I am a senior advisor in my hometown CAB I in Radlin, Poland, since spring 2003. I am mainly engaged in cases concerning family matters, housing, allowances, benefits. These are the areas that I would like to examine during the Flowchart project exchange. I also coordinate another project related to career counselling. In CAB apart from advising I provided lectures and workshops considering human rights, women rights, anti discrimination regulations, especially considering labour matters. I hope I will be able to learn a little bit how cases related to abovementioned are dealt. What help can obtain the clients, how advisors assist in resolving problems.
My experience during Flowchart project.
DAY 1 16 of June
Participation in a course “Peace and Reconciliation”
- very interesting not only because of the subject covered but also from the linguistic point of view;
- for me as for a foreigner – a great possibility to learn how people, whose first language is English, understand some expressions, what meaning is associated to words.
DAY 2 17 of June
Assisting to the advisor in cases of Polish immigrants. The cases were referring to:
- housing, child tax credit, difficulties with continuous education;
- the Home Office certificate
- unfair dismissal, sex and race discrimination and ongoing lawsuit.
DAY 3 18 of June
Assisting to the advisor in cases of Polish immigrants.
The meeting with client basically consisted of helping her in filling up documents and application forms. The case referred to housing benefit – rate relief form, annual declaration form and child tax credit.
I see that my question was not an exaggeration at all… At least not according to The Daily Telegraph:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/8037614/Polish-migrants-are-coming-back-to-UK.html
How are things perceived from a Polish perspective?
Hallo , Bogdan, I am sorry, I have not noticed you post before. I must say, I am still a bit lost on this website, diaries , and blog etc. I think, you are right, immigrant are still coming to GB. This is a myth, that people who left the country are going to come back Poland . This is sad to admit, but even at the peak of economic downturn people in Great Britain have got easier life than in Poland, even despite we allegedly did not had any crisis. As I had a great opportunity to look in depth to the administrative proceedings I must say, that everything depends on the trust the “Country” bear to its citizens , and the way , the citizens comply with the procedures. In Poland procedures lasts for ages while in the same time people in Great Britain are able to arrange many changes in their life. Here you loose time waiting for some administrative decision. In some countries abroad- in GB, I mean – if someone is clever enough , she or he is able to manage their life. The fact that people do not want to come back their native country and they are still going abroad is not only connected to the material problems. I have noticed, that probably, the financial situation of certain persons either in great Britain or in Poland would be comparable, considering the costs of living. But the fact, that people can manage their life in a more simplified way – despite being abroad, despite having sufficient and efficient language command , despite being sometimes left alone – the fact that citizen of foreign countries still manage better in GB gives a great example of a system that works. I am nor sure if my reply would satisfy you, and I am sorry for such late reply, but this is my general feeling as far as the immigration problem. Best regards:)
Iza, CAB Radlin (UCAB, Poland)
Dear Iza,
I see you had a very intensive schedule, and you were quite ‘involved’ into the cases presented to STEP while you were there. It’s probably normal for a ‘senior adviser’ like you are in Poland.
What I am curious about (and I asked the same question to another Flowchart participant from Poland, Laurent) is if you can confirm this: is it true that Polish people who fled the UK in 2008-2009, due to the economic recession, are now seriously considering to return there?
Is there a serious number of such ‘returnees’ or is it just another myth popularised by British media?
Thanks!
It is again me – the same day – Peace and Reconciliation course was a very specific and great experience. It made me to think about myself as about the third party and how the other people can perceive me. In general – how our perception is depending on the quality we notice at first sight. What a wonderful experience in my work placement in the project – as a foreigner examining the cases of the other foreigners. As the course (the parts I participated in ) consisted of examining the roots of conflicts and how to settle them up , it gave me the opportunity to attain some approach to some sociological and psychological matters I would be happy to learn more about. All the subjects discussed and solutions found can be applied not only in the field of community work with foreigners but also in the field of our personal stereotypes or prejudices we can have towards people differing from us to a certain point. It good to know how to deal with them.
As far as Project goals , I can say all my personal goals have been achieved. It was a very busy time. There are plenty of new things I have learnt and I am very happy I had a possibility to participate in such experience.
DAY 9
The new budget for 2011 has been established so the cuts seem to be quite severe for the majority of people and it will certainly affect the immigrants situation.
23 of June
This is my last working day in STEP. I am learning really a lot. However I must assume it is not possible in such short time of work to get more than only basic knowledge about the system and people’ problems or how they are dealing with them. It is also good to see that people in the foreign country are dealing quite well and making their lives in a completely new environment.
