ASSOCIATION GROWTH RESEARCH UNIT From Fringes to the

ASSOCIATION „GROWTH RESEARCH UNIT” From Fringes to the Center of Society Entrepreneurial Women for Sustainable Economic Security YOUNG PEOPLE’S PROFILE BOJSZOWY Feasibility Visit, September 26 th – 28 th, 2013

ASSOCIATION „GROWTH RESEARCH UNIT” WHO ARE WE? Kinga, 22 Wojtek, 22 Study: Promotion of Health, B. Sc Study: Spatial Economics, B. Sc Work: Pharmacy, sales assistant Work: Summer job at Camp Leaders Programme, USA Natalia, Work: internship at Criminal Department at Police station

ASSOCIATION „GROWTH RESEARCH UNIT” WE LIVE IN BOJSZOWY… …a small village, next to the towns of Pszczyna and Tychy …there about 7000 inhabitants, more people move here because they want to escape the noise of big cities, and live not far away from the center of cities. …there are farm fields and is surrounded by wild forests. This is good place to do many activities because right behind primary school there are sports fields for football, tennis, basketball and sprint path. Click here to see pictures from Bojszowy

ASSOCIATION „GROWTH RESEARCH UNIT” BOJSZOWY as a place of WORK: My home village is not big enough to guarantee work in all professions, this is why most people choose to work in the nearby towns. Most of the people living in Bojszowy work in nearby companies, such as FIAT and coalmines. Another group of people work as farmers, but there are less and less of them because this is not a profitable occupation. Other group are pensioners. Still, the village is growing and new people move in, new institutions come up, shops, hairdressers, and this is why there are more places to work.

ASSOCIATION „GROWTH RESEARCH UNIT” BOJSZOWY as a place of BUSINESS: There is no industry in Bojszowy, the most important part of economy is agriculture, crafts, trade and services. Most business in Bojszowy are private (97%) and are usually small and miro businesses (83%). There are 405 businesses registered and 133 belong to women. The most popular business sectors of women in Bojszowy are: 1. Retail sales (food, clothes, cosmetics, internet sales) 2. Food services, catering 3. Tax counseling, business counseling and insurance 4. Accounting services 5. Hairdressers and cosmetic services 6. Tailor’s services 7. Plant nurseries 8. Medical, nurses and midwife practice 9. Translations; home teaching 10. Cleaning

ASSOCIATION „GROWTH RESEARCH UNIT” OUR FAMILIES: I live with my grandmother (retired), father (retired - used to work in the coalmines), my mother (works as a cleaner in a pharmacy) and a sister (studies at technical high school: landscape architecture. I live with my parents. My mother works as a midwife in hospital. My father runs his own business producing materials and plastics. have one sister who lives with her family in Tychy. I live with my family. I have five sisters. The oldest sister is married, the other one is living in France and three sisters are triplets and they are still learning at school. My mother works in pharmacy and my father has his own company.

ASSOCIATION „GROWTH RESEARCH UNIT” OUR LIVES: I study on weekend days „health promotion” and during the week I work in a pharmacy. My main duties include internet sales of cosmetics and medicinal products. I give information and prepare the packing of orders. I do my internship at secretary office of the Police Criminal Department. I can say that this is my dream job and I would like to continue if there is such opportunity. I never thought before that it could be so interesting. However, I think that the salaries there are too low if you compare to the responsibility of people working there. I study Spatial Economy at the University of Economics in Katowice because I would like to work in real estate agency. I think in this field I could find work in the place where I live , but i think about looking for permanent job abroad in the future.

ASSOCIATION „GROWTH RESEARCH UNIT” COMMUTING TO SCHOOL AND WORK: To get to work I take a bus or a bicycle if the weather is fine. By bike it takes about 20 minutes, as I work in the nearby town. To get to school I go by car to school because during weekends there are very few buses. My university is in big city far away from me and it’s not very close to my home. I have to commute by 2 buses and journey to my university takes me even 2 hours.

ASSOCIATION „GROWTH RESEARCH UNIT” DIFFICULTIES: The difficulties to start studying were the tuition costs and the cost of traveling to school. About looking for work - the small number of work places, not having enough qualifications. I don’t work now, but I have a lot of experience, my last job was in USA. It was job for students from Camp Leaders Programme, I was working at summer camp doing many jobs, but I wasn’t happy about salary. It was similar like in Poland. When I was looking for job in Poland it was difficult to find it for me studying and without high qualifications. There are many people looking for job in my area and the time when you find one depends on your qualifications and experience.

