FOROOM is a centre of integration and multicultural activity addressed both to Poles and foreigners.
‘When observing the local community, we cannot ignore the fact that many persons have arrived here from other countries, such as Korea or Ukraine. We would like to invite them to our centre. We want to make them feel even more welcome here. We want to create a place where both Poles and foreigners could meet, play, learn something or get help if necessary,’ says Krzysztofa Gromada, Head of Co-operation with Local Communities in Aleja Bielany.
Activities for children, consultations for adults
The area of activity of FOROOM can be divided into three pillars: legal assistance, education and entertainment. The offer will include intercultural and language education activities as well as creative workshops. They will be run by non-governmental organisations.
The planned activities include reading books for kids, language classes for children or educational classes for teachers. The latter will cover the organisation of work in classes with migrants’ children – how to greet such a child, how to integrate it with the class and how to teach it. All activities and classes will be free of charge, but prior registration is required.
Apart from that, free legal advice will be available to adult migrants.
Useful research
The establishment of FOROOM was preceded by surveys aimed at obtaining information about the needs and expectations of migrant communities and the attitude of Poles to foreigners. On the basis of received results, a program of classes and workshops was prepared for implementation in FOROOM.
‘It is an exceptional place for us, because it is the first project where representatives of the business world have proposed the creation of a project not only for its own employees, but also for the local community,’ says Paulina Maciak from the Wroclaw Social Development Centre.
Opened in 24th July 2021, FOROOM is located on the first floor of Aleja Bielany, right near the dance school.
Do you know that...
The Wroclaw Social Diagnosis 2017 showed that a majority of Poles have a positive attitude to other nationalities. As many as 66% of respondents stated that the influx of representatives of other communities is very favourable for Wroclaw, enriches the culture of Wroclaw and broadens the openness of Wroclaw inhabitants to other people (60%). Almost one half of respondents (48%) state that the presence of foreigners in the city makes it more attractive; according to 45%, this stimulates an increase of the city’s economic potential.
