„I know, how it is to live on the street” – Ex-homeless guides Polish drifters back home.
After great success in England, Ireland and the Netherlands also Antwerp invited Polish organisation Barka. They guide homeless people back to their home country. The team responsible for the project here has started this week. Read more
By Lidia Wesierska Chyc (Barka Network)
Abstract: The article aims to initiate a discussion about thinking of social economy as an integral part of social market economy, not as a ’social economy sector’. Basing on an entry in Polish constitution – about social market economy as a foundation of economic system in Poland, a short analysis of key rules essential for implementing social market economy is conducted: freedom of economic activity, private ownership, solidarity, dialogue and cooperation of the social partners in the area of social economy. There is an argument put forth that economy can be both market and social. Making economy more social has positive effects on its efficiency and competitiveness. There are points supporting this argument listed. At the end the author underlines that although there are positive changes visible in the documents determining the way social economy in Poland is built – like National Program for Development of Social Economy – there is still sector thinking to be noticed in those documents. Changing this way of thinking is a challenge for future.
On the 27th of November Barka NL in Utrecht hosted an African priest- Emile, who spent a day with Barka team in Utrecht, visited the Social Economy Centre and in the evening Emile had a meeting with Barka leaders. Emile is working in Guinea and is interested in development projects for the communities there.
Barka NL- Study visit of Emile Loua- a priest from Guinea in Africa
On the 25th of November 2013 CECOP-CICOPA ( European Confederation of Worker Cooperatives, Social Cooperatives and Social Participative Enterprises) organised a conference on cooperatives and work integration of disadvantaged persons. The representative of Barka Foundation took part in that event. Luca Jahier, from the European Economic and Social Committee opened the conference and the European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, László Andor gave a keynote speech in which he underlined that social cooperatives play a key role in Europe, “they bring a fresh vision and approach to the current mainstream economy.
Our employment initiative focuses on work with homeless and vulnerable migrants towards finding a sustainable employment. Since May 2012, nearly 30 persons started employment that enabled them to move out of dependency on homeless services.
Barka Foundation and Stichting Barka NL have been awarded EAPN 2013 ( European Anti Poverty Network) Award For Transnational Inspiration and Learning in The Fight Against Poverty And Social Exclusion.
Local initiatives can be a great example of promoting and supporting social entrepreneurship and more socialized economy in Europe – which the opening ceremony of Wielkopolska Solidarity Economy Centre (WSEC) named after Cyryl Ratajski (president of the city of Poznan in the 20ties and 30ties) in Poznan proved.
At the beginning of August 2013 the North Frederick Street emergency hostel (where we used to meet with the homeless migrants on daily basis) became a part of regular Homeless Agency Freephone services, offering accommodation on nightly basis to all homeless persons in Dublin. Following that, we decided to broaden our outreach service to keep in touch the migrants. Outside the hours we work in the Mendicity Institution, we now also visit Capuchin Day Centre and Merchants Quay Ireland.
Once we establish a relationship, we work with individual migrants supporting their journey from exclusion to inclusion through organised programs of reconnection. We aim to help individuals address their problems and become able to move out of dependency on homeless services.
Since the beginning of July we are hosting a new leader. Krzysztof Janeczek, formely a roughsleeper and street drinker of six years in London. He availed of Barka residential treatment in Poland nearly four years ago. He then decided to return to London, and with the support of local Barka Social Economy Centre secured job as a labourer. He remained sober, and after a few months was offered a job as Barka leader. For the past two and a half years he has been working in London and Utrecht. In Dublin, he daily talks to Eastern European migrants that avail of services of Mendicity Institution, Merchants Quay Ireland and Capuchin Day Centre.
On Friday, the 17th of May, we hosted a visit of Tomasz Sadowski, founder and chairperson of Barka Foundation For Mutual Help (Poland). He met with Cathriona and Sean Byrne who run a family business Blooming Baskets, as well as with Tony Lowth, Dublin entrepreneur interested in organic farming. Tomasz Sadowski explained Barka’s ethos and described Barka’s model of running social enterprises.
He also had a meeting with the Board of Mendicity Institution, representatives of Dublin City Council, Homeless Agency and Barka Ireland staff. The aim of this meeting was to discuss chances and possibilities of creating social enterprises in Dublin. Such enterprise could promote social integration, and facilitate entering labour market for homeless and unemployed persons currently socially and economically excluded. They will create sober community to support each other’s growth and personal development while gaining new skills and creating employment. It will be a chance for migrants from Central and Eastern Europe to rebuild their lives.
