Andrzej Dawidowski – letter ENG

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/jul/20/eastern-european-rough-sleepers-deported

Barka UK staff Marta Jankowska and Janusz Kowalski participated in the Homeless Link Annual Conference held in the University of Reading. The meeting was attended by dozens of organizations from across the UK. Conference started with a streetwise opera performance. Ann Skinner, chairperson of the Board of Homeless Link, welcomed participants and introduced speakers among whom there was Jenny Edwards, the CEOn of Homeless Link, Grant Shapps, Minister of Housing and Councillor John Shipley, Leader of the Council Newcastle. The speakers elaborated on ways to end rough sleeping  and provide dignified alternatives for those living on the streets.
 In the afternoon there was a contest organized for the best social enterprise. Four social enterprises participated in the competition.
Barka staff took part in workshops ” Learning to be Place of  Change: skills for staff managers and trustees” and “What makes a good social enterprise”. In the meantime participants could share their experience of working in the homelessness sector.

MJ

Please click here to read the report.

We encourage you to read the interview with Tomasz Sadowski, the Chariman of Barka Foundation, Poland regarding the Poznan City Council’s solution to move problematic residents to containers.

Click here to read the interview now.

Conference started with welcoming and introduction by Ieuan ap Rees from West Lodon Housing Partnership.

Michael Scorer(CLG) was talking about Government policy and what has changed with change of Government.

Richard Blakeway(CLG) talked about London Housing Strategy and the work of the London Delivery Board, including the Health & Social Care sub group.

Martin Cheeseman from Brent & West London Housing Partnership analised the situation of rough sleeping in West London. He summarised Chain data, PrOPMT analysis, differences between boroughs in terms of services provided, health audit in Brent, sub-regional work – West London Reconnect & draft action plan.

Jeremy Swain of Thames Reach talked about the role of local partnerships and civic society sector to end rough sleeping. Jeremy Swain thanked Barka UK for their fruitful work with supporting the integration processes of Eastern European migrants to UK.

Barka UK staff: Andrzej Dawidowski, Marcin Maruszak and Radoslaw Skrzypczak participated in a workshop regarding enforcement. The discussion was to what extent enforcement was needed and how it could be delivered. Barka contributed with good examples of engaging with rough sleepers through trust and relationship building.

We encourage you to watch the film ‘Laboratory of Solidarity’ about the Barka Network in Poland, prepared by the President of the Wielkopolska Region. The film was shown at the meeting of representatives of the regions of the European Union, which took place in Poznań on 17-18.06.2010 (this film was translated into 16 languages).

Click here to watch the film

Transcription in Polish/ transkrypcja po polsku

Report of Barbara Dudzinska, former staff member of Barka Foundation on the study visit to Kenian development projects - read now.

On the 9^th of June Ewa Sadowska, the CEO of Barka UK met with the representatives of the Belgian trade unions in the headquarters of Committee of the Regions and with the representatives of the Cabinet of Professor Jerzy Buzek, the President of European Parliament. The meetings were also attended by the Heads of umbrella organisations ECAS and CEC.

The aim was to discuss good practice in the field of Social Economy and social inclusion of the migrants on the basis of experience of the Barka network in Poland, ECAS and CEC.

These meetings lay a foundation for the developing European Migrants’ Integration Network which intends to support ‘work migrants’, refugees and ethnic minorities.