ASSOCIATION „GROWTH RESEARCH UNIT” Difficulties: Most of my friends work in clothes shops, pubs, as sales representatives and telemarketers. It’s very hard to find a good job, because in our age we don’t have experience and skills that we did not have a possibility to get because we are too young. Looking for job is frustrating, especially waiting if someone calls you back. Job offers are directed mostly for men and physical workers. Not many offers meet my and my friend’s expectations. Salaries in Poland are low and young people cannot afford many things that they would like to do: travel, go to the cinema, listen to good music.

ASSOCIATION „GROWTH RESEARCH UNIT” OUR PLANS AND DREAMS: I plan to start my Master degree studies. When I graduate, I will be able to find a better paid work, or to take additional work in a similar field, like in a health center. For sure finding a job will be easier with this degree, because previously I finished post-high school courses (pharmacy). I can honestly say that my current work at Police secretary is something I would like to develop at and continue in the future. I would like to work in real estate agency. I think in this field I could find work in the place where I live but i think about looking for permanent job abroad in the future.

ASSOCIATION „GROWTH RESEARCH UNIT” ENTREPRENEURSHIP MEANS… It is about organization and thinking (thinking through, preparing, planning), about doing something that pays back, what gives advantage. Entrepreneur – someone who can take advantage of any situation and easily takes decisions, with courage, easily adjusts to new conditions, uses well opportunities. My father runs his own business too. Entrepreneurship means for me to think prospective about the future how to set up and lead business. My father runs his own business. He set up company offering bathrooms

ASSOCIATION „GROWTH RESEARCH UNIT” SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MEANS… Sustainable development for me are sustainable relations between economic growth and ecologic care. The idea is to create a harmony and the example in my area of sustainable development is that some people save energy using solar cells to warm swimming pools.

ASSOCIATION „GROWTH RESEARCH UNIT” ENTREPRENEURIAL WOMEN THAT WE KNOW… My friend is an owner of a grocery shop. It used to belong to her grandmother and to her mother. Now she runs it, of course under her mother’s supervision. My boss is also a woman who owns a chain of pharmacies, she takes care of it together with her husband but she is the main decision maker. My mother’s hairdresser is also a woman and she runs her own hairdresser salon. I think in Poland every woman can run her own business, she only has to feel good about leading it, be well organized and have knowledge about this business.

ASSOCIATION „GROWTH RESEARCH UNIT” ME AS ENTREPRENEUR…? ? ? I would like to run my own herbal shop, because then you can earn by yourself your own living and take care of everything by yourself. I would like to run my own spa with hotel. It is a big risk and a lot of money, but if I could obtain grant from European Union or win the lottery I would like to try. I like when there is a lot going on! I like to be independent and I think about running my own business in the future, but I would like to work first as real estate agent to get experience and basic knowledge in my field.

ASSOCIATION „GROWTH RESEARCH UNIT” ME AND OTHER CULTURES… I never participated in school exchanges but I had occasions to spend time with colleagues from other countries. Also, while traveling on summer vacations abroad I could meet other people. I would like to meet colleagues from Israel and from Roma community to share experiences and make new friendships. I have small experience in meeting people from other countries, but a lot of my friends know people from abroad and keep in contact for years, so if I had a chance I would like to meet other people, too. I would like to know their customs, visit new places, get to know the food, music, art. . If I opened the spa I would offer maybe Indian food, or offer Ayurveda treatments. It’s important to be tolerant, and open to learn about the culture. I like to meet new people from another cultures it’s always exciting to see how other people live. I’ve already met Jewish people in USA and many of them i like. I don’t know anyone from the Roma community in Poland yet but I’m willing to meet.

ASSOCIATION „GROWTH RESEARCH UNIT” When YOU come to Poland… If you want to know more about Bojszowy, it would be best to talk with older people who remember how it used to be. And with people who run here their businesses, who can tell you how it is now. You have to visit: Kraków - city with unique architecture, Zakopane with the highest mountains in Poland - the closest to my place Dream Park in Ochaby with the only one in Europe Prehistoric Aquarium. We would like to invite you to Bojszowy, to share with you our culture, nature and the way we live! CLICK HERE FOR VIRTUAL TOUR!!!