Study Visit to Barka NL: Learning from Successful Homelessness Support Initiatives

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Between 17th and 20th September 2024, Konrad and Julie from our new Barka Team in Berlin had the pleasure of meeting dedicated Barka employees in the Netherlands. The aim of the study visit was to learn about the work and experiences of scaling the Barka organization in the Netherlands.

Julie and Konrad explain:

“We were welcomed with open arms and immediately felt the strong Barka spirit among our colleagues. Despite meeting for the first time, there was an immediate sense of support and active interest in our activities in Berlin, both during and after the trip.

We left the Netherlands feeling inspired by the variety of Barka’s support projects for homeless Europeans. Barka NL has excellent collaboration with other organizations that do outreach work. Barka also provides counseling services and runs Community Centres. The NL Team operates an ambitious Training Flat project, helping homeless individuals reintegrate into employment. What impressed us most was their individualized approach to each person seeking help and the sheer volume of people they assist daily.”

Special thanks to the Barka Partner Organisations and the civil servants who met with Julie and Konrad, sharing their experiences and ideas on reducing homelessness in European cities.

The study visit was of great value to Barka Berlin e. V., giving us excellent prerequisites to launch our activities for migrants in precarious situations in Berlin.

From Homelessness to a Fresh Start: Katarzyna and Bartlomiej’s Journey

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Katarzyna and Bartlomiej arrived in Ireland three years ago, from Poland, finding work on farms that provided accommodation. However, three months ago, they lost their jobs and ended up on the streets. They lived in a tent and survived by collecting cans and bottles. Every day, they walked about 10 kilometers searching for recyclables. At one point, Katarzyna sprained her ankle, and Bartlomiej had to take on most of the scavenging work himself. Meanwhile, they tried to apply for social welfare, but without a permanent address, the process was complicated.

After weeks of struggling, the couple decided to seek help from a local organization that supports the homeless. The organization referred them to Barka. In a phone conversation with Barka, Bartlomiej explained that they both had an opportunity to work on a farm in Belgium but lacked passports and money for the journey. After receiving confirmation from the employer in Belgium about their readiness to hire them, Barka’s staff helped the couple organize Emergency Travel Documents (ETDs) and purchased flight tickets to Brussels, followed by train tickets to their place of accommodation and work.

Barka ensured that Katarzyna and Bartlomiej had a warm meal before their departure, provided food for the journey, and gave them a small amount of pocket money.

A New Beginning Awaits

Thanks to the assistance provided by Barka, Katarzyna and Bartlomiej now have the opportunity to rebuild their lives and start anew in Belgium. Their story is a testament to the power of compassion and support in helping people transition from hardship to hope. With determination and the right help, new beginnings are possible for anyone.

Barka’s Visit to The Lighthouse Charity in Dublin

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Recently, Barka visited the Lighthouse organization in Dublin. The charity, located at 28 Pearse Street, Dublin 2, is open seven days a week to support those affected by hunger and homelessness. They provide hot, freshly made meals and various other services, including clothing, hygiene supplies, sleeping bags, barbershop services, addiction referrals, and medical assistance. All these services are offered free of charge to their valued clients.

The Lighthouse serves an average of 600 meals daily, including around 250 takeaway meals. Additionally, they provide tents for those sleeping on the streets. The Dublin Christian Mission is committed to addressing the whole person, focusing on their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. They strive to build genuine and authentic relationships with those they serve and work alongside.

Together, we can make a difference in the lives of those in need by supporting organizations like the Lighthouse and spreading awareness about the importance of compassion and community care.

 

Community Support in Action: Barka at Little Flower Penny Dinners

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Last week, representatives from Barka visited Little Flower Penny Dinners on Meath Street in Dublin 8.

Little Flower is an organization with a long-standing tradition of helping those in need by providing hot meals in their dining hall and delivering them to the homes of the sick and elderly (Meals on Wheels).

Lunches are available from Monday to Friday, starting at 12:00 . Little Flower helps anyone in need.

Recent Visits to Organizations Supporting Dublin’s Most Vulnerable Residents

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Recently, our foundation’s staff visited two organizations that provide essential assistance to those most in need in Dublin.

The Capuchin Day Centre has been serving the poor for over 40 years by providing hot meals (400 breakfasts and 600 dinners Monday – Saturday), distributing food packages and baby products, and offering medical care.

