A new information hub for foreign residents has been open to the public since summertime at the Ukrainian Centre for Culture and Development CUKR at ul Ruska 46.
“Each foreign resident in Wrocław is more than welcome. We can discuss their issues in Polish, English, Esperanto, Russian and Ukrainian,” says Oleg Potokylo, Head of CUKR’s Information Hub in Wrocław.
The Information Hub provides counsel and assistance on the legalisation of residence, job agreements, taxes, as well as health and social insurance. Staff at the Information Hub will help visitors to arrange a meeting with a lawyer and professional counsellor.
“Poor Polish skills sometimes result in misunderstanding. Just the other day someone asked me why there are so many police academies in Wrocław. What the speaker meant, however, was policealne schools, or professional colleges, but for some reason he thought they were police schools. The Information Hub helps foreign visitors to find their way around Wrocław. We provide advice on where to find a suitable school or preschool for their children, find out more about what’s on in the city and set up a company,” says Oleg Potokylo. He also adds that the Information Hub also serves those residents of Wrocław who are planning to visit Ukraine and are seeking itineraries or accommodation.
Reuniting the families
Oleg Potokylo knows how to assist foreign residents because he left Kyiv for Wrocław only four months ago. This 38-year-old physicist is also an analytic and a PR specialist. He chose to emigrate for his little seven-year-old son Armin to study at one of the EU universities one day.
“I’ve been successful so far because Armin started his schooling in Wrocław last month. However, his wife and their seven-month-old Paul stayed in Kyiv. I am doing anything I can to reunite with my family in Wrocław,” adds Oleg, who also says he learnt Polish in Ukraine while reading Andrzej Sapkowski’s Wiedźmin [Witcher] in the original.
The Information Hub is a join project from the City of Wrocław and the Foundation Ukraina. The project is funded from the means bequeathed by Mayor Rafał Dutkiewicz to the Foundation Ukraina. The total sum of funding is 50 thousand EUR, which Rafał Dutkiewicz received with the German National Award. The official presentation of the award to Mayor Dutkiewicz was held in June 2017 in Berlin.
Working hours
Information hub for foreign residents in ul Ruska is open in the following hours:
- Monday 10 am – 8 pm
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 12 pm – 3 pm, 5 pm – 8 pm.
- Friday 9 am – 12 pm, 5 pm – 8 pm
For more detailed information please visit the Facebook profile and the website of the Fundacja Ukraina.
