One step closer to comfort

4 minutes

Krzysztof is a 23-year-old Scout leader in Warsaw. He joined the Polish Scouting and Guiding Association when he was nine years old and has been active in Scouting ever since. In December 2022, Krzysztof became involved in the UAct project, taking the role of Shift Coordinator at UNICEF’s Blue Dotin Warsaw, where he, alongside other Scouts, provided advice and support to hundreds of Ukrainians daily. He is also currently studying Cybersecurity and Information Security

Two women talk in a room surrounded by adults and children sitting down.

I’m a tech guy, but I also enjoy organising programmes and activities with children, which is why I love being a Scout leader. I joined UAct in December 2022 at one of the Blue Dots in Warsaw. I was doing more than managing shifts: I did some communication, managed schedules, gave tech support where needed, and made sure our equipment at the Blue Dot was working.

This particular Blue Dot was located at a bus station in Warsaw, where many people were arriving from Ukraine, having fled the war there.

It was extremely busy. We received up to 2,000 inquiries daily at the Blue Dot, especially during the winter. We handled many issues like families needing support with their documents, pet registrations, legal advice, or just solving problems that required a Polish speaker to help them deal with different authorities.

Every day, I could feel that people trusted us. Even people working at the station came to us for different things because they knew we had solutions and information. There were busy moments, of course, but it was very meaningful when people expressed their appreciation. So many of them thanked us daily for our presence there. 

A man wearing a Scout scarf takes a selfie with a roll-up that reads 'WeAct Forum'.

The Blue Dot was located next to a temporary sleeping quarter dedicated to hosting Ukrainian refugees in this period