Post by Focus on Jun 14, 2013 17:15:16 GMT
* Three-minute Polish-language film warns of dangers of moving to UK
* Urges immigrants to secure a legal job, home and £600 back up plan
* Shows story of out-of-work builder set on fire while sleeping rough
* Video funded by UK and Polish governments
Polish people have been warned that if they move to Britain unprepared they risk being ripped off, made homeless and even set alight.
A dramatic new advice video funded by the UK government and supported by the Polish Embassy in London seeks to deter people from Poland moving to the UK without a job and somewhere to live.
Ministers say they want to make immigrants aware of the ‘risk’ of ending up on the streets.
Warning : The stark video advises people in Poland that without a job and home in Britain they risk being attacked by thugs
Homeless : It tells the story of Jacek who ends up sleeping rough after losing his cash in hand job
Fire : In the most dramatic moment flames appear to engulf him in his sleeping bag
The Polish-language video entitled Before You Go aims to reverse the growing trend of economic migrants ending up homeless on Britain’s streets.
It features acting telling the story of what can happen if people do not have a job or accommodation when they arrive from overseas.
Recent figures suggest one in three people sleeping rough in London are from eastern or central Europe, while one in 10 is from Poland.
The dramatic three-minute film tells the story of Jacek who moves to Britain for a ‘better life’.
He gets a job working on a building site, cash in hand.
But when he falls and hurts his back he cannot work and loses his job, and then his home.
He is beaten up by thugs and then, when sleeping on a pavement, two hooligans set fire to him and he is badly burnt.
Immigrant : The video talks about how Jacek moved to England in search of work and a better life, but was not well-prepared
Streets : Up to one in 10 rough sleepers in London are Polish, according to latest figures
Another character Andzrej boasts of being well prepared when he moved to Britain.
He adds: ‘Now I have what I dreamed about. But for thousands of Poles who come to the UK this reality is far from the truth.’
The film has been produced by homeless charity The Passage and is supported by the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Polish Embassy in London and the British Embassy in Warsaw.
Chief executive Mick Clarke said: ‘In recent years we have seen first-hand the devastating impact of people failing to prepare before they travel to the UK.
‘Many people end up on the street very quickly after arriving, and are particularly vulnerable to exploitation.
‘The Passage puts a huge amount of time and effort into working with people on the streets in crisis; however prevention is always better than cure.
‘Before You Go enables us to get a clear prevention message out there before people travel, to help ensure that for those who do come to the UK their move is a success.’
Advice : Another character in the three-minute film, Andzrej, boasts of being well prepared when he moved to Britain
London : The video is entitled Before You Go - Zanim wyjedziesz in Polish
The charity advises anyone thinking of moving to the UK to have a legal job and home arranged in advance and a £600 back-up plan ‘in case things go wrong’.
Housing minister Mark Prisk said: ‘Sadly too many rough sleepers are foreign nationals who arrived in the UK without realistic prospects and as a result ended up with a life on the streets.
‘That is something no-one should have to face and The Passage’s ‘Before you Go’ campaign is about making sure people considering coming to Britain understand the risks if they are unable to support themselves.’
Let's hope that they take heed and this puts the buggers off!! - Fx