Feed Dublin, on the other hand, prepares food packages with the help of 50 volunteers, which are distributed twice a week either at their base in Tyrrelstown or delivered directly to those most in need.

We deeply appreciate the dedication and hard work of both organizations. Their commitment to supporting vulnerable communities is truly inspiring.

 

From Despair to Hope: Andrei’s Journey

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Andrei arrived in Ireland two years ago from Bulgaria with the hopes of learning English and earning some money. Over the months, he worked in various places, most recently on a cow farm. Without access to a bank branch, Andy kept his savings with him, which he guarded diligently.

Andrei worked alongside two colleagues. One day, one of them stole all his belongings and life savings. Devastated, Andy reported the theft to the police, but unfortunately, the Garda were unable to locate the thief. This loss was compounded when Andy subsequently lost his job and accommodation, forcing him to sleep rough.

Andrei reached out to Focus Ireland, who then referred him to us at Barka. Recognizing his immediate needs, we arranged for Andy to stay one night in a hostel where he could rest and shower. Additionally, we booked a flight for him to return home.

Andrei was very grateful for the support he received from Barka. He shared his plans to start working as a tour guide in Bulgaria, using the English skills he acquired during his time in Ireland. Andrei has returned to his mother’s house to recover and regroup.

Andriei’s story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the importance of timely support. While his journey in Ireland ended abruptly and tragically, the assistance provided by Focus Ireland and Barka has given him the chance to rebuild his life and pursue new opportunities. Andrei’s determination and positive outlook serve as an inspiration, highlighting the critical role of community support services in times of crisis.

PEOPLE STORIES

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We would like o share with you the story of Piotr (with his permission), the man we recently assisted. Once missing, now is happily reunited with his family. We wish him all the best in his life!
Piotr had worked as a hairdresser in Dublin for 8 months. After that, with his employer’s permission, he went on a month’s vacation to Poland, where his wife and two children were still living. When he reappeared for work on the appointed date, he was informed that his full-time position had been reduced to two days a week. However, the money he earned would not be enough to cover his living expenses in Ireland, let alone support his family in Poland.
Devastated, he returned home. His hosts, an elderly Irish couple, felt that things were going badly for him. He seemed absent, and it was difficult to communicate with him. They decided to let his family know about his condition. Piotr’s wife bought him a plane ticket and they offered to take him to the airport. However, at the same time, Piotr, without asking for permission, got into his host’s car, and drove off in a direction unknown to anyone. He was driving without any insurance, and in a weak mental state, so the owners did not see any other solution but to report the case directly to the police, who stopped the car in a short time. Piotr was taken for questioning, his passport was seized, a meeting with a psychiatrist was arranged, but… The psychiatrist decided that Piotr did not require any treatment! An interpreter was missing. The interview with the doctor was held in English, in language in which Piotr spoke poorly. He left the Dublin police station with the knowledge that within two weeks he would be brought to court for car theft. The weight on his shoulders was getting heavier…. He did not return home.
After a few days, the police took down his details again as he was sleeping in Wexford Harbour. Dirty and hungry, he made his way to Carlow.
Piotr had no recollection of how he ended up in Wexford or how he got to Carlow. He was without documents nor a phone, and had only an ATM card for which he couldn’t remember the pin. But it was thanks to it that his name could be determined. Peter’s family was relentless in their efforts to find him. They posted their cry for help on Facebook groups for Polish migrants. And it was heard!
Another Polish, Slawek recognized Piotr in a dirty and desperate man wandering the streets of Carlow. A day later he was placed under the wings of Barka, and the next he was returned to his family.
Slawek contacted the family of Piotr in Poland. He fed him, clothed him and had him stay overnight. The problem of returning to his homeland remained. That was when Piotr’s mother called the Dublin branch of Barka. Together they arranged the details of further assistance. Slawek accompanied Piotr on the trip to Dublin. As a matter of urgency, we arranged a visit to the consulate, made a temporary passport and bought tickets to Berlin, since there were no direct flights to Poland available.
It was obvious to us that Piotr could not take the flight alone, so he was assisted by a Barka employee. The trip was not an easy one, Piotr required constant care.
But he returned happily to his family. The next day he was taken to a psychiatric hospital.
Currently, Piotr is in psychiatric observation, which will last several weeks. There, he will receive much-needed mental support. We wish him good health and hope that he will soon be able to return to his loving wife and enjoy his children. We keep our fingers firmly crossed for him!

