Our Approach
Barka`s Approach
Our primary goal is to stabilise and integrate the people we support, helping them regain control over their lives. We aim not only to provide temporary accommodation but also to empower individuals to reintegrate into society, whether through employment, education, or the development of social connections.
Encouraging the acceptance of therapeutic support plays a central role in this process, addressing issues such as addiction and mental health conditions. For those with health insurance in Germany, we assist in finding suitable therapy in their native language. In all cases, our focus is on sustainable solutions that bring about lasting change.
A key factor in our success is the role of “Barka Leaders” – individuals who have themselves overcome homelessness and addiction and now support others. They work closely with professionals, engage in street outreach, and facilitate self-help groups.
The approach focuses on meeting people in precarious situations affected by addiction and neglect without judgment, offering them the possibility of change.
Barka operates in accordance with the nationwide professional standards for street work and mobile youth services (PDF).
Bundesweiten Fachstandards für Streetwork und Mobile Jugendarbeit (PDF).
Addiction Counselling
Our street worker, a trained addiction counsellor, offers one-to-one sessions. Counselling is available in Polish, German, and English, and is provided in a mobile, culturally sensitive, and confidential manner.
Our services are free for everyone. Priority is given to individuals without health insurance, as they often have no other options. The support includes low-threshold initial consultations, personalised guidance, and referral to further assistance such as detoxification and therapy.
In addition to counselling, a Barka social worker provides support with social and legal matters, for example, helping clients claim entitled benefits. The overall aim is to improve the quality of life for those affected and promote social integration.
Self-Help Groups
The self-help groups draw on Barka’s many years of experience with peer support formats in Poland, England, and the Netherlands. The groups meet weekly in Polish. Led by a peer expert, the sessions provide a safe space for sharing and mutual support, with anonymity and respect forming the foundation of the group work.
Promoting independent living is at the heart of Barka’s approach. Our team supports and guides participants in building a life free from alcohol, drugs, or medication. Interaction with others who have faced similar challenges strengthens the sense of community and provides additional motivation.
Barka’s approach to self-help groups can be summarised as follows: people struggling with addiction are often highly motivated to live a sober life, but relapses are common.
Our target group faces significantly greater challenges in addressing their addiction sustainably due to the additional difficulties of homelessness or housing insecurity. Therefore, unlike many other self-help groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), we adopt a more flexible approach toward participants who experience relapses.
In our groups, community and mutual support are the primary focus. At the same time, we ensure the protection of sober participants by maintaining a consistently substance-free environment during sessions.
Group leaders carefully assess each individual situation to strike an appropriate balance between openness and safety.