Friendly School – a government programme for equalising educational opportunities for children and young people (2025–2027)__

Project description

The “Friendly School” project is part of a nationwide programme supporting schools attended by children and young people from Ukraine. It involves comprehensive actions addressed to entire school communities, including all children attending a given school regardless of their background, as well as teachers, parents and guardians.

The programme responds to the challenges faced by schools operating in culturally and linguistically diverse environments, focusing on the everyday functioning of schools, peer relationships and the wellbeing of all members of the school community. Particular attention is given to students with a migration or refugee background, while at the same time strengthening cooperation, competencies and the sense of safety across the entire school community.

Target group

The “Friendly School” programme is addressed to schools and individuals who together shape everyday school life. The support covers:

• schools attended by students from Ukraine who meet the Programme’s eligibility criteria,
• children and young people with a migration or refugee background, including those from countries other than Ukraine,
• Polish students attending the same schools,
• parents and guardians,
• teachers and education system staff.

Programme objective

The main objective of the Programme is to support schools attended by students from Ukraine by creating conditions in which entire school communities feel safe, and children and young people can build positive peer relationships and develop their knowledge, skills and competencies.

Scope of support

The “Friendly School” programme consists of three complementary support modules addressing the needs of students, parents and education system staff in schools operating in culturally diverse environments.

Expected project outcomes

The implementation of the “Friendly School” project will contribute to strengthening wellbeing, the sense of safety and integration of entire school communities operating in culturally diverse environments. Schools will receive support tailored to their individual needs, potential and the specific nature of working with students with a migration or refugee background.

School students, particularly those with migration experience, will receive effective adaptation-related and psychological-pedagogical support, leading to better functioning in the school environment, the development of social competencies and the equalisation of educational opportunities. Increased integration within class groups will reduce stress levels among new students and create a more open and friendly environment conducive to learning and cooperation.

Thanks to activities addressed to parents, communication barriers between schools and families will be reduced, and strengthened cooperation will translate into coherent and stable support for students as well as a greater sense of safety for children and young people.

Teaching staff and intercultural assistants will enhance their competencies in working with diversity and gain a safe space to discuss professional challenges and develop practical solutions. Regular supervision and training will increase staff psychological resilience, improve coordination within school teams and reduce the risk of burnout, strengthening the sustainability of project outcomes.

• Total value of support: PLN 499,903,491.80
• Contribution of European funds: PLN 412,513,516.80
• Implementation budget in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship: PLN 11,025,950

Our activities within the project

Foundation Ukraine implements activities under Module 2: “School Community Wellbeing” of the “Friendly School” programme in partnership with:

• Dom Pokoju Foundation – https://www.dompokoju.org/,  5/1 Wł. Łokietka St., 50-243 Wrocław,
• Centre for Civic Education Foundation – https://ceo.org.pl/, 10 Noakowskiego St., 00-666 Warsaw.

The activities provide comprehensive support to approximately 200 schools in Lower Silesia in the area of equalising educational opportunities, with particular attention to the needs of students from Ukraine. At the same time, the project is addressed to entire school communities – students, parents and education system staff.

How do we work with schools?

Each school participating in the project undergoes a needs assessment process, allowing us to understand its specific context, challenges and resources. In 160 schools, this assessment is in-depth and carried out by research teams. On this basis, schools receive tailored support packages that respond to their actual needs.

Support is provided both on-site and online, with full language accessibility in Polish and Ukrainian.

Scope of support

For school students:

• specialist psychological support in Ukrainian – 700 hours of support for 200 individuals,
• specialist consultations (psychological, psychiatric, psychotherapeutic, speech therapy) – 1,400 hours,
• career guidance and support in planning educational and professional pathways – 700 hours of individual consultations and 140 group meetings,
• classroom workshops in the field of MHPSS (Mental Health and Psychosocial Support) – 630 workshops.

For parents and guardians:

• information meetings on supporting children and school functioning – 150 meetings,
• experience-sharing groups for parents – 420 meetings,
• individual consultations (including psychologists, a psychiatrist, a psychotherapist and assistants) – 700 hours,
• Polish language classes for parents with a migration or refugee background – 980 workshops.

For education system staff:

• individual analysis of the needs, challenges and resources of school communities – 160 schools,
• supervision for school staff and intercultural assistants – 390 hours,
• support in conflict management and prevention of peer violence – 360 hours,
• counselling on student integration – 63 group meetings and 3,780 hours of individual consultations,
• support in identifying children’s individual needs – 375 hours,
• psychological, psychiatric and psychotherapeutic consultations for staff – 840 hours.

How to join the programme

Schools interested in participating in the “Friendly School” programme are invited to join the project. The application form should be completed by the school principal or a person authorised by them:
👉 https://forms.gle/Mdw13s6JbFjmhFC67

After submitting the form, we will contact you to jointly select the most appropriate forms of support for your school community.

At the same time, we invite psychologists and career counsellors who wish to engage in the implementation of project activities to cooperate with us. We are looking for specialists working with children and adults who are proficient in Polish and Ukrainian.Current cooperation opportunities are available in the “Job offers” section:
👉 https://fundacjaukraina.eu/zapytania-ofertowe/

The government programme for equalising educational opportunities for children and young people “Friendly School” for 2025–2027 is co-financed by the European Social Fund Plus under the European Funds for Social Development Programme 2021–2027, Action 04.17 “School for All”, as well as from the state budget.