Quarterly monitoring report on the work of BARKA For Mutual Help IE with Central and Eastern European migrants in Dublin 01/01/2024 – 31/03/2024

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Quarterly monitoring report on the work of BARKA For Mutual Help IE with Central and Eastern European migrants in Dublin
01/01/2024 – 31/03/2024

 

TOTAL NUMBER OF RECONNECTIONS

01/2012–03/2023: 1001 PERSONS

 

BARKA IE is a charity based in Dublin working to help people experiencing homelessness. It is a part of world BARKA network with branches in the UK, Netherlands, Belgium, Iceland, having its roots in Poland. BARKA IE as an organization was established in 2011 in response to the increasing number of Central and Eastern European migrants sleeping in the streets of Ireland, suffering from homelessness and substance abuse. Through our services, we support people to help them out of homelessness for good. We do this through providing them with the opportunity to reconnect and socially reintegrate into their home country. This is possible due to the vast possibilities of support for individuals within the Barka Foundation Network projects in Poland, where people could go back to their families or receive help in addressing their addiction problems.

In our migrant support projects, we work in teams of two; a leader and a social assistant. The leader is a person who has a personal experience of homelessness and addiction, that they combated with Barka Network’s educational and community programs. The social assistant is a person who is familiar with the languages that our clients speak and regulations in Ireland and has a formal education (e.g. a degree in social work, psychology, etc.) Together, they work in a team to help individuals reconnect with their families in other countries.

SUPPORTING EASTERN EUROPEAN MIGRANTS IN DUBLIN

BARKA IRELAND 4 core objectives are:

  1. Provide Information, Advice and Repatriation to a person’s home Country
  2. Assistance with Accessing Emergency Accommodation when required
  3. Fostering Social and Vocational Integration – educational and community programs, creating workplaces and accessible housing programmes (BARKA NETWORK)
  4. Key Work and Case Management; Language and Translation Service

 

  1. Type of contacts:

At BARKA, the incredible tenacity of our employees has enabled us to continue to be able to tackle homelessness head on. We work tirelessly to offer face-to-face services – and we continue to offer vital support and advice remotely. From January to March 2024 we’ve had 405 contacts with 90 individuals. We’ve had regular contact with many of the people whom we’ve met for the first time in previous years. In the meantime, we also met 62 newcomers.

Most of these contacts were made via outreach work at the main squares and shopping centres of Dublin, where many homeless people gather. We work in close partnership with Local Councils, Outreach Teams and Day Centres. across Dublin (Capuchin Day Centre, Merchants Quay Ireland, Simon Community Outreach team, Focus Ireland, and The Light House to name a few). Social workers in hospitals and prisons are in contact with our team to assist clients from these places.

Barka’s team also has regular contact and supports people over the phone, email and social media. Barka’s team is also assisting groups of homeless people who do not use services such as day support centers.

 

  1. Nationality of people we met
 

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN

 Total: 90
Romania 40.00% 36
Poland 22.00% 20
Latvia 9.00% 8
Ukraine 7.00% 6
Lithuania 6.00% 5
Slovakia 6.00% 5
UK 1.00% 2
Other: Czech Rep, Netherlands, Hungary,  Germany, Finland Bulgaria, France, Belgium 9.00% 8

 

RECONNECTIONS

 

From the 1st January 2024 until 31st of March 2024 there were

  33 persons reconnected:

22 men
5 women
6 youngsters

Including 2 families

 

  1. Nationality
 

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN

  

Total:

  

33
Romania 10 30,3%
Poland 5 15,2%
Slovakia 4 12%
Lithuania 3 9,1%
Czech Rep 2 6%
UK 2 6%
Hungary 1 3%
Finland 1 3%
Latvia 1 3%
Ireland 1 3%
Bulgaria 1 3%
France 1 3%
Netherlands 1 3%

 

BARKA supported individuals of 13 nationalities – 14 from EU and 1 from outside the EU.

The majority of homeless people who’ve returned to their countries with Barka’s support are Romanians, but our team also works with clients of other nationalities, mainly Polish, Lithuanian and Slovak citizens. Communicating with homeless groups is made easier due to the presence of Barka leaders who are former homeless persons with many years of training and preparation from Barka.

  1. Destination

 

Reconnection destination Number of reconnections
 

Family in the country of origin

  

 

30
 

To BARKA/ another organization/another country

  

 

3

 

  1. BARKA’S team also supported 2 persons with obtaining documents necessary for travel.

 

  1. Situation of reconnected persons
ACCOMMODATION Total: 33
Rough/tent/car/airport/Garda station 21
Friend’s couch 10
Hostels 2
Rented accomodation/HAP/social housing 0
 

Hospital

 0
 

Prison

 0
   

Most of our beneficiaries are rough sleepers: sleeping in a tent in the woods, in parks and squares, on a friend’s couch or in a car. A significant number of those looking for BARKA’S support were seeking shelter at the Dublin Airport or Garda Stations.

 

 

 

  1. Majority of people reconected by BARKA are males

 

GENDER
 

Males

 76% 25
 

Females

 24% 8

 

  1. Referrals:

 

ORGANIsATION/

INSTITUTION

 Number of persons reconnected
 

Capuchin Day Centre

  

3
 

MQI

  

4
 

Focus Family Services/Focus Coffee shop

  

8
 

 

Hostels/HSE /DRHE

  

1
Simon Outreach Team  

4
 

Cairdea

  

0
Garda/Airport Police/ITAS  

12
 

Homeless  people /Internet

  

1
 

St Vincent’s/Mater Hospital

  

0
 

Wheatfield Prison

  

0
 

Total:

  

33

 

 

 

 

Cooperation with other institutions and organisations

 

 

ORGANISATION/

INSTITUTION

 FREQUENCY

OF CONTACT

 TYPE OF COOPERATION
Consulates As required Travel documents
Merchants Quay Ireland 1-2 x a week or as required Facilitate the communication with persons, participating in Intercultural day
Hospitals As required Facilitate the communication with patients, cooperation with social assistants
Anonymous Alcoholics 1x a month Exchanging information, cooperation concerning homeless in poor health condition, putting in touch with homeless people
Capuchins Day Centre 4x a week Facilitate the communication with persons, accepting referrals
The Lighthouse 2 x a week Facilitate the communication with persons, accepting referrals

 
Focus Ireland Family Services As required Facilitate the communication with persons, accepting referrals
Prisons/Garda/Airport Police As required  

Accepting referrals
HSE, DRHE As required Exchanging information, accepting referrals
Dublin Simon Outreach Team  

As required

 Exchanging information, cooperation concerning homeless sleaping rough, accepting referrals
 

Cairdea

  

As required

 Exchanging information, cooperation concerning homeless sleaping rough, accepting referrals
Peter McVery Trust  

As required

 Exchanging information, accepting referrals
Dublin’s streets, main squares 1-2x a day Daily patrols, contact with a homeless people

 

Reconnections January – December 2023

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From the 1st of January 2023 until the 31st of December 2023, there were 155  persons reconnected with BARKA’s support:

97 men
34 women
24 youngsters

Including 11 families

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN  

Total: 155
Romania 63
Poland 36
Latvia 16
Ukraine 8
Slovakia 5
Portugal 3
Hungary 4
UK 4
Italy 3
Czech Rep 2
Lithuania 2
Croatia 1
Germany 1
Dutch 1
Bulgaria 1
France 1
Belgium 1
Iraq 1
Romania/Canada 1

 

BARKA supported persons of 20 nationalities – 15 from the EU and 5 from outside the EU.

The majority of homeless people who’ve returned to their countries with Barka’s support are Romanians, but our team also works with clients of other nationalities, mainly Polish, Latvian, Slovak, and Ukrainian citizens. Communicating with homeless groups is made easier due to the presence of Barka leaders who are former homeless persons with many years of training and preparation from Barka.

Report on the study visit to The Netherlands, 26th September – 1st October 2023

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On the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of Barka NL (Stichting Barka), a study visit involving the international Barka network, co-funded by the EU Erasmus Plus programme, took place with the following participants: Barka NL, Barka UK, Barka Ireland, the Barka For Mutual Aid Foundation in Poland and Barka Germany

By Anna McKeever

Tuesday, 26th September

Most groups travelled on the day and reached their accommodation in the afternoon or in the evening.

