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Description
The aim of the project is to counteract the exclusion of migrants and refugees living or settling in the city od Bielsko-Biała in the Silesian Province. We are pursuing this aim by providing knowledge and information in the form of information brochures and maps in paper and electronic versions. We are building a new website for the Bielsko-Biała Centre for the Integration of Foreigners MyBB and preparing publications with practical knowledge for migrants and refugees who are arriving in Bielsko-Biała or are already living here. The materials take into account the experiences of such people and contain information that will make it easier for them to deal with everyday official or educational matters. The website and publications in English and Ukrainian will help in everyday life. The materials cover a variety of topics: education, social welfare, tourism, contact with institutions or the use of medical assistance.
Summary of project results
The "InfoMyBB" project was planned and implemented as an extension of the basic activities of the MyBB Foreign Integration Center. The constant work of residence advisors and the coordinating team focuses on supporting foreigners in functioning as best as possible in their new place of residence. Residence advice, legal and career advice, language courses and integration activities are the everyday activities of the Center. The project, in which brochures/guides were developed and a new website was built, improves the quality of services provided at the Center. The brochures contain basic information about functioning in Bielsko-Biała (or more broadly - in Poland). When preparing them, we assumed that the person arriving did not know anything about Poland and Bielsko-Biała. Thanks to this, the issues discussed are presented in the most simplified and accessible form possible. The idea was to introduce the most important topics and build migrants'' self-confidence through up-to-date knowledge of procedures. The reactions to the publications were very positive - our guests confirmed the need to print brochures and praised the way the news was conveyed.
The new website replaced the old, non-functional one. The new website is not only the Center''s showcase, but also provides new opportunities to reach recipients and develop the Center itself (including through the use of subsidies that are based on promoting organizations and positioning their websites). The updated website is consistent with the Facebook profile, which has been constantly developing for over a year using a well-thought-out and modern graphic identification.
Unfortunately, due to the numerous tasks of the MyBB team, as well as technical difficulties and external limitations (the company building the website did not implement all activities on time), the project had a number of delays. Hence the decision to extend the project and the postponed date of the conference, which significantly influenced the smaller number of participants (the conference took place at the end of December, i.e. in the period between Christmas and New Year''s Eve).
Despite the difficulties, the results of the actions taken are very positive and can significantly help migrants. The new website and printed brochures are an important development factor for the Center, and thus help to reach a wider group of recipients and thus help even more migrants-residents of Bielsko-Biała.
The new website has been developed in accordance with the new graphic identification (new logo and colors). Thanks to this, both the website, Facebook profile and printed materials (brochures, posters) create a coherent message and better recognition among recipients.
The prepared and printed brochures are a significant help both for migrants who have a mini-guide describing the functioning in Bielsko-Biała at hand, and for residence advisors working at the MyBB Center. Thanks to simple descriptions and introduction to the most important issues, migrants have a chance to handle matters on their own (or at least the initial steps and typical situations) and do not have to come to the Center with simpler matters. This strengthens their independence and confidence in contacts with institutions. Another benefit is that because simpler matters are handled by migrants, people with more complicated matters have easier access to advice.
Brochures, although in smaller quantities than expected, will be distributed in places where migrants may appear (train stations, offices, aid institutions).