Background
Barbara Sadowska – born in 1957, psychologist, vice-president of the Barka Foundation for Mutual Help, a member of the Board of Barka UK, co-founder of an organisational and legal system for the integration and the social economy in Poland, President of the Barka Network, member of the Global Network of Social Entrepreneurs, member of the Social Innovators “Ashoka” (USA), member of the System Solutions Group for the Social Economy.
- In 1989, she and her family formed the first community in Wladyslawowo and subsequent Community in Marszewo, Posadowek, Chudopczyce, Poznan, Strzelce Opolskie, Cieszyn;
- 2004 – 2006 Director of the Centre for Social Integration in Poznan, supported the creation of the centre in other districts of Poznan (Piatkowo, Darzybor) and in Great Poland region (in Kwilcz, Chudopczyce, Gebiczyn, Mlodzianow, Orchow) and other Polish regions (in Dobiegniew, Czestochowa, Ulhowek, etc.);
- Since 2005 – Editor in Chief of Street Paper, the quarterly of the social economy, which gives the possibility of earning to those from excluded groups;
- 2006 – 2008 – Coordinator of the School of Leaders of the Social Economy and Transnational Cooperation Programme in the framework of the Partnership “Social Economy in Practice (Equal);
- Since 2009 – 2012 building partnerships for social entrepreneurship around the country (50 local partnerships) as part of the government-commissioned system-based program “Integrated support system of social economy.”
Author of a number of publications and articles on social economy, among others a collective work:
- “BARKA – New Beginning – Social Market Economy 1989 – 2010” 2010,
- “Local Partnerships in Social Market Economy”, 2012.
Winner of many national and international awards among others:
- Officer’s Cross of the Order of Polish Rebirth awarded by the President of Poland (2011)
- Award of the Foundation Pro Bono Publico (2007, 2009)
- Global Development Network (Cairo, 2003, Beijing 2007)
Awarded Time Magazine “European Hero” (2003), etc.