Today I will be attending in another part of the course for peace and reconciliation policy. All this is very useful for me. From learner’s perspective, I must say I have touched the top of an iceberg and would be good to have the possibility to get a more profound contact to the matters I have just begun to be familiar with.
Yesterday I’ve been watching a lot TV -as the British parliament has just set up some new rules considering allowances and child benefits – exactly what I have been examining and learning for past few days – so now I am like to start learning from the very beginning
day 7
22 of June
Today I was assisting to the other Polish cases. Bedsides Bernadette asked me to prepare some kind of comparison concerning Polish institutions and to try to find out some equivalents for benefits and allowances in Poland and in the UK. Of course , the exact equivalents are not possible to be given, not only on the linguistic level but firs of all, because of he different legal system and different instruments that exist in each country. I tried to use the right words for naming specific institutions or benefts, however sometimes I cannot be certain whether a word does not apply for example only (or strictly) to the legal system of the United States or any other country with the English as a formal language. Considering, that in NI territory not everything is applied that is applied in the rest of UK, I am a bit lost;) but I hope anybody who will read it, will find it helpful in “Polish” cases.
day 6
Monday 21 of June
Again mOnday…
I examined with an office advisor, Kathy, the matters cosnidering work with debtors.
I found it as hard as working on the same problems with Polish people in my home CAB. The only difference considers the banks or creditors in general willingness to cooperate which we have not experienced in Poland yet.
As far as my todays cases, actually, as the immigrants from the other countries speak in their native languages, which I don’t know, it would be useless to assist to them. So I decided I would rather have been listening to another Polish case which was pretty bad domestic violence case crossed with homelesness and all the benfidthe and child guidance matters. I must explain one thing. My previous opinions related to the problem of Polish citizens abroad were based on cases of people I have met during voting , so there were no heavy cases among them. The other thing is, I took into consideration only matters joined with multinational problems .
As far as – if I may use this word – usual matters, clients of STEP and any other organizations’ are looking for help in, the situation does not differs from case I dealt in Polish CAB. Domestic violence and alkohol addiction is always terrible, never mind where it takes place. Women with children are put in danger by homelessness. Sometime the way to obtain the means for living is very hard and need a continuous assistance from the organization.
The one thing I find absolutely wonderful about GB is that so many cases can be solved just with a help of a few phone calls. It is impossible to imagine for me that the civil servant on the other side is just completing the application form and some suspended case is getting to be ion its way. Such things do not happen in Poland…and I wish they did;)
Hallo, this is Izabela again,
Saturday, 19 of June
I spent the weekend visiting places in the area and making order with all the information ontained so far. Saturday I spent actually in majority on putting in order my notes and then I visited the Dungannon which a beautifiul pittoresque village and a great place to live in. The city perfectly fits to my notion I had about Ireland in general , so far. It is green, clean and quiet.:)Later in the evening I met my Polish coleagues, who are advisors in STEP. We met with Marzena and her friend. She is an interpreter and student at Belfast University. We have been talking about the particularities of legal system and administrative issues here, in Northern Ireland. I had a possibility to get in get in depth as far some other problems of Polish families here.
Sunday, 20 of June
The next day it was the day when Polish were electing a future president , so we went to Belfast for voting and we brought a few other friends of Marzena together. I had a great opportunity to metet the other Polish migrants , to learn about their situation here and to make my some personal short enquiries how they manage their new life as immigrants. Hopefully, there was no everyday problems issuess, Polish people could have. Everybody is working, they are visibly very happy, and certainly they will be trying to stay in Ireland for longer. My general oppinion is that Polish migrants, if they managed to make their life in a new place, they are decided to stay, where the life is easier for them than in native country. That might sound strange , but it is true, especially considering starting a new business or performing some duties , for example of a transalator/interpreter, that in Poland is another profession restricted by law provisions. All the people I met and I talked to in short time, I do not think they would or could ever expect such level of life in Poland gained in such sort time. The admistration is helpful and the civil officers trust citizens which does not exist in Poland. The problems, if they arrive, are related to people who are not in common with administative issues and do not speak English. The clients of STEP represent different regions of Poland , but their main problems come from the lack of knowledge and bad comnmand of English.
This day I spent not only talking over the Polish carrees in NI. the highlight of the day was a trip to Giant’s Causeway, we went with Marzena and her friend. The place, which is an absolute miracle of nature, is perfectly situated and I was able to walk and move a little bit:)
Monday 21 of June
Todays issue is “debtors” day. I will also assist in some cases of immigrants from the other countries.