CROSSING PROTECT: Training Event in Poland

Between 18 and 21 May, the Crossing Protect consortium gathered in Olsztyn, Poland, for a training event focused on learning about existing regional support services and reviewing the progress of the project’s Working Groups (WG). The meeting aimed to finalise the tools currently under development as part of the project, which focuses on enhancing collaboration between Restorative Justice (RJ) and Victim Support (VS) services. The event was hosted by the Association for Supporting Activities for Persons Needing Help (DROGA), a victim support organisation and member of the VSE network. 

The programme opened with a visit to the ARKA Association, a local NGO providing psychosocial support, crisis intervention, and community‑based assistance to vulnerable individuals and families. ARKA primarily works with children aged 4 to 18 and is part of a national network that has 13 centres across the country. Its model is inspired by the Barnahus approach and relies on a multidisciplinary, coordinated framework that brings services together to ensure victim‑centred, trauma‑informed support while reducing the risk of re‑traumatisation. 

In the afternoon, partners presented the main outcomes of their Working Groups and discussed the next steps for finalising the project tools. 

• WG1, led by WAAGE Hannover e.V., is developing a common model for Restorative Justice and Victim Support training activities. 
• WG2, led by APAV, is creating a training toolkit to assess victims’ needs and risks prior to cross‑sectoral referral for victims of Violence Against Women (VAW). 
• WG3, led by VSE, is preparing comprehensive referral guidelines outlining the steps required to implement an effective and sustainable referral mechanism between VS and RJ services. 

On 20 May, several organisations and experts presented their work and provided an overview of the support system for victims of Domestic Violence (DV) and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in Poland. 

• Prof. Monika Kotowska (DROGA) discussed the legal framework of victim support services. 
• Agata Potkaj (DROGA) addressed the psychological aspects of victim support. 
• Krzysztof Rubas (DROGA) presented his work with perpetrators of IPV. 
• Iwona Zawierucha (Local Welfare Centre in Olsztynek) introduced local DV prevention programmes. 
• Insp. Jolanta Sorkowicz and Insp. Izabela Cyganiuk (Regional Police Headquarters in Olsztyn) explained the practical implementation of the Blue Card procedure. 

The day concluded with a visit to a Specialised Support Centre for Victims of Domestic Violence, which offers a range of services, including safe accommodation. The centre hosts victims for extended periods – typically between one and twelve months – and provides emergency rooms for individuals in immediate need of short‑term shelter. 

The event wrapped up on 21 May with an exercise based on a case study designed to test the tools currently being developed by APAV, which was useful to identify strengths and remaining gaps to be addressed in the coming months. The study visit concluded with an academic panel featuring Prof. Monika Kotowska, Agata Potkaj, Krzysztof Rubas, Dr. Beata Czarnecka‑Działuk, Janusz Kaźmierczak, and Honorata Czajkowska, moderated by Dr. Anna Matczak. 

The Crossing Protect project will come to an end this year with a final conference in Siracusa, Italy in November. To learn more about the project, please visit its website.