Are you a frontline professional in the emergency services working with diverse communities in Birmingham? This free online cultural intelligence training is specifically designed to help police officers, ambulance staff, firefighters, call handlers, and community safety workers better understand and engage with the Polish community—one of the largest migrant populations in the West Midlands.
Centrala is a migrant-led organisation actively working to reduce health inequalities among Polish and Central Eastern European communities in Birmingham. We have recently launched a report titled “Central and Eastern European Communities in Birmingham and Mental Health Support,” highlighting barriers to accessing help, stigma around mental health, and communication challenges that impact engagement with public services.
This training will offer practical insights into Polish cultural norms, communication styles, family dynamics, and perceptions of authority. You’ll learn how to respond more effectively in high-pressure situations, avoid misunderstandings, and build trust with Polish individuals and families—particularly in complex or sensitive contexts such as domestic abuse, mental health crises, or safeguarding situations.
The session is ideal for anyone working in emergency response, neighbourhood policing, public safety, safeguarding, or community outreach who wants to strengthen their cultural awareness and improve outcomes when working with Polish communities.
This training will be held online via Zoom. A link to join the session will be sent to all registered participants on the day of the training. Please ensure your email address is correct when registering.
About Facilitator:
Alicja Kaczmarek is the Founder and Director of Centrala Space and the Polish Expats Association, a pioneering non-profit organisation established in 2009 to support the integration of Central and Eastern European (CEE) migrant communities in the UK and to promote CEE arts and culture.
With a background in Sociology from Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland, Alicja holds an MA in Social Policy from the University of Birmingham and a Postgraduate Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy from Coventry University. Since relocating to Birmingham in 2004, she has become a leading voice in community development, migrant integration, inclusive project design, and research-led cultural programming.
Alicja brings a wealth of experience in designing and delivering impactful local and international initiatives. Her portfolio includes innovative projects such as Art and Brexit – International Collaborations, In-Between Spaces: Inclusion and Representation of CEE Artists in the UK Creative Economy, and Testimony in Practice: Working with Stories of the Self and Others. Her work is rooted in a deep commitment to equity, representation, and the empowerment of migrant voices through arts, culture, and policy engagement.
Funded by Birmingham City Council Public Health