Together we can do more
About this good practice
The approach supports Ukrainian migrants parallelly in two areas: professional activation, entrepreneurship, and social inclusion through individual development and strengthening activity in various areas of social life.
Professional support is based on profiling the needs and potential of migrant (expectations vs. opportunities), organizing courses, training or assistance in finding, qualifying and financing training, courses or other forms of education, professional career counseling and support in the process of professional activation, as well as in the field of establishing and running a business.
Parallel social support consists in individual support of an integration assistant supporting in contacts with institutions and everyday situations, providing legal, psychological assistance related to mental health and experienced trauma, providing language learning, courses in cultural orientation, providing the necessary translation and support in contacts with public and private institutions (e.g. opening a bank account, purchasing real estate, fulfilling civic duties, using public transport or obtaining driving licenses, using assistance offers (including social and housing), educational, development and entertainment and cultural activities for minor foreigners.
Career guidance materials were developed, training was provided on starting a business, their CVs were developed together with migrants, and visits were made to offices and institutions providing social services.
Resources needed
Career advisors, psychologists, educators, integration assistants, mentors, as well as employees of NGOs providing cultural support and activities for children. Additionally, Ukrainian translators, accounting and administrative services, and activity coordinators. Labor Office engaged 6 employees.
Evidence of success
The approach was tested on 1002 migrants-240 covered by the Individual Action Plan:145 CVs, 53 took part in webinars starting and running a business,140 finished a language course, 19 career counseling groups,411- psychological support, over 180 people -many cultural events. Migrants got knowledge about their potential, the labor market and the possibility of taking independent actions in relation to the situation on the labor market, an increase in the sense of belonging to the local community.
Potential for learning or transfer
An approach combining social and professional support has a positive impact on migrants' participation in the support path, because the work does not focus only on receiving one service, e.g. developing a CV or participating in training, but on securing many everyday matters, receiving support in learning the language, receiving information about how the Polish labor market works, how to look for a job, how to set up a company, but it also allows you to learn about the culture of the new place of residence and take an active part in it. You can learn a lot from this approach, because in this situation the migrant is not only an employee but also a recipient and participant of culture and social life, therefore he is not alienated and becomes part of the place where he lives.