The first half of this year was filled with intergenerational and intercultural activities, but above all, neighborhood activities! As part of the "Local Activity Center Plac Grunwaldzki" project, co-financed by the Municipality of Wrocław, we organized 52 events as part of regular series for the local community, spending a total of 104 hours together!
What have we accomplished as part of the „Local Activity Center Plac Grunwaldzki” project?
From January to June, the Local Activity Center hosted 52 events across three regular cycles. Fifty-five people participated in "Natural Forms of Movement," "Parent Space," and "Memory Training.".
Natural Forms of Movement, free neighborhood workouts with Rafał Czapliński, have gained a loyal following. Under the watchful eye of a trainer, two age groups participated in the classes every Monday and Thursday: 30+ and 50+. Why did we divide the groups based on participant age? We prioritized the comfort of participants and tailored the difficulty level to their physical abilities. As it turned out, the sessions aimed at seniors were the most popular, as they, in conversations with the facilitators, emphasized the lack of such activities in the Plac Grunwaldzki housing estate. Since April, we have been engaging people aged 50+, who, through regular participation, can strengthen their bodies and motor coordination.
At the turn of February and March, psychologist Agnieszka Kozak and I returned to a popular session format. We're talking about "Parent Space." During seven developmental sessions, we addressed issues related to the challenges parents face. We discussed anxiety disorders in children and adolescents, the symptoms and causes of depression, coping with someone on the autism spectrum, and supporting children in challenging situations. In a safe and supportive space, each participant had the opportunity to express their emotions, needs, and thoughts and be heard without judgment or labeling.
From March to June, Grunwald seniors exercised their memory and mental health almost every Wednesday! All thanks to Beata Działa, educator, psychologist, and host of the "Memory Trainings" series. During twelve sessions, participants learned about memory and its types, learned memory techniques, and above all, had a great time. The series was complemented by the "Game Salon in Grunwald" – a Tuesday-long brain exercise featuring board games, logic games, and card games, including bridge, rummy, mahjong, and Scrabble.
In March, at the initiative of residents, a senior citizens' choir was launched at the Plac Grunwaldzki Housing Estate Council. Rehearsals took place every Tuesday in the Plac Grunwaldzki OD NOWA space. Amateur vocalists, under the baton of conductor Marcin Grzywaczewski, sang hits from the past, well-known and beloved pop songs, and also patriotic songs.
Dialogue, partnership and community!
We believe that together we can achieve more. That's why, together with other non-governmental organizations, public institutions, academia, private sector entities, and grassroots social initiatives, we established the local partnership "Nasz Grunwald" at the end of 2020. We are combining our expertise and resources, building a partnership network for knowledge exchange, and supporting each other in difficult times to improve the quality of life in Grunwald. Over the past six months, six meetings were held, during which we addressed initiatives aimed at refugees from Ukraine, the Wrocław City Budget, the Housing Estate Fund, and the Plac Grunwaldzki Housing Estate Festival. Our debates were not in vain! Thanks to the kindness of Pathway, an IT company that provided its office space, we launched a space for our new neighbors called Nauczycielska 8/4 for work, study, and meetings. After several months of observation, we adapted the space to the needs of its users. We abandoned our primary coworking space in favor of free career counseling and psychological support for adults, children, and youth. This year's Plac Grunwaldzki Estate Festival was our greatest achievement. The event's theme was bridges—both literal ones, which serve as gateways to our estate, and metaphorical ones, which we bridge between cultures and traditions. During the two-week celebration, we learned the secrets of the four Grunwald bridges, savored the taste of the iconic cream rolls, polished our feathers by writing original essays, and also cared for the neighborhood swallows by making nests for them. The excitement was endless, especially during the family picnic that concluded the grand celebration of Grunwald Days.
We love fieldwork, and even more so, meetings and discussions with residents. From January to June, we organized three neighborhood meetings. The first focused on the lighting of Irena Sendler Square – a project proposed by the Estate Council as part of the 2021 Community Fund. The meeting, held at the Local Activity Center, was attended by residents and representatives of the entities implementing the project. The second meeting, which focused on the renovation of the sports field in the Ładna-Reja-Grunwaldzka quarter, took place in early March. Its goal was to familiarize ourselves with the sports infrastructure in the neighborhood and assess the needs of residents of Plac Grunwaldzki. In May, we organized a get-to-know-you meeting with residents of Pasteura Street. We wanted to learn about the expectations, but also the challenges faced by the local community. During three extremely fruitful meetings, we not only learned what Grunwald should look like and what you are missing here, but also established contact with local leaders.
During this six-month period, we strengthened our relationship with the Plac Grunwaldzki Estate Council. We discussed current issues and also developed solutions for the development of Grunwald. We supported the councilors in reaching out to residents and informing them about the ongoing public consultations regarding the Estate Fund and the renovation of Szczytnicka Street. And this is certainly not the end – we still have many joint activities ahead of us!
Without you, the Local Activity Center wouldn't exist. We continually strive to respond to your needs and seek new solutions, ensuring that everyone has a place to grow, relax, and connect.
Thank you for the past six months. We're ready for more!
The project "LOCAL ACTIVITY CENTER GRUNWALDZKI SQUARE" is being run by Fundacja Ładne Historie thanks to co-financing from the Municipality of Wrocław.
