Barka

Barka is a charity based in Dublin working to help people experiencing homelessness. It is a part of world Barka network with branches in the UK, Netherlands, Belgium, Iceland, having its roots in Poland. Barka IE as an organization was established in 2011 in response to the increasing number of Central and Eastern European migrants sleeping in the streets of Ireland, suffering from homelessness and substance abuse.
In our migrant support projects, we work in teams of two; a leader and a social assistant. The leader is a person who has a personal experience of homelessness and addiction, that they combated with Barka Network’s educational and community programs. The social assistant is a person who is familiar with the languages that our clients speak and regulations in Ireland and has a formal education (e.g. a degree in social work, psychology, etc.) Together, they work in a team to help individuals reconnect with their families in other countries.