Refugee crisis in Europe and related information chaos aroused various fears and anxieties that may influence the way refugees are approached by persons responsible for their reception. It also highlighted the problems of racism and xenophobia in European societies, including Polish one (see surveys: Mowa nienawiści. Raport z badań sondażowych, 2014, w zw.z: Postrzeganie muzułmanów w Polsce: Raport z badania sondażowego, 2015, Centrum Badań nad Uprzedzeniami UW; Is seeing believing? The relationship between TV consumption and islamophobia in German majority society. Journal of Media Psychology 2015). Public administration workers with whom refugees have contact in new countries have often no experience in work with people from different cultures, and especially from the Middle East. The aim of the project was to prepare different groups to work with refugees and to update and translate guidebooks for refugees. 27 trainings were conducted, mainly in Mazowieckie, Lubelskie and Śląskie voivodeships, covering 463 persons: workers of central and local government administration, uniformed services, schools and other educational establishments, healthcare and NGOs working with refugees. An e-book was prepared and updated, and the publication "Foreigners in Poland. Manual for public officers". Two publications for refugees : "Me in the asylum procedure" and "Refugee status and subsidiary protection in Poland: Next steps" were updated, translated into three languages and made available in printed and e-book versions. As a result of the project, competencies were enhanced of persons preparing to receive refugees in Poland in the field of their familiarity with legal regulations and refugee procedures, and their skills in intercultural contacts and in reacting to prejudices were developed. Reliable information on the presence of refugees in Poland were also presented to them. Participants also deepened their knowledge about Islam.
The publications for foreigners are intended to help them to move around in the Polish realities and overcome fears related to e.g. their lack of knowledge of Polish legal regulations. The publication for public officers is a kind of a guide covering documents, regulations, rights and duties of both parties related to the presence of foreigners in Poland. The project partners implemented all activities related to preparation and organisation of trainings in their voivodeships, and HFPC publicises materials prepared under the project.