1. The Barka projects for reintegration, social & vocational inclusion of migrants Ewa Sadowska Barka UK

2. Barka UK: Beginnings and development Barka UK was established in June 2007. It is affiliated to the Barka Foundation, Poland. Invitation from the LB of Hammersmith and Fulham, Housing Justice UNLEASH and The Simon Community in association with Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Implements 4 main projects in the UK Became a springboard for similar initiatives in Germany, Ireland and Holland

3. Barka UK projects 1. Reconnections project Focus: most entrenched CEE rough sleepers in London 2. Social Economy Centre Focus CEE migrants looking for a job inUK 3. Pan-UK helpline Focus: CEE migrants for advise and support with legal, professional, health and benefits issues 4. Formation and study visits Focus: training of staffs of social work

4. Reconnections Project – targets: 40 contacts per month with the A10 street populations members Min 3 reconnections per month Minimum 3 outreach shifts per week Barka: to work with outreach teams visiting hotspots for rough sleeping and work with existing CEE services

5. Outreach shifts

6. Reconnections results: 2360 Reconnections up-to-date Majority returned to families Women - 13 % Men - 87% The largest groups: Polish, Romanian, Lithuanian, Latvian and Slovakian Over 80 persons referred to Social Economy Centre employment project

7. Methodology Working through public-private partnerships Based in day centres Using expertise of leaders of Barka self- help groups Engaging and building relationships and trust with A10 nationals and overcome boundaries One to one as well as groups sessions Discussing mechanism of social exclusion and addictions Work recorded through daily reports

8. Social Economy Centre – scope Job Search sessions Support for participants during first months of employment Help in dealing with versatile situations like lost/stolen documents Help in arranging for new documents. Help in getting 10-year passports, certificates of birth etc.; Guidance around National Insurance numbers, registering as self- employed; Advice and support in dealing with landlords and tenancy agreements, English Language Classes Teaching skills that help unemployed to assimilate in a new, foreign environment. Support groups to improve emotional and mental wellbeing.

9. Social Economy Centre: May-Sept 2012 125 participants 32 beneficiaries housed 7 entered employment 15 accessed detox and rehabilitation in home country 61 therapeutic sessions&support groups 60 accommodation sessions 107 job support 163 legal advice and administration session.

10. May –Sept 2012 Results…. 10 passports 10 applications for health and safety CSCS cards 12 self-assessments and tax 10 people registered with JSA 7 Employment Support Allowances &12 Disability Living Allowances 12 housing benefits and 1 Pension Credit a number of bank accounts a number of child benefits

11. Support groups

12. Formation of staffs Over 300 study visits to Barka Network in Poland in the last the years This includes Europe-based organizations, local authorities and government officials, House of Lords & a number of African groups This summer: 6 two-week training sessions of UK and Ireland based organizations (within the EU Leonardo Training Programme) Next visits to come in Spring …

13. Further development - Social Franchise October 2007: Barka Migrants Support Ireland in Dublin October 2010: Barka reconnection project in Hamburg January 2011: first visit from African communities January 2012: reactivation of Barka activities in the Netherlands May 2012:Barka’s study visit to Africa September 2012: registration of INISE

14. The Hague: return of Piotr, a homeless man

15. Further results -Barka NL: over 150 nationals reconnected to rehabilitation centers in home countries. The Barka methodology included in the Dutch national strategies to overcome exclusion. Establishment of SEC programmes in Holland. -Barka IE: over 80 national reconnected Establishment of SEC in Dublin: first persons went to work -Barka in Hamburg: Over 900 CEE -nationals reconnected

16. What’s next...? -Partnership with European Commission over “Equal of Europe with Africa” -Development of new generation of centres in Europe to embrace European and non-European nationals (first ones in Liverpool and Manchester) -Continuation of the international formation programmes to innovative social and vocational reintegration based on solidarity economy

17. Thank you Thank you! Ewa Sadowska www.barkauk.org www.inise.org