“The homeless and the unemployed. Unnoticeable people, living somewhere outside  normal life. Specific transparent figures towards other people. They exist though it seems they do not…”
It is a verbal description of the situation presented by participants of the “Back on Track” project, being a commentary on the photographs taken by Wieslaw Jurewicz.
Exhibition opened on 15 May in the Wroclaw Plac Solny presents the homeless and people facing homelessness as well as their guides on the way to a normal life - their accompanying persons.  The exhibition is also to promote this method of social insertion.
Photographs present warm and direct relations between unemployed people and their accompanying persons that are one of the sources of method effectiveness.
The exhibition will last until 29 May. Photos can also be seen at the project website.

The Slupsk Circle has the website: www.albert.slupsk.net At present, 16 Circles of the Society out of 62 has their websites – addresses in the Links section.

The Gorzow Circle of our Society celebrates the 20th anniversary of its activity. It has prepared many interesting events in connection with it. The first one was the yesterday opening of Daniel Adamski’s photo exhibition in Mala Galeria GFT, presenting occupants of the St. Brother Albert’s House. The program of events can be found at the Circle’s website.

Pomorskie Forum na Rzecz Wychodzenia z Bezdomnosci (Pomeranian Forum in Aid of Getting Out of Homelessness) has published two special issues of the „Pomost” magazine, dedicated to homelessness:

• “ Homelessness With No Fear” 2006
• “Homelessness and Health” compendium

The circle of our Society in Zgorzelec (Lower Silesian Voivodship) has just created its website www.bratalbertzgorzelec.neostrada.pl Now, 15 out of 62 Society circles have their websites; addresses are in the Links section.

This name refers to the action of raising funds for the activity of our Society, organized by the “Blizniemu Swemu…” Foundation. Entering www.okruszek.org.pl and clicking on the photo of bread, you can support us thanks to donations of companies that advertise themselves this way. We encourage you to a regular visit at this site.

A website www.bezdomnosc.edu.pl has been created to disseminate knowledge and experience of researchers and organizations working for the homeless. It presents reports on Polish and European research concerning homelessness and housing exclusion, and, among other things, the ones of the FEANTSA European Observatory of Homelessness.

From February 2007 to May 2008, Caritas of the Kielce Diocese organizes a series of training courses and postgraduate studies for people working in non-governmental organizations. The main purpose of the project is to improve services provided to the unemployed. It is therefore recommended that people who are to participate in the courses or organizations deciding about it, deal with helping the unemployed. It may be a direct help, e.g. career counseling or professional insertion, or indirect one, e.g. short-term support for people without job.
Trainings are free of charge just like accommodation and meals; the participants only have to cover travelling costs.
For more information see the website of the Caritas Kielce.

Publication is a result of a research project of 16 students of the last year of pedagogy at Akademia Swietokrzyska in Kielce, realized under the direction of Father Prof. Jan Sledzianowski.
Research was conducted in January 2006 in 39 shelters of the  St. Brother Albert’s Aid Society in 13 voivodeships. It included 142 women and 1385 men. A diagnostic survey and an anonymous questionnaire, filled in by homeless people were used. Apart from health issues, the research included a detailed profile of respondents: demographic information, family ties, duration of the period of homelessness and its cause.
Father Jan Sledzianowski, “Zdrowie bezdomnych” (“Health of homeless people”), Kielce 2006, p.227.
The book was published and distributed by Zarzad Glowny (Main Board) Towarzystwa Pomocy im. sw. Brata Alberta.

On 28 December 2006, the President signed the Law on financial support of creating communal flats, protected flats, night shelters and houses for the homeless. On the basis of this the communes, intercommunal unions, poviats and public benefit organizations will be able to obtain support in the amount of 20, 30 or 40 % of costs connected with creation of the mentioned flats and institutions.
Public benefit organizations may get support for creation of protected flats, night shelters and houses for the homeless. Such support cannot be obtained in case of undertakings started before signing a suitable agreement with Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego. Applications will be received twice a year. The law will take effect 14 days after being issued. The text can be found at the Ministry of Construction’s website. Directives concerning the mode, application submission dates, specimen application forms, assessment criteria, etc. should also be issued.