Vocational guidance and multicultural challenges

in Poland

POLANDUniversity of

Lodz

Anna Paszkowska-Rogacz

 Labour market integration of immigrants in Europe - Implications for guidance policy, practice and research 

Thessaloniki,  29-30 September 2011.

Agenda

Situational analysis Consequences Challenges Government’s response Guidance response Publications Resources

Basic information

Area: 312.685 sq. km.

Population: 38.181.000

Capital City: Warsaw

Political system: Republic

Executive authority: President of the Republic of Poland

Currency: Polish zloty (PLN)

Situational analysis

Historical development to current situation

The democratic system has been functioning in Poland since 1989

On 29 July 1989 the Parliament changed the country's name and constitution

The People's Republic of Poland became a thing of the past. The age of the Republic of Poland commenced

Since that time social, economic and political changes began to take place gradually

On 1st May 2004 the EU welcomed 74 million new European Citizens whose right to take up employment freely in any of the Member States undeniable East-West labour migration occurred however at the same time, there was evidence of some West-East

migration too, nevertheless, to a lesser extent

Situational analysis

Historical development of multiculturality

Before 1939 Poland was a big mosaic of different ethnic and religious groups (e.g. Ukrainians, Jews, Byelorussians, Germans, - Polish only 65.5%)

After 1945 Poland was changed into a one of the least differentiated countries in Europe – (minorities only 0.80% of citizens)

Between 1945 – 1989 all migration processes were officially prohibited

Experience of multiculturality - very inherent in Polish society in 1918 – 1939 - has been forgiven

Situational analysis

National and ethnic minorities in Poland in 2002 (305 938 = 0.8%)

Germans – 147 094

Byelorussians – 47 640

Ukrainians – 27 172

Lithuanians – 5 639

Russians – 3 244

Slovaks – 1710

Jews – 1055

Roms 12 731

Lemkos – 5850

Tartars – 447

Czechs – 386

Armenians – 262

Karaites – 43

Kaschubs (regional

language) – 52 655

Situational analysis

Foreigners living in Poland in 2009 (Polish population of 38,2 million)

Numbers of foreigners living in the country are about 45.000 people including 14.800 EU citizens

Foreigners accounted for only 0.1 percent of Poland's population - the lowest percentage in the European Union, according to Eurostat

(14.07.2011) Employed: 12.398 of which

women 3.726

On average in 2009, foreign citizens living in Poland were significantly older than the population of nationals (median age years 42.4 compared with 37.8 years).

Situational analysis

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Liczba osób ubiegających się o nadanie statusu uchodźcy w RP w latach 2001-2010

Foreign citizens applying for refugee status between 2001-2010

Situational analysis

Nationalities applying for refugee status in Poland in 2010

ARMENIA2%

VIETNAM1%

BELARUS1%

OTHERS7%

GEORGIA17%

RUSSIA72%

Situational analysis

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Wnioski o legalizację pobytu złożone przez cudzoziemców w latach 2001-2010

Applications and requests in matters concerning legalisation of the foreigners' stay on the territory of Republic of Poland between 2001-2010

Situational analysis

Residence permits for a long-term EC resident in 2010

Situational analysis

2862

1 825

611 591 541441

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

OTHERS GERMANY ITALY UK FRANCE BULGARIA

Residence permits for a specified period of time in 2010

Situational analysis

14306

8 477

2243 2274 2260

1166

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

OTHERS UKRAINA VIETNAM BELARUS CHINA ARMENIA

Settlement permits in 2010

Situational analysis

795

1 566

630

151118 103

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

OTHERS UKRAINA BELARUS RUSSIA ARMENIA VIETNAM

Work permits in 2010

10304 1075412153

18022

29340

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Situational analysis

Nationalities of employed foreign workers in 2011

Nationality # Nationality #Ukraine 9.504 Nepal 838

China 4.536 Korea 624

Vietnam 2.577 Armenia 619

Belarus 1.669 Moldova 601

Turkey 1.422 Japan 551

India 1.164 Russia 540

Situational analysis

Main sectors in which foreign workers were employed in 2009

Manufacturing (2.739) Education (2.401) Trade; repair of motor vehicles

(1.607) Transportation and storage

(1.105) Professional, scientific and

technical activities (957) Administrative and support

service activities (743) Information and communication

(498)

Financial and insurance activities (473)

Construction (461) Accommodation and catering (458) Human health and social work

activities (317) Arts, entertainment and recreation

(298) Agriculture, forestry and fishing

(86)

BUT……………

Situational analysis

…obstacles to accept work mobility in Poland become evident (1)

General problems of Polish economic transformation e.g. high unemployment rate (11.7% - 07.2011)

Legal/administrative obstacles - the misinformation, the complicated system of work permit applications (where appropriate), the lengthy procedure of applications, the difficulty in the recognition of professional qualification and experiences, the portability of social security rights and health insurance

Situational analysis

Material obstacles - the travel costs, the cost of living in a foreign country (housing problems are very often), the cost of money transfers, weak system of social welfare

Social and psychological obstacles: Polish society is not prepared enough to the debate about

conditions and consequences of contemporary migration processes

Knowledge about mechanisms of mobility and their influence on integration and globalisation is insufficient e.g. difference between immigrants and refugees are not disseminated

Attitudes toward foreigners are still based on stereotypes, attitudes and resentments

Situational analysis

…obstacles (2)

Example – some figures- foreigners in Poland

30% Polish know at least one person from different country (improvement of 5% in last 5 years)

73% Polish accept foreigners on national labour market - 31% without limitations; 42% in special jobs (e.g. construction); 22% is against their employment

At work respondents prefer to make contacts with Polish people then with foreigners; 49% prefer co-workers from Poland; for 45% it is not important; only 4% prefer to work with foreigners

51% prefer Polish as a manager; for 39% respondents it is not important

Situational analysis

Consequences

the possible isolation of the migrant workers from the host community; the feeling of being a foreigner or even worse, a “second class” citizen

the dilemma of the “difficult, dirty and dangerous” jobs, which isolates them even more from the host community

cases exploitation at the workplace, non-respect of individual rights or abuse. (e.g. workers from Ukraine, Vietnam, Belarus, Korea)

Challenges

The reception of migrant workers by a foreign country is first of all a demand-driven phenomenon, whereas migration can not occur unless there are jobs available on the Polish labour market

From the other side

A number of studies and researches pointed out that post-enlargement labour migration has had a positive impact on national production and also on consumption

Examples of government’s response

„Polish social strategy 2007 – 2013 – one of priorities: „social and vocational integration of immigrants” by four tasks:

Implementation of social and vocational integration policy in all public institution

Implementation of anti-dyscrimination policy against xenophobic attitudes towards groups of immigrants

Training of public administration and to prepare them to work with refugees

Developing of the process of creation of elites and empowerment of refugees’ society

Examples of guidance response

Project INTI (2005-2006): „Empowering migrants: Integration through Information and Training of Public Officials and NGOs” (www.migrant.info.pl).

Project ESF (2008): „Migration policy as an element of employment and downsize reduction”

Project EQUAL: (2004-2008) „Intercultural Centre of Vocational Adaptation”

Guidance centre for migrants

Postgraduate study for guidance practitioners

University of Lodz. Postgraduate study for career counsellors – module „Multicultural counselling”

National Centre of Vocational and Permanent Education – short term courses for guidance practitioners (also e-learning)

Publications (1)

Vocational Guidance and Multicultural Challenges

Practical guidelines for practitioners how to work with clients form other cultures

http://www.euroguidance.pl/publikacje/Career.pdf

Publications (2)

Developing Multicultural Competences of Guidance Practitioners

http://www.euroguidance.pl/index.php?id=5

Intercultural Centre

of Vocational Adaptation

Publications (3)

http://www.euroguidance.pl/index.php?id=5

Workshop of Multicultural Competences.

Manual for trainers

Publications (4)

http://www.euroguidance.pl/index.php?id=5

Intercultural Centre of Vocational Guidance

Publications (5)

http://www.euroguidance.pl/index.php?id=5

Resources

http://www.udsc.gov.pl http://www.stat.gov.pl/gus www.mswia.gov.pl http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/

ITY_PUBLIC/3-14072011-BP/EN/3-14072011-BP-EN.PDF

Thank you for your attention

Anna Paszkowska-Rogacz

Institute of Psychology

Department of Occupational Psychology and Career Counsellingul. Smugowa 10/12, 91-433 Lodz Polandphone: +48 426655581fax: +48 426655583e-mail: paszkow@uni.lodz.plhttp://www.psych.uni.lodz.pl