It was a great pleasure for a part of the Barka UK team to welcome German guests from the ‘Social Research Workshops’ project to a study visit to Barka Foundation For Mutual Help last week.
The delegates started their visit with working lunch with Barbara Sadowska, who talked about the beginnings of Barka in 1989, how in response to the growing social problems of the transformation period, herself and Tomasz Sadowski wanted to create an environment and social structure in which “forgotten and unwanted” members of Polish society would have a chance for personal and social development. As Barbara emphasised many times, the basis of Barka’s work is the model of building a culture of solidarity, based on mutual help and interpersonal and social relations.
Later, participants of the study visit also met Maria Sadowska, who described Barka’s residents’ centre in Poznan-Zawady, it’s everyday activities and Barka’s influence on legislation in Poland in the years 2002 – 2006. Maria explained the principles of operation of the Social Economy Support Centres and the network of Barka Social Integration Centres. She also mentioned the challenge of expanding the Barka network in Western European countries to help homeless migrants. The last activity on the busy programme of the group was being introduced to the Barka community residents in Poznan. Our guests told the community about their project of helping migrants in different countries and their network of organisations working with migrants.
Some of our residents gave testimonies how their life looked like before they have come to Barka and they shared their experiences on living in Barka community in Poznan.
Next day, our delegates also visited 2 other Barka communities: Chudobczyce and Władysławowo. In Chudobczyce, the delegates had an opportunity to meet with some community members and listen to their testimonies and witnessed everyday life in the community.
They also were also given a tour of Chudobczyce farm including gardens and were taken for a short trip to see Barka’s wooden chalets by the lake.
The next place the delegation visited was Diaconal Employment Company in Kwilcz where the meeting with the manager of the factory took place, the guests have seen also a sewing workshop with leather good and the workshops sewing uniforms for Voltsvagen employees.
Next they visited and the housing estate in Kwilcz built together by local municipal authority and Barka.
The last place to visit was Wladyslawowo Barka community, where the group could talk to the residents over lunch and coffee.
Similarly to Chudobczyce, there were given the tour of Wladyslawowo gardens and there was even time for the group photo in front of the community house.
Last day of the study visit, our guests came to the meeting in the Czerwonak commune and learned about the activities of three different Social Integration Centres, also supported by Barka: Family and Senior Support Centre in Owińska, with representatives of the ‘Pora Na Nas’ Foundation (respite care) and the Commune Social Enterprise.
The delegates were very interested in the everyday work of these entities, the challenges they face and the situation in the commune in terms of work and employment of disabled people. The guests also had the opportunity to visit the rehabilitation part of the Support Centre in Owińska.
After returning to Poznań, the group visited the Barka Community in Zawady, including workshops for women from Ukraine, training apartments, the football pitch named after Tomek Sadowski and the apartment of one of the residents of the Barka community, before having lunch.
It was truly inspiring time!
