Barka e. V. – Street Outreach Work for EU Citizens Experiencing Homelessness in Berlin
If you are facing homelessness, addiction, or other social challenges – we are here for you!
Barka e. V. supports homeless and vulnerable EU citizens who are facing a wide range of difficulties in Berlin. Many people in our target group have only limited access to existing support services. Contact with us is voluntary, and our counselling is always free of charge and confidential – available in German, Polish and English.
Project Launch: Barka’s One-Stop Shop
Who We Are
The Roots of Barka
Barka e. V. traces its roots back to the Barka Foundation for Mutual Aid, founded in 1989 in Poland by the psychologists Barbara Sadowska and Tomasz Sadowski.
A defining moment came in 1989, when the Sadowski family moved with their small children into an abandoned school building to offer a home to people who had been hit hardest by the political and social transformation of that time. What emerged was a community where people with mental health challenges found a place alongside those who were unemployed, homeless, or formerly incarcerated.
This laid the foundation for the Polish Barka Foundation and its unique approach. Today, Barka is a global network with projects in nine European countries as well as in Canada and on the African continent. The original community in the abandoned school in Władysławowo still exists today.
The Foundation continues to pursue its mission of supporting homeless and vulnerable people and accompanying them on their path toward a self-determined life—always with dignity, trust, respect, and in community with others.
Barka e. V. – Outreach Street Social Work for Homeless and Housing-Insecure People from Other EU Countries
Across Germany, the number of people experiencing involuntary homelessness is steadily increasing – including many EU citizens.
Access to regular support systems is often hindered by language barriers or legal obstacles, such as the requirement to prove several years of social security contributions or lack of health insurance coverage.
In addition, discrimination, as well as physical and mental health issues—particularly addiction and/or trauma—further complicate social integration.
Barka e.V. is a new provider in Berlin, but it draws on over 35 years of experience and professional expertise from the Polish Barka Foundation for Mutual Assistance—particularly in the successful social reintegration of people. This knowledge is continuously incorporated into the development of our approaches.
We offer:
- Social and referral advice
- Referral to emergency accommodation
- Guidance within the support system
- Assistance with job and housing searches
- Referral and support for appointments with offices, authorities, and other institutions
- Self-help groups and addiction counselling
- Referral to addiction and health programmes
How Our Work Is Made Possible
Until now, Barka e.V. has been financed through the own resources of Barka Netherlands and Barka UK.
From October 2025, we are expanding our work as part of the “One-Stop-Shop” initiative, made possible by funding from the Deutsches Hilfswerk Foundation and the Hermann Reemtsma Foundation.
Thanks to this support, we can provide direct, outreach-based assistance for the social and professional reintegration of people in Berlin.
For more information, see Transparenz (DE).
FUNDING PROVIDERS
Memberships
Barka e.V. is a member of the Paritätischer Wohlfahrtsverband Berlin (Berlin Association of Independent Welfare Organisations).
