programme aged seven while living onboard the accommodation ship. Initially a participant in arts sessions, he began proposing ideas and, with staff support, leading short creative workshops himself.

Today, he mentors peers in craft activities, demonstrating early leadership, creative confidence and a progression from participant to co-creator.

Diana

Diana, a trained ballroom dancer, joined the programme in 2023 and established new dance and cheerleading groups for teenage girls, later expanding sessions to younger children and mothers. Her work has strengthened peer networks, supported wellbeing and created sustainable, community-led activity beyond the initial resettlement phase.

Daniil Yudin

Daniil, a talented young performer with an operatic voice, has returned to the stage and resumed playing piano through Mission of Innocents, continuing to build his musical future in a new country.

Lena and Vika Chernovy

Twin sisters Lena and Vika were 10-years-old when they joined the programme after arriving in Edinburgh. They discovered a passion for dance through groups including Flowers of Ukraine and MyWay. Today, they perform at a high level and hope to pursue dance professionally.

Kateryna

Kateryna was five-years-old when her family relocated to Edinburgh. Now nine-years-old, she is active in the Harmony Choir, dance groups and creative workshops. Her mother says she has grown into a confident child with strong friendships and a renewed sense of joy.

To learn more about Mission of Innocents, please visit:

 https://www.missionofinnocents.org/