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Description
The main objective of the project is to provide assistance to foreigners residing in the West Pomerania Province. The Foreigners'' Support Point 2.0 is a series of activities aimed at increasing the empowerment and support of migrants. We hold duty hours, during which we assist in formal, legal and social matters. We conduct Polish language courses, a series of open events with residents and educational lessons. Together with our partner, the Pełnia Wyrazu Foundation, we run a day care centre and a psychological support point. The Hope Project Poland Foundation provides us with substantive support. The Foundation for the Support of Alternative and Ecological Cultures provides food and accommodation during the festival for a group of about 20 beneficiaries, as well as volunteer care and special integration and ecological workshops. The beneficiaries of the project are mainly people with refugee experience from Ukraine and Belarus. Currently, interest in our project is growing due to the war in Ukraine – about 40,000 people arrived to the city of Szczecin alone within a month. These are people with a different structure of needs, which translates into the need for changes in the support we provide. These people need help in finding housing and employment, child care or other integration activities. To achieve the project goals we are expanding our network and human resources.
Summary of project results
The goals of the project were established on the basis of contacts with refugees and knowledge of their problems. The project was to support the integration of foreigners, help solve administrative and legal problems - related to the legalization of stay in Poland or personal situation - or psychological. Our intention was to create a place offering help to both adults and and children. We also wanted to organize Polish language learning, which is necessary for full-scale integration and independence for foreigners. An important goal was also to enable the integration of foreigners/refugees in Szczecin, getting to know each other, exchanging experiences and providing mutual assistance. Another goal of the project was to counteract the phenomenon of xenophobia in the loyal community, to respond to stereotypes and phobias regarding refugees, to increase the level of general knowledge about refugees, the causes of migration, the reality in which refugees live and the problems they have to face. The project included conducting lectures for Szczecin residents and educational workshops for students and teachers of Szczecin schools. The project creators wanted the cooperation of groups supporting refugees, hence the selection of partners.
As part of the project, Polish language courses were conducted for foreigners in various age groups, and assistance was provided in administrative, social and legal matters related to completing documentation (professional lawyers were employed). In the multicultural community center run by the project partner, the Pełnia Wyrazu Foundation, children from different countries spent time playing games, learning openness, tolerance and cooperation. Psychological support was also provided to people in difficult situations due to trauma. A number of activities were undertaken - events with singing and dancing of Ukrainian and Polish children, lectures by experts, workshops in schools - of an integration and educational nature, increasing the sense of security of foreigners as well as awareness of their rights. With Polish residents of Szczecin in mind, a number of events were organized to raise awareness of the causes of migration, the situation of refugees in Poland, Europe and the world, as well as to strengthen openness towards people of different origins, religions and skin colors. Educational workshops were conducted in schools for students and teachers. It organized training and courses to improve members'' competences in the efficient functioning of the organization and obtaining funds for operations. As part of the project, leaflets informing about the project, a project banner, and a Facebook profile were created.
The result of the project was the solution of a number of administrative and legal problems for refugees related to completing documents, legalizing their stay, obtaining social benefits, and personal issues. Polish language courses helped refugees become independent, thanks to which they were able to successfully look for a job and, in the case of minors, function better in schools. Several refugees became permanently involved in volunteering. Psychological help allowed people with traumatic experiences of war and persecution to gain a sense of security, at least to some extent. Some foreign beneficiaries have been integrated with the local community. Integration events allowed refugees to get to know Polish society better. The beneficiaries of the project were also Polish residents of Szczecin, participating in events organized as part of the project - workshops, lectures, concerts, meetings with refugees - as well as school students, taking part in workshops raising knowledge about refugees and civic awareness. The implementation of the project improved the functioning of associations and organizations cooperating with Refugees Szczecin. The association itself gained new experience, learned methods of solving numerous problems, and gained recognition.