The mission of the Welcome Centre in Warsaw (WCW) is providing comprehensive assistance to foreign nationals from non-EU countries who want to stabilize their situation in Poland, what means having a regulated residence status, allowing them to achieve purposes for which they came to Poland (e.g. to study, to take up employment in accordance with their qualifications), a good orientation in the Polish reality, both in the legal and institutional context (e.g. in dealing with authorities), and in dealing with the host society.

The assumption of the WCW is that learning about Polish reality should help foreigners to be independent individuals while entering various types of social relations, and be free to decide how they want to be treated and how they understand their participation in creating Polish society (e.g. ensuring a sufficient level of independence enabling them to exercise their rights and to fullfil their obligations, as well as to determine preferences for participation in the culture and economy of the host country.

Foreigners - newcomers, especially those who want to settle in Poland.

At the beginning, the support of the Welcome Centre in Warsaw was targeted to immigrants from Asia, Africa and countries of the former Soviet Union who worked on open air markets and bazaars - in particular the Stadium Market 'Jarmark Europa' and markets in Wólka Kosowska. With time, however, the work of the WCW in the form of the Mobile Advisory Points (as they came to be called) appeared in new locations, which were attractive to immigrants.

Later, the Permanent Advisory Point, which was named the Welcome Centre in Warsaw, was established. Thanks to its convenient location in the centre of Warsaw, it was easy to reach and to benefit from a variety of services, completely free of charge, which were offered by a team of specialists who spoke Russian, Ukrainian, English, French and Polish.

The activities of the WCW relate directly to the identified needs of potential customers regarding:

• Knowledge about and orientation in legal and procedural matters concerning their residence as well as their rights and obligations in Poland,
• Taking up employment as well as personal and career development,
• Meeting basic social needs (e.g. housing, education),
• Creting a supportive environment for making new colleagues and friends in Poland.
  

Main areas of activities:

• Legal and civic advice,
• Labour market support,
• Psychosocial support,
• Cultural activities to promote integration.

Activities implemented within the project:

Legal and civic advice

• Advice regarding legalisation of stay in Poland (including filling in applications, completing documents), divorce cases and matters relating to parental rights, issues relating to criminal law and employment law etc.,
• Advice provided by consultants and lawyers not only at the office but also within mobile advisory points (e.g. in churches, in restaurants, in bazaars), usulally two times a month,
• Training and information meetings for foreigners on e.g. legalisation of stay in Poland, discrimination matters, legal work etc.
  

Labour market support (within Migrant Career and Job Centre)

• Active search for employers and job offers for foreigners,
• Trainings regarding job search, CV writing, behaviour during job interview etc.,
• Individual consultations and specialised trainings (e.g. on tax law, employment law, autopresentation),
  
• Encouraging employers to employ foreigners, e.g. during job fairs,
• Establishment of contacts and building relations with selected potential employers

Psychosocial support

• Immigrant friendly space organised at the Centre: Internet Cafe for migrants, Multilingual library for migrants, bulletin board concerning important events in the city, activities of the other NGOs, advertisements placed by the other customers of the Centre,
• Assistance in finding flats and rooms for rent,
• Assist in administrative procedures,
• Assitance of interpreters during medical visits,
• Psychological support (group and individual),
• Legal education on issues of discrimination and hate crimes,
• Polish language courses,
• Computer and Internet trainings,
• Cooperation with institutions important for immigrants: real estate agencies, high schools, primary schools, translation agencies.
  

Cultural activities to promote integration

• Cultural and integration events, including workshops for migrant children,
  
• Supporting various forms of self-organisation of migrants.

Every year the Centre supported several hundred foreigners, mainly from Ukraine (more than a half), but also from many other countries, including African countries.

The evaluation of the project was of a qualitative character and it was included in the report describing and assessing the Welcome Centre's activities (it is not available on-line; more information available at: biuro@ffrs.org.pl). In the report the following general recommendations were formulated:

• A need for special offer for men,
• A need for special offer for migrants over 40 years of age,
• A need for use of various information channels to reach new customers,
• A need for a support group for women,
• A need for activities targeted at people experiencing particular difficulties in the integration process,
• A need for systematic documentation of the problem of discrimination against migrants,
• A need for systematic collection of good practices on integration of migrants in Poland,
• A need for maintaining open space for all, regardless of their origin,
• A need to develop cooperation with a broad range of institutional partners.

European Fund for Integration of Third Country Nationals, the City opf Warsaw, the Ministry of National Education, the Institute of Public Affairs, the Stefan Batory Foundation, volunteering work.