Wojciech Bialek

MA in sociology (University of Szczecin). Experienced and accredited social worker recognized by National Social Work Qualification Board in Ireland. He had been working in Social Welfare Centre in Polkowice in Poland for four years and another two years he spent as a teacher in College of Social Work Studies in Lubin. He lectured in sociological theory and social welfare. For years he has been involved in wide range of local activities such as building The Association of Cultural Initiatives in Chocianow. What is more, he was the one who started and run local group of Polish Association of Social Workers. For the last 3 years he has been working as occupational therapy instructor with autistic adults here in Ireland. Since 2005 he’s been involved in activities towards Polish community in Cork at first as a member and than as a chairman of MyCork Association during 2006/2007. He completed the course of informal counseling at UCC.
In Together he fulfils the function of Main Coordinator and he takes care of administrative and legal issues. On occasions he works in Drop in Centre dealing with our clients.

Monika Gendek

MA in psychology (University of A. Mickiewicz in Poznan). She is experienced in working with children and youths with pathological backgrounds. She led psychoeducational workshops for high school students, university students and parents. She was using Sensory Integration Therapy with working with autistic children and youths, children having ADHD, Down syndrome, emotional disorders and lack of social skills. She completed workshops and trainings using dance, movement, drama and art in therapy.
She is a member of Together since November 2007.
She deals with individual clients, couples and families struggling with parental and interpersonal problems, experiencing stress and helplessness in everyday life. She works under permanent clinical supervision of licensed Gestalt therapists.

Ewa Pilewska

MA in Pedagogy at Slaski University (specialization in social work and care pedagogy). She used to work as an educator in the common room at Primary School and as a therapist at Educational and Rehabilitating Centre for Blind Children. She completed her degree practice working as school pedagogue’s assistant carrying out educational projects. She had been involved in activities such as students practice in Orphanage, Residential House and Educational and Training Centre for Disabled in Poland. Working as a volunteer in Family Help Centre she took part in the project: “Older brother, older sister”. She has been gaining her professional experience in Ireland working first as a Project Worker in Cork Simon Community, than in Residential Project and currently as a Project Worker in Cork Simon Community Day Centre.
In Together she fulfils the function of Secretary. She is also involved in counseling regarding social welfare and upbringing children. She assists with filling in and translating simple formal documents.

Monika Klimaniec

Graduate of Sociology Department at Slaski University in Katowice. MA in Social Work and Social Work Management. She gained her professional experience practicing in institution, local common room for children and Social Welfare Centre in Czechowice Dziedzice. She used to work as an assistant of the elderly and disabled persons in Residential House Piccola Casa di San Giuseppe Benedetto Cottolengo in Turin. She was taking part in dog therapy workshops in Hospice of Sisters of Mercy of St. Borromeo in Cieszyn. She has experience in working with mentally disabled and with people with cerebral palsy which she gained during summer integration camps for disabled children organized by Association of Disabled Children ADA in Bielsko Biala. She was organizing sociotherapeutic workshops and cultural events for children with pathological background. She completed art therapy workshops “Therapy through theatre” and street working “An Approach to Street Work with Marginalized Young People”. She was taking part in organizing conferences and workshops at Slaski University in Katowice.
She is a member of Together since June 2008. She fulfils the function of Treasurer. Involved in English classes for children, social counseling, filling in formal documents and helping clients with dealing with social officers.

Małgorzata Ożóg-Łunkiewicz

She graduated from Baltic Humanistic School in Koszalin, specialization in general pedagogy and care pedagogy. She is competent to carry out ambulatory group therapy for addicts and those who are endangered by addiction. She used to work as a qualified AIDS/HIV educator. She is qualified to work with children, youth and with a group itself. During the period 1990-2006 she was involved in working with Association of Prevention and Therapy ‘Youth for Youth’ – as an initiator, youth leader, volunteer and youth instructor.
Since 1999 she has been working as a pedagogue and therapist. She used to organize educational activities in secondary schools, psychoeducational workshops for juvenile offenders, psychoeducational workshops for youth (“Kobietki” project). She has also experience working as a sociotherapeutical camp leader for young people, organizing concerts, happenings, information campaigns etc. During 1997-2006 she used to work as a pedagogue in School of Music dormitory. She was training instructor for teachers, youth and unemployed.
As a member of Together she is involved in counseling regarding children, youth and AIDS/HIV problems.

Katarzyna Stubba

She is a pedagogue with specialization in rehabilitation. Her professional experience she gained doing her students practice in Orphanage in Tczew and also in Regional Court in Tczew under surveillance of probation officer. She worked as a volunteer in Child Foster Care Centre with children with pathological background and in Cork Simon Community with homeless people. Currently she works with people with mental disability in Cope Foundation in Cork.
As a member of Together she is involved in social counseling and translating simple official documents. She assists with filling in documents and helps our clients when meeting with social officers.

