Summary of project activities in 2020
In 2020, as part of the project “Assistance for Non-European Union Citizens in Pomeranian Voivodeship in the period from 2018 to 2020” co-financed by the National Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund Programme, many of the projects started a year earlier were continued:
– Running information and counselling centres – the centres operated on a year-round basis (partially remotely) and provided free-of-charge assistance to foreigners in the field of counselling and support on issues related to legalisation of stay, administrative and legal matters, employment rights, integration counselling and assistance, health care, psychological and social care, child care and family reunification. By the end of 2020, a total of over 1,100 people had benefited from the services of the centres.
– Polish language courses for adults – were conducted at different levels (A1, A2, B1). Classes were held in Tricity and since the introduction of the recommendations of the social distance associated with the epidemic – in the form of on-line classes. In 2020, 16 courses were carried out. Total number of courses since the beginning of the project: 31, while the total number of participants: 272 people.
– Methodology courses on learning Polish as a foreign language for teachers working in Pomorskie Voivodeship. In 2020, 2 on-line courses were held, from which a total of 32 teachers benefited, while since the beginning of the project: 125 people.
– Support for children at schools in the form of Polish language classes, remedial classes and classes on Polish tradition, history and culture. The classes took place in eight schools in stationary and remote forms. Since the beginning of the project, a total of 131 children have benefited from the classes (Polish language classes – 131, remedial classes – 130, other classes – 72).
– Employing Ukrainian language assistants – in Primary Schools no. 57 and 82 in Gdańsk. Language assistants supported teachers during classes and helped foreign students better adapt in class. Classes were also conducted remotely. In 2020, 35 foreign children benefited from the support.
– Adaptation courses – were held in various places in Pomorskie Voivodeship, including Gdańsk, Tczew, Kwidzyń, Nowy Dwór Gdański, Człuchów, Chojnice. In 2020, 8 courses were held, while in total since the beginning of the project: 16 courses, and a total of 172 people benefited from the support.
– Vocational counselling and certified translations – under this measure, foreigners could benefit from the support of specialists in information and counselling centres and remotely. Since the beginning of the project, over 190 persons benefited from specialist support.
– In addition, leaflets for foreigners on counteracting human trafficking and forced labour – in Ukrainian, Russian and English – were published in 2020.
Summary and orientations
The situation related to the epidemic forced us to make certain changes in the project. One of them was the necessity to extend the project implementation period until May 2021 in order to be able to complete the activities already started, which were temporarily suspended or where the number of people decreased due to the situation. In addition, some of the activities carried out on a stationary basis were supplemented or replaced by remote work: this mainly concerned classes at schools, but also other forms of support for adults such as courses and counselling. Some of the activities were deleted from the project – this concerns cultural consultant classes in schools and adaptation and recreational activities for families. On the other hand, the second edition of methodology courses on teaching Polish as a foreign language for teachers was additionally planned. A decision was also made not to organise a conference for coalition partners, but instead to hold a seminar for coalition partners in 2021. At the beginning of next year it is also planned to publish a guide for foreigners, which will help foreigners arriving in Pomerania to obtain a compendium of knowledge useful for adaptation in our voivodeship. Despite the above described situation the project is going well, the total number of people who benefited from the support exceeded 1600, and the indicators achieved so far are in most cases even higher than originally assumed.
