Dear Ewa,
On Monday 30 January 2012 I notified you of Kenya Community Association setting up on Thursday 9 February 2012 Social Integration Centre in Kenya inspired by the vision of Mr. Thomas Sadowski. I am pleased to let you that the function was very successful, well received by the community and had wide support by Government officials, civic authorities and academic institutions. The process we have started at Kanini Kaseo in Kyunyu Village, Kathonzwezi District of Kenya is part of that burning desire of Thomas Sadowski and others committed to his vision such as Dr. Philip Kaczmarek, MEP; Dr. Killion Wanyama, SEJMIK; Mr. Jerzy Mankowski and many more to transform the African continent from a place of want or abject poverty to granary of plenty. As stated in my appraisal of the philosophy and transformation Barka has on marginal and excluded communities there must exist dual conviction and desire by both parties, the agent of change and the subject to be transformed. This has been among the crucial pillars to the Barka success witnessed in Poland and elsewhere. The reception of the Barka concept transmuted into existing African model of social enterprise as exemplified by Kanini Kaseo gives proof and justifies the vision, conviction and burning desire of Mr. Sadowski that there exist the will in Africa for positive change. The willingness and embrace is evident in the faces of the women from those able to work the fields and the elderly caring after the children making maximum use of human resources. The three Trustees to the project show another story, Sister Scholar Nganda, lecturer Kenyatta University and studying for her PhD, Hon Peter Kiilu, MP for Makueni Constituency and former Provincial Commissioner and finally Mr. Cleophas Kiio, Director Kenya Bureau of statistics as well as lecturer at both Masinde Muliro University and Catholic University of East Africa. Also included are District Commissioner Mr. John Otieno, Chief, and councillors of the area. Edgerton University and Kenyatta University who have faculties of Agriculture are being invited to provide expertise on both soil and crop management to the project. The funds used to start the project are through sponsorship by Plus Dane Group of an event for drought intervention in East Africa. This is typical example of corporate creation of social value. Other than the photos and statements attached, the event was filmed and interviews conducted with wide section of people which will be edited into short video we shall forward when complete We take this opportunity to thank Mr. Sadowski for sensitising us towards the needs of Africa and his partners such as Dr. Philip Kaczmarek , Mr. Jerzy Mankowski and Dr. Killion Wanyama for their encouragement by their support for the initiative. As this is an offshoot of the Barka vision, we look forward to Barka’s support to make this step in the intervention of Africa an inspiration to what can be achieved elsewhere as contained in the attache statement of the project Trustee.

Baiba Dhidha Mjidho,
Chair,
Kenya Community Association.

Polish version

During 18 October 2011 and 31 January 2012  Barka UK was  hosting a 4  delegations from Czestochowa.

The delegations came to visit Barka operations in London within a social workers exchange project of Barnaba Foudation ( a charity working with vulnerable adults in Poland) and Barka UK.The delegation’s participants represent civil society organizations supporting people to overcome homelessness and addictions and helping them towards employment and sustainable life.The study group assisted Barka Leaders and Assistants in their daily work with migrants in drop-in day centres within the Reconnections Project. They  also took part in morning and night outreach shifts on the streets of London.

Please find  the article in Polish newspaper regarding the Streetworking Project in Czestochowa, Poland .

To  read : click here

SEC January 2012 summary for City and Tower Hamlets:

* SEC has been working with 32 clients in total from beginning of second year of our project;

* there was 1 new referral and 18 active beneficiaries;

* 4 clients have been in employment;

* 11 clients have had stable accommodation;

* we helped 10 people to search for new employment opportunities and one person took permanent job;

* 1 client has been helped to open bank account;

* 1 client was supported with late tax return to HMRC;

* 1 client claimed JSA, one Pension Credit and we renewed one DLA claim.

SEC had 171 contacts with clients in January 2012. We delivered 44 job support sessions and arranged 1 interview which resulted in signed contract with employer. There were 25 therapeutic sessions, 17 meetings for legal advice and 8 accommodation sessions with our cooperating partners helping to organize housing for SEC participants. There were 2 people who have left our program.

SEC January 2012 summary for Lambeth:

* SEC has been working with 11 clients since our operation started;

* there was 1 new referral to SEC program and 6 active client using our services;

* 1 client has started new job in January so 2 people were in active employment;

* 1 client has moved to private accommodation;

* 2 clients have been helped to apply for new passports;

* SEC assisted 1 client to open bank account;

* 1 client applied for JSA and we appealed one court decision;

* 1 client started preparation for CSCS exam.

SEC completed 66 sessions in total: 2 therapy sessions, 9 job support sessions and 14 legal advice sessions. We supported 3 people who started to search for employment on open market.

On 30-31 January, HAYS and BRIDGE consulting companies will visit the projects of the Barka Network in Poland. The companies are interested to explore the opportunity to work with Barka on the central and eastern European programmes.
The programme of the visit: click here

* Bridge and Hays are consultancies working in the area of senior leadership development and culture change in some of the world’s top organisations. The two companies have jointly developed a global senior leadership programme which is taking place in the UK and Europe, Asia and Australia. In each location, they are working with a local charity. The companies are interested to implement the programme within the Barka Network in Poland.
For more information please see: www.bridge-partnership.com , www.hays.com.

On Monday the 23 January, a delegation of Barka UK: Bernadette Cassidy (Chair) and Ewa Sadowska (CEO), had been invited by Lord Roberts of Llandudno to meet with Poland’s Ambassador to the UK – Mrs Barbara Tuge-Erecinska.
The meeting took place in the House of Lords with the purpose to promote the activities of Barka in the UK. During the meeting discussed were the challenges faced by Polish nationals in the UK and the initiatives and aid projects organised by the Polish community. Elaborated were the links and cooperations between the various initiatives as well as joint ventures of the ‘young’ and the older migrations of Poles to Great Britain

My impressions of visiting Barka Network in Poland on 16 – 18 January 2012

Barka is impressive

In a relatively short time Barka has developed into the largest social and solidarity economy network in Poland.

Barka has shown that partnership between social economy/ngo/third sector and public authorities has been a crucial factor to combat social exclusion successfully through organising social and economic activities.

Barka has developed the partnership at all levels – gmina/powiets/regions/government.

There are similar experiences as the Barka model in other European countries. Interesting with Barka is its organisational model where bottom up is combined with a strong central support organisation. At the bottom you will find democratically run self-help communities and in parallell associations where also other local stakeholders can take part. Work is organised in social integration centres and social cooperatives. But the people living in the Barka communities do also work in other local enterprises.

The Barka foundation is both a support center and develops new initiatives. It reminds me of the “social franchising” concept that is developed in other countries. The Barka model is replicated in other parts of Poland. It could still be
disseminated in many more. And certainly theTomasz and Barbara Sadowski play an important role. But Barka could not be as it is today without Tomas, Merek, Anna, Andrej and all others.

The methods and the values of the model we find in other European initiatives. First of all it is people-centred. Democracy, solidarity and sobriety are key aspects. By empowering and giving responsibility to the individual persons those persons will increase their potentials and is a factor for success. The Barka isintegrating the European dimension in their work and have been given many international awards. They are also taking part and creating their own European networks.

Therefore I think that there is a mutual interest for both Barka and REVES that Barka becomes a member of REVES.

Jan Olsson

President of European Network of Regions and Cities for Social Economy REVES