Our Communities and Centres in Greater Poland were visited by a group of 15 representatives from the UK, the Netherlands and Belgium, including heads of organisations and local governments, specialists in accessible housing, therapists and representatives of local groups on street patrols – people and institutions cooperating with Barka UK and Barka NL on a daily basis.
The visit created a space for mutual education on innovative solutions that systematically support people in the crisis of homelessness and addiction. Representatives from London were particularly interested in the possibilities of assistance provided by the Barka Network in Poland to migrant workers returning from abroad.
On the first day, the participants had an introductory meeting with Barka co-founder Barbara Sadowska and took part in meetings with the Foundation Board, Programme Coordinators and Leaders, to learn more about Barka’s history and current activities in Poland.
They were given a tour of Barka HQ offices in Poznan, including rooms for workshops and conferences, Barka Poznan residents’ accommodation and visited a very special training flat ‘Dom Nad Warta’ where with coffee and cake listed to the testimonies of residents of the flat and Barka leaders. This was a very busy day!
Early next morning we set off towards Kwilcz, to visit Diakonia Social Cooperative which focuses on creating jobs for people with difficulties in obtaining employment, through the implementation of social & economic projects.
Krystyna Dorsz, the organisation’s director told us the story of Barka and local municipal offices involvement in creating Diakonia, also the mission of this social cooperative, including business cooperation with Volkswagen manufacturer in Germany, building of the social flats, job training.
Then we went to see Barka community in Chudobczyce first, where vulnerable residents live and work.
We were introduced to Barka Integration Association by Katarzyna Bielerzewska who talked about every day life of residents and also answered numerous questions.
After delicious lunch, we had a tour of gardens and the farm.
In the afternoon, we set off to Wladyslawowo, the oldest Barka community, where we had coffee and cakes with the residents and were introduced to this very first community of Barka established in the run down school given to Barka by a local council.
We listened to powerful testimonies of people who volunteered to tell us more about their difficulties in life and how they overcame them with help of Barka. Before we left the community, there was time to take a group photo of visitors and residents.
On third day our first meeting was in Oborniki at a social cooperative ‘Escape Dysphoria’. It’s main task is to achieve the social goals defined by the local community such as: providing services for physiotherapy, massages, care services for the disabled, the elderly and after injuries. The important factor is giving jobs to people who need it and seek it regardless of the degree of fitness and education unemployment. They aim to meet the needs of people at risk of social exclusion, which may result from very different reasons.
We were very impressed by the scope of the activities, the equipment used and above all by the hospitality of all the staff!
Later, we visited one of the local partnerships in Murowana Goślina where the participants could talk not only to the representatives of a local municipal offices, but also to a director of s social cooperative ‘Chance’ set up to create permanent jobs, support people in a difficult life situation and improve the quality of public spaces.
The social cooperative “Chance” is not only about offering residents work, it’s aim is also to support the social integration and development of the local communities in Murowana Goślina and Suchy Las. The meeting was very constructive and helped the participants to understand Barka’s involvement in supporting local communities.
We rounded off the day with a farewell dinner in one of the Poznan restaurants. This is study visit was very eventful and we hope that all participants from the UK got to Barka Foundation better and made new friends!
All the places we saw showed a high level of commitment and effectiveness of teams working for the social and professional reintegration of excluded communities, including migrants returning from England, the Netherlands and Belgium after unsuccessful migration.
We believe that the study visit will bring significant results in the form of expanded cooperation with organizations and local governments of Western Europe, which will translate into new opportunities to reach and support our compatriots who are in difficult social and economic situations in emigration.
We would like to thank all Barka organisations, communities and social enterprises from the bottom of our hearts for your hospitality, inspiring conversations and testimonies, and modern examples of multi-sectoral cooperation in the area of social inclusion of people and communities in need.
