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 26th – 28th, 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 are 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 and - 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!!!