In the autumn of 2025, Spilno Hub Katowice became a key point of reference in the debate on equality, social inclusion and responsible public policy.
In collaboration with the Silesian Provincial Office in Katowice, we organised two expert seminars under the joint title „Equality in practice: social inclusion and local policies”, which brought together representatives of the public administration at two meetings on 22 October and 6 November.
These meetings were more than just a series of training sessions. They became a forum for dialogue, the exchange of experiences and joint reflection on how to effectively translate the values of equality and social inclusion into specific administrative decisions and systemic solutions. Their main aim was to showcase the results and best practices developed by Spilno Hub Katowice and to initiate a meaningful discussion on incorporating this model into local and regional social inclusion policies.
The first seminar, which took place 22 October 2025., brought together 23 representatives of the public administration. The six-hour meeting took the form of a workshop and discussion. The starting point was a review of the activities and outcomes of Spilno Hub Katowice – a concrete, local response to the needs of people with experience of migration and refugee status. The seminars were opened by Ms Patrycja Pędzik – the Silesian Voivode’s Representative for Equal Treatment.
The discussions focused on good practices in integration, anti-discrimination measures and social policies promoting equality. Another key element was the anti-discrimination training, which enabled participants to examine their own institutions from the perspective of equal treatment, identify mechanisms of institutional discrimination and discuss practical ways of counteracting them. During the workshop sessions, initial recommendations were drawn up regarding the incorporation of the Spilno model into local programmes, and the need for broader, systemic measures at the provincial level was highlighted.
The second seminar, organised 6 November 2025., was more of an intimate, expert-led event. The following took part: 11 representatives of the public administration from the Silesian Voivodeship, mainly from Katowice, and from social welfare organisations. The meeting combined an in-depth analysis of integration challenges with anti-discrimination workshops. Discussions centred on the practical barriers to implementing integrated social policies, responding to instances of unequal treatment within institutional settings, and how the Spilno model can strengthen integration and anti-discrimination programmes.
Another key theme of the discussions was the need to continuously improve the administration’s expertise in the areas of equality, cultural diversity and working with groups at risk of exclusion.
Both matches confirmed that An effective platform for cooperation between the social sector and public administration is useful for developing support in this area. The seminars helped to raise awareness within the administration, strengthen relations between institutions and initiate an ongoing dialogue on systemic solutions in the field of social integration.
The recommendations developed jointly and the partnerships established represent an important step towards the institutional integration of the Spilno model into municipal and regional integration strategies. This proves that local experience, based on day-to-day work with people and their real needs, can effectively shape public policy – building more cohesive, equitable and resilient communities.
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A project co-funded by UNICEF