Wednesday, 27th September

The participants in the study visit were divided into small groups and, along with Barka Leaders from individual cities, participated in the patrols of their mobile groups and visited day centres, where they could directly observe the work of Barka NL and ask questions related to helping homeless immigrants in the Netherlands. The cities visited by the groups were: Groningen, The Hague, Eindhoven, Utrecht, Rotterdam, Gouda, Rozendaal & Antwerp.

In The Hague, Barka NL, under the leadership of Larisa, is co-creating, in co-operation with the city and two other organisations, a project involving the New Generation Multicultural Centre for Migrants. We also saw a modern-day centre for homeless people created in a Protestant church in Rotterdam.

We ended the day in a special way by meeting together in the evening for dinner and sharing our impressions and experiences with others, in addition to welcoming those who had arrived in the Netherlands that afternoon.

Thursday, 28th September

All participants in the study visit arrived, along with Barka NL employees and volunteers, in Utrecht in the morning, where a conference was held to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Barka in the Netherlands. The conference was hosted by Ziggy Klazes, a TV presenter, and opened by Rachel Streefland, the Commissioner of Social Affairs, who welcomed the guests on behalf of Utrecht City Council. Ewa Sadowska-Keogh welcomed the participants on behalf of the Barka Management Board.

The conference was also attended by: Magdalena Chwarścianek-Mitov, Director of Barka NL and Barka Belgium, who gave an overview of the history of the creation of Barka NL and its activities in The Netherlands. Barbara Sadowska, whom the conference host interviewed, talked about the mission of Barka and the organisation’s beginnings in Poland over 30 years ago.

Piotr Śmigielski (whose nickname is No. 7), told his story of meeting Barka and gave an account of the changes which had taken place in his life, along with some challenging moments and his work for Barka now as a Leader.

The next stage of the programme, entitled: “Employees from Central and Eastern Europe in difficult situations” prepared by Elske Witts, a senior researcher at the Research Institute in The Hague, involved the presentation of research results. Between the speeches and presentations there was time for short performances by the violinist Ewa Pepper.

One interesting part of the programme was a panel discussion on offering better healthcare and shelter for homeless migrants from CEE countries, in which the following panellists participated: Monique van den Berg, Director of the EU Project for Economic Workers from The Hague, Ronald Smit, responsible for public health in the municipality of Utrecht, Sabine Beerbaum, from the Association of Dutch Municipalities and Cities, Ferdinand van de Velde, Head of the Salvation Army Day Centre in Utrecht, and Larisa Melinceanu, Coordinator of the ‘Returns’ Programme, which facilitates the return to the countries of origin of homeless migrants.

Friday, 29th September

In the morning, we started the day with a visit to the Salvation Army Day Centre in Utrecht, where the head of the facility described its activities and the manner in which homeless migrants are looked after, along with their rights or rather the lack of them, and cooperation with the Barka NL staff who work at the centre.

From Utrecht we took a train to the Barka NL office in The Hague, where we were joined by Barka NL leaders and their assistants, along with some employees and volunteers. The 10th birthday of Barka NL was celebrated in a grand fashion in the office in the Hague.

After lunch and numerous conversations, it was time for a birthday cake (or even two!) and a group photo. We had the opportunity to learn more about the work of the Barka NL employees in The Hague and the crucial work of Barka volunteers.

After this meeting, it was time for a brief visit to the seaside promenade in The Hague before returning to our hotels.

Saturday, 30th September

On Saturday morning we went to Amsterdam for the whole day, meeting a Polish-speaking guide at the station and exploring the city centre.

After the sightseeing tour and a short coffee break, we went to the canal embankment where a boat was waiting for us. We had lunch on the vessel and admired the many beautiful views of Amsterdam and its canals.

Our leaders were presented with special certificates for completing the study visit – it was also time to exchange our experiences and impressions of visiting Barka NL and the Netherlands.

Niedziela, 1 października

Czas wyjazdu/wylotu dla wszystkich uczestników wizyty studyjnej. Dziękujemy całemu zespołowi Barki NL za przygotowanie super ciekawego, pouczającego i integracyjnego pobytu w Holandii oraz za okazaną cierpliwość, życzliwość i piękne wspomnienia które ze sobą zabraliśmy.