Barka UK was invited for the Forum on “Poverty and social exclusion” organised by the Committee of the Regions on 8 June 2010 in Brussels. Among the participants there were representatives of local and regional authorities, organisations and EU institutions who arrived to exchange good practice and discuss how to combat poverty and social exclusion at local level. The debates focused on making local social services more accessible to all, preparing people for integration into the labour market and inclusive citizenship in urban and rural areas.
See the programme.
An international study visit of 25 leaders of organisations from around the world is taking place between 6 – 11 June 2010 in the Barka Network in Poland. The event has been organised within the framework of the World Habitat Programme.
Programme of Study Visit to Barka Poland
Barka UK’s Social Economy Centre which started its operation on the 26th of April, has been so far working with 10 Eastern European participants. Among the beneficiaries there are 7 Polish, 2 Lithuanians and one Latvian national. Few are ready to undertake employment at once but majority needs an on-going work with a therapist, job advisor, enterprise development worker and psychologist to preprare for employment. Barka team at Social Economy Centre has had first successes within the project as first participants have already been employed.
On June 15th Barka UK will start a reconnection project in Slough and Reading to support Eastern Europeans sleeping rough in those areas to return to rehabilitation programs in Poland and home countries. This is Barka’s first reconnection project outside of London. Next week Barka UK’s leaders and assistants, who are going to work in Slough and Reading, will attend partnership meetings with day centres, outreach teams, community wardens and other local organisations in both towns.
The seventh Young Global Leaders Annual Summit took place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from 2 to 7 May. This event has been the largest gathering of YGLs where they had an opportunity to interact with local and international organizations working in the YGL “Global Redesign” areas of activity: health, environment and sustainability, education and youth, entrepreneurship, values and governance. The YGL Annual Summit was an occasion to connect local experiences with global issues and to understand the underlying development environment. The Impact Journeys gave YGLs an unforgettable experience which provided them with new ideas and a better understanding of the issues that the African continent currently faces. The key objective of the Summit was to provide a systemic view of Tanzania’s challenges and opportunities in a way that would give the YGLs the chance to find multiple entry points to make an impact and enable local agencies to benefit from an outside analysis of their system.
Barka UK staff were today interviewed by the POLONIA TV journalists regarding the issue of administrative removal of Polish nationals from the UK. The programme will be broadcast on Thursday the 29th of April, 2010 at 7.45 PM (GMT) and 8.45 PM (Polish time).
![images[2]](http://www.barkauk.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/images2.jpg "images[2]")
“See Change” is a specialised programme, with a training and support package that focuses on influencing public policy through campaigning. The aim of the programme is to transform participants’, and the organisations they represent, ability to act as agents for change, and make visible, lasting improvements to systems, policies or practices that affect homeless people.
Read more:
See Change Agenda Day One 28-04-10
See Change Agenda Day Two 29-04-10
See Change programme Letter
On April 26th Barka UK’s Social Economy Centre in East London started its operation. The selected SEC staff will go through a two-week induction at the Dellow Centre, Job Centre Plus and at potential employers.
See the induction’s itinerary: Barka SEC Team Two Week Induction Itinerary
Induction Team. Tour of the Dellow.
Induction Team. Practice in the kitchen of the Dellow Centre.
Practise at the reception of the Dellow Centre. Registration of beneficiaries.
Break. Exchange of experiences.
Meeting with Barka Reconnection Team in the City&TH.
Social Economy Centre. Meeting on ways of obtaining results and monitoring.
Social Economy Centre. Review of the day.
Barka UK staff member Marta Jankowska shares her memory of meeting President Ryszard Kaczorowski, Poland’s last President in exile.
How I met President Ryszard Kaczorowski – Poland’s last President in exile ( English Version )
How I met President Ryszard Kaczorowski – Poland’s last President in exile ( Polish Version )
Veteran and Marta Jankowska Barka UK
President Ryszard Kaczorowski and Marcin Maruszak Barka UK
President Ryszard Kaczorowski and Marta Jankowska Barka UK
During 12 – 16 April, a study group of 15 representatives of Polish charities visited projects of Barka UK in London. The delegation included representatives of AGAPE Association, Brother Albert’s Society, Monar Association as well as the Deputy Mayor of Czestochowa Council.
The group visited day centers across London where Barka UK works with vulnerable A10 nationals. Participants assisted Barka staff in their daily work within the reconnection programme (including morning & night patrols on streets, trips to Eastern European Consulates, partnership meetings, etc). The delegation also met with representatives of UK Government and Homeless Link.
Meeting with the staff of the Dellow Centre, Tower Hamlets.
Morning patrol on the steers of the City of London.
Review meeting.
Review meeting.
Study group participants give their feedback on the study trip.
Final remarks by Kazimierz Slobodzian, Chief Executive of AGAPE Association.
Review meeting. Deputy Mayor of Czestochowa – Ryszard Majer presents publications on Silesia Region to Barka UK staff.
Review meeting. Deputy Mayor of Czestochowa – Ryszard Majer presents publications on Silesia Region to Barka UK staff.
Review meeting. Deputy Mayor of Czestochowa – Ryszard Majer presents publications onSilesia Region to Barka UK staff.
Farewell.
