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Description
According to statistical data, the number of foreigners living in the Łódzkie province is increasing, but our observations show that there is no social diagnosis of their situation and needs available. At the same time, such individuals are highly vulnerable to discrimination. According to the Commissioner to the Provincial Police Commander on Human Rights Protection, 49 hate crimes were reported in 2019 in the province. But their actual number seems to be much higher – according to the 2018 Ombudsman’s Report only 5% of such offences are reported. To address these needs, we will support representatives of national and ethnic minorities living in the province to educate them on their rights, help them engage in public matters, and have impact on local policy. We will run a cycle of communication training for politicians and officials. For the latter, as well as military servicemen and school management we will organise a workshop to strengthen their cross-cultural communication skills. We will also organise meetings of the Łódź Różnorodności coalition made of minority representatives, officials and military servicemen, to let all groups get to know one another, and discuss their needs. We will create support groups for minority representatives, supervised by qualified psychotherapists. Finally, we will prepare a best practice guide to cross-cultural cooperation in Łódź. Our first partner is Centralna Rada Romów w Polsce, Centrum Doradztwa i Informacji dla Romów, which has long-standing experience in preventing Rom exclusion. They will support the project with their know-how, will run training for officials, military servicemen, and teachers. Our second partner is the Łódź Town Hall that will help us prepare a survey diagnosing minorities’ needs and will ensure the presence of its officials during training.
Summary of project results
Statistical data for the Łódzkie Voivodeship indicate that more and more foreign men and women are living in the area, but our observations showed that there is no social diagnosis of their situation and needs. At the same time, they were and are exposed to manifestations of discrimination. As indicated by the Plenipotentiary of the Provincial Police Commander in Łódź for the Protection of Human Rights, 49 hate crimes were reported in the province in 2019. However, all indications are that there were and are significantly more - according to the Ombudsman''s report (2018), only 5% of such crimes are reported.
People from minorities often do not have access to the right tools and knowledge to effectively engage in local activities and defend their rights, which makes it difficult to implement self-advocacy activities. Another major problem is the communication barrier between people from minorities and representatives of the uniformed services, authorities and school management. Lack of effective communication often leads to misunderstandings, which can result in the marginalisation of minorities.
Responding to these needs, we supported people from national and ethnic minorities living in our province to get to know their rights and opportunities to be involved in public affairs and to have an influence on local politics. We conducted a series of trainings for them on how to communicate with politicians and officials.
An important outcome of the project was to investigate the needs and expectations of representatives of minority and migrant groups by conducting surveys and preparing reports. This allowed for a better understanding of their situation and the adaptation of project activities to real needs.
For those working in offices, the uniformed services and school management, we organised workshops to strengthen their skills in intercultural communication.
We also held 20 meetings of the Diversity Łódź coalition, made up of people representing minorities, government offices and uniformed services, so that these groups could get to know each other and talk about their needs. In addition, there were support group meetings for children and young people and adults, offering psychological and emotional support. The ''minorities for minorities'' meetings were also an important element, providing a space for the exchange of experiences, support and consultation in the context of specific needs and challenges.
During the course of the project, we organised two Diversity Picnics in Łódź (each attended by around 200 people). These events were aimed at promoting multiculturalism and social integration.
We have also created several products that will serve as support and education tools in the future. The most important of these are:
• Map of minority organisations (available online) and update content on ngo.pl, making it easier for people from minorities to find support and information.
• A book of contacts and good practices, available as a PDF in Polish and English as well as in print, containing information and recommendations for organisations working with minorities.
• Education and information campaign "All hands on deck!", for which we created leaflets, posters and infographics in Polish and English, as well as film-animations displayed on public transport in Łódź and on social media.
Our project has contributed to improving the situation of people from minorities in the Łódź Province. The main results were an increase in self-advocacy competences among people from minorities and their involvement in local activities. Through training and consultations, participants acquired advocacy skills, which enabled them to represent their interests more effectively and participate actively in the social and political life of the region.
The project has also increased knowledge and competence on intercultural differences among uniformed services, civil servants and school management. Training and advocacy sessions improved their ability to communicate effectively with people from minority and migrant groups, which is key to improving mutual understanding and reducing social tensions.
One of the key outcomes of the project was the strengthening of networks between minority groups, NGOs and public institutions. Regular coalition meetings and events such as the Diversity Picnic created platforms for sharing experiences, good practices and establishing lasting relationships.
The education and information campaign ''All hands on deck! We''re in the same boat" reached thousands of people through a variety of promotional materials, infographics, leaflets, posters and film-animations. The campaign promoted the values of diversity and multiculturalism, which had a positive impact on the attitudes of the inhabitants of the Łódzkie Region towards minorities.
The project had a direct impact on more than 400 people, including participants in the events, members of minority groups, people with a migration experience, representatives of NGOs, offices, uniformed services and schools.