Final webinar
The final webinar took place online on 26.06.2024. Various stakeholders from Poland and Romania participated in the webinar, which lasted 3 hours. 35 representatives of NGOs and public and local administration and scholars were present during the webinar. The webinar was an opportunity for the research team (Monika Nowicka, Alexandra Deliu, Magda Szarota and Bogdan Voicu) to present the full results of the research and exchange opinions in the field of supporting refugees with disabilities.
Online seminar for researchers from partner institutions
On January 18, 2024, an online joint seminar of the Institute of Sociology Collegium Civitas and The Research Institute for Quality of Life Romanian Academy took place. During the seminar, the project team presented preliminary results from the completed fieldwork. The presentation of the results included:
- The information on the project: aims, activities, outcomes
- Findings/preliminary results from Warsaw
- Findings/preliminary results from Bucharest
- Discussions: similarities and differences between Warsaw and Bucharest and potential lessons for service providers to learn.
After the presentation, there was a questions and answers session.
Study visit in Bucharest
From September 25 to September 29 2023, dr Monika Nowicka had her study visit to Bucharest. During the study visit, dr Nowicka visited three facilities supporting Ukrainian war refugees: Romexpo, which is a centre for the collection of donations for UWR; the refugee centre at School no. 6, run by the General Direction for Social Assistance and Child Protection from District 1, Bucharest, and a shelter centre for Ukrainian war refugees – the Edmond Center, within the Edmond Nicolau Technical College, run by the city hall in District 2, Bucharest.
During the visit, the project team discussed the state of the art of fieldwork and planned further steps in the fieldwork, including extended group interviews. The project team also discussed the outlines of the papers and potential publication strategies.
An important part of the study visit was a seminar at The Research Institute for Quality of Life, Romanian Academy (ICCV). The seminar was an opportunity to discuss preliminary findings from the study visits and first interviews.
Study visit in Warsaw
From June 12 to June 16, 2023, Dr Alexendra Deliu and prof Bogdan Voicu had their study visit in Warsaw. During the visit, the research team had the opportunity to visit three centers: Warsaw West Station inbound center, Caritas Polska, and Mudita Integration Center. The purpose of these visits was to understand how these centers function, the services they provide to beneficiaries, their approach towards Ukrainian refugees with disabilities, their funding mechanisms, and their staff’s perception of the current situation.
Apart from the study visit to organizations, the research team worked together on several main themes.
To begin with, we engaged in debriefing sessions to share specificities and insights regarding the situation in Poland and Romania. This exchange of information allowed us to better understand the context and nuances related to our research.
We also took the time to prepare the field work: plan in-depth interviews, discuss the themes to be addressed, develop interview scenarios, and determine the sampling strategy.
Overall, the study visit in Warsaw provided valuable insights into the functioning of the visited centers and their approaches towards Ukrainian refugees with disabilities. The collaborative work undertaken during the visit allowed us to gather relevant information and plan further research and analysis.
Workshop in Warsaw
On May 29 2023, in Collegium Civitas, Warsaw, a workshop took place as part of the implementation of the project “Increasing the Capacity of Polish and Romanian Stakeholders to Support Ukrainian Refugees with Disabilities in the Metropolitan Areas of Warsaw and Bucharest.” The workshop was attended by several organizations involved in supporting migrants, refugees, and people with disabilities. Representatives of state institutions and local government institutions also were present in the workshop.
During the meeting, areas of action and main challenges that emerged after the outbreak of the war on February 24 in providing assistance to refugees with disabilities were discussed. The discussions focused on identifying specific needs and challenges faced by refugees with disabilities, as well as seeking effective solutions and support strategies.
The workshop provided an excellent opportunity for organizations to exchange experiences and establish collaborations to enhance capacity and effectiveness in supporting Ukrainian refugees with disabilities. The objective of the meeting was also to raise awareness about the specific needs of this group of individuals and promote inclusion and equal access to services and support.
The project aims to strengthen the capacity of social organizations in Warsaw and Bucharest to effectively respond to the needs of Ukrainian refugees with disabilities, ensuring them necessary support and facilitating their integration into local communities.