Katarzyna Grodzka

MA in Psychology (Warsaw School of Social Psychology), psychological education specialist and trainer certified by Irish Institute of Training and Development (IITD Certificate in T&D). Experienced in designing and delivering soft skills trainings for youth and children (assertive communication, stress control, interpersonal skills, group work, creative problem solving). She is involved in vocational activisation of adults with autism spectrum disorders.  Privately - devoted fan of arts & crafts.

Member of the Center from November 2008.

Katarzyna Walkowska

Graduate of Personal Development Programme (Institute of Health Psychology in Warsaw), which aimed in (among others) preparation to non-professional help for alcohol addicts. She has completed Training for the Help lines’ Operatives (Polish Association of Telephone Help). Personally experienced by alcoholism she understands as important it is to be supported by other people in the most difficult moments.

She is a member of the Centre from November 2007. She fulfils the function of Deputy of Main Coordinator. She has initiated the Teetotal Meetings and administers the website for the emigrants struggling with the addiction problems. She is the first contact person in the S.O.S. point for the addicts. 

Kamila Karczmarz

MA in Sociology (Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin), a specialist in Animation of Culture and Social Communication. She posses professional pedagogical qualifications.
During her studies she was involved in the miscellaneous socio-cultural initiatives such us Student Festival of the Religious Songs “Żakeria” in Lublin, or the projects of the European House of Meetings – Foudation “Nowy Staw” in Nasutów.
From 2005 to 2006 she was participating in an intercultural exchange programme in the USA, where (among others) she was working as a volunteer in the Montessori School in Enfield, CT. For years she has been involved in working with children and youth as a camp tutor for children from dysfunctional families (Association of Teresa Krass in Lublin) and as a volunteer in a Village Children in Lublin.

She is a member of the Centre since February 2009. She’s been involved in the projects concerning children and creation of the support groups. She eagerly helps in the voting-promotion actions.

Agata Hałas

MA in Clinical Psychology (Silesian University in Katowice). During her studies she was working with children (Rehabilitative & Educational Centre in Pszczyna, school for the deaf children in Biesko-Białą), adults (Silesian Medical Academy’s Clinic of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Non-Public Center of Mental Treatment in Siemianowice Śląskie) and with the elder people (Social Help Centre for People with Chronic Illnesses in Bielsko-Biała).
Providing psychological help to people on the different levels of their development and working as an environmental care are a basis of her practical understanding of different difficult situations and further therapeutic support of others.
In her work she values individual approach to the patient, focusing on improvement of the quality of life by changing the way of thinking and behaving.

She is a member of the Centre since 2009. She offers her involvement, attention and honest will of help in the crisis situations. She helps through the therapeutic conversation, active company, without judgment and criticism. She works under the supervision of the experienced psychologist.

Justyna Mokry

She is a MA in rehabilitation pedagogy (Jagiellonian Univeristy, Cracow). She also has a Bachelor’s Degree in the same faculty (College in Bytom – under the scientific and didactic care of the Silesian University in Katowice). She is also a graduate of the postgraduate studies in prevention and therapy of emotional disorders (Pedagogic Academy in Cracow). She has completed a basic level course in the Video Training of Communication and classes in “Gordon model of educating without defeats at school”. In Ireland she has completed the Irish Red Cross Carers Course.
She got her experience during continuous internships – as an educational psychologist in the primary school, in the Special Educational Centre and in the Environmental Day-Room for Children and Youth in Tychy.

She is a member of the Centre since 2009. She’s been involved in classes of English for children and in a couple of other projects.

Wiesława Nowak

She has a Bachelor’s Degree in English Philology and many years’ experience in teaching English. She has completed the National Vocational School in Tarnów. For 26 years she was working in a primary school, currently she is retired.
She is a teacher accredited by VEC Cork, prepared to teach English in Ireland.

In our Centre she is responsible for delivering classes of English for adults (basic level, Callan and traditional methods) and children (around pre-school age) in Helen Donor’s method.
Privately, as a freelancer, she helps in social and tax problems and in the Centre she provides services for free in our Drop-In Centre.

Marcin Szczerbinski

MA in Psychology (Jagiellonian University, Kraków); PhD in Psychology (University College London). A lecturer at the University of Sheffield (2001-2011) and at the University College Cork (since January 2011). He is interested in psychological development of children, especially language, reading and writing acquisition, and scholastic difficulties. He collaborates with several experts and organisations in Poland, where he is a regular presenter at professional conferences.  A member of the Polish Dyslexia Association. He has also worked as a teacher of English as a Foreign Language, translator and interpreter.

In our Centre, Marcin offers advice concerning children's language and learning difficulties. He also teaches English, and assists with translating and interpreting.