PwC Report

The Ładne Historie project is the result of cooperation between the PwC Foundation, the donor, and the Ładne Historie Foundation, the implementer of the activities.

Together we can do more is a leitmotif that is relevant to today's reality, and our joint project is proof of the broadening of perspectives through the participation of non-governmental organizations and capital from business.

During the initial consultation phase, we mutually decided to target project activities at people from Ukraine who have lived in Wrocław since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine and are our neighbors. Since March 2022, Fundacja Ładne Historie has been actively supporting integration and adaptation processes in intercultural communities – locally in the Plac Grunwaldzki housing estate in Wrocław and in Świdnica. In the case of the Wrocław activities, it was crucial to ensure continuity of activities aimed at deepening ties with the Ukrainian community and continuing meetings focused on intercultural education.

Bring about positive change

Transforming the attitudes of trauma survivors is a process that takes time. We are not therapists, but we know that our actions contribute to improving everyday life. How did we do this? We supported integration and functioning in the local community, created conditions for the development of peer relationships, self-organization, self-help, and independence. We ensured an overall improvement in mood and mental and social well-being.

Superheroines and heroes, or who are the participants?

In the educational walks formula, these were mainly Ukrainian children attending Primary School No. 84, Primary School No. 12 and Primary School No. 91, and partially Polish children, which has a positive impact on the process of peer group integration – crucial for improving the well-being and well-being of both children with refugee experience and their schoolmates.

Adult women representing the Ukrainian community are participants in the Women's Circles in Ukrainian.

Three arenas of action

• Women's Circle – courage, encouragement and laughterCircles are a beneficial and therapeutic way to engage in conversation. Above all, a circle teaches you to listen—to yourself and your needs, and to notice emotions. A circle is a place for directness, naturalness, and humor. Meeting in a shared space and sharing with others, we experience a blurring of the illusion of difference. No matter how much we differ, there's even more that unites us. The selected topics for the circle focused on fostering creativity in adults and served as a form of art therapy at the first meeting. The power of each participant's story and narrative, concerning a sense of meaning in the here and now or in the routines of everyday life, was the theme of the second meeting. Free dialogues about what empowers and shapes the present. The circles took place in April and May—a total of 14 women participated. The circle is intended to be an intimate gathering of up to 10 women. The leader has been in constant contact with the participants since November 2022, when we initiated the series, and this group of over twenty women participates in alternating meetings.

• Outdoor education – education in nature for children and youthAn attractive and student-friendly format allowed the teaching and learning process to extend beyond the classroom. After identifying needs through interviews with supervisors, we selected the field trip locations. We decided that perceiving and understanding the role of nature and the environment around us was a crucial and timely topic, and that this was where we would learn more. Naturalist guides became inspirational and mentoring agents in the information gathering process. We also practiced soft skills – collaboration, negotiation, and group resource management. Our first outing took place at Odra Centrum – a meeting point on the water by the Grunwaldzki Bridge. The group learned why and how to care for rivers. We also took a short trip along the Oława River. We observed nature in the city and considered our relationships with the surrounding nature and the river, and how much we know about it; our knowledge of nature literally surrounds us on every side. Participants learned, among other things, about: What functions did rivers play in the past and present? Why does a city need wind? What is water retention? Why do curbs hinder plants? And how much water do we have for Wrocław? The University of Wrocław Botanical Garden is a second safe space and three beautiful, sustainable adventures. An enchanted world in the middle of the city. An educational lesson in such a place is a true respite for any mind. The guide from the Botanical Garden prepared a small plant atlas, which the children completed during the tour. Everyone found their namesake plant – one starting with the first letter of the child's name. We experienced a frenzy of colors and cactus thorns, and touched the bark of trees. Such places are worth returning to, especially with the invaluable help of PwC volunteers. The teaching staff expressed their deep gratitude for the opportunity to participate in the trips: "Thank you very much for organizing interesting activities in the Botanical Garden – the children enjoyed them. The guide led the activities well. Please thank the volunteers, especially the lady responsible for organizational matters – everything was carried out well and efficiently. I wish you continued success – perhaps we will be able to collaborate again on another project." We observed how these types of outings demonstrate the need for respite for class teachers and emphasized the valuable role they play in adapting Ukrainian to the current environment. A total of 78 children and 8 teaching staff participated.

• A trusted person – Intercultural assistantTatiana Kit has lived in Wrocław since 2018 and speaks the language and culture of the community arriving from across the eastern border. She holds a degree in International Relations from the University of Wrocław. After graduating, she was determined to find work in non-governmental organizations (or, if not work, then volunteer), as this was her area of interest during her studies. She has been developing her intercultural competences by collaborating with the Foundation since June 2022. Tatiana listens to those in refugee crisis and maintains regular contact with the Ukrainian-speaking recipients of our initiatives. She significantly increases their comfort during their first months or weeks in Poland by serving as a trusted contact. Tatiana oversaw the educational and integration space for children at 8/4 Nauczycielska Street, where we conduct remedial classes for Ukrainian children, and was the first point of contact in the program for Ukrainian children living in the Sezam Assistant House. Many of her hours are spent talking with parents and guardians, identifying new needs, and trying to find solutions. Interpreting in all forms, including simultaneous interpretation, and assistance in completing various official documents are also important.

Socially responsible employer – employee volunteering

We would like to thank PwC coordinator Julianna Śpiączka and all PwC employees who expressed interest, volunteered, and participated in our activities for their participation in the project. We are grateful to Olga, Monika, Natalia, Agnieszka, Adam, and Kasia for dedicating your time and assisting the groups during the trips. We thank you for your openness and for contributing to a friendly atmosphere. We hope we have encouraged you to participate again, and we warmly invite you to join us in our initiatives.

Krzysztof Bielaszka and Katarzyna Pela from the Ładne Historie Foundation supervised the implementation of the financial and substantive assumptions in accordance with the budget planned and agreed upon by the parties.

Design data

About the Nice Stories Foundation:
Fundacja Ładne Historie operates in Lower Silesia. We work in the areas of culture, education, animation, and accessibility. We deliver original programs for children and youth ("Summer in the Backyard" in Świdnica and "Children and Youth Development and Activity Center" in Wrocław), creative workshops, and inspiring meetings for adults and seniors (Plac Grunwaldzki OD NOWA in Wrocław).

A key area of our work is the accessibility of culture and tourism for people with disabilities and their families ("The Mountains Connect Us"). We create programs in the areas of respite care and social tourism, encompassing not only people with disabilities but, above all, their families. Intercultural activities are also crucial to our work on behalf of local communities, especially today.

We believe in the idea of neighborhood as a bond and link for mutual relationships, and we actively embody it, whether through backyard activities in Świdnica or by running the Local Activity Center in the Grunwaldzki Square housing estate in Wrocław. We inspire collaboration, foster creativity, and encourage creation, teach mutual respect and empathy, mobilize local communities, and create an ever-growing group of people who want to make a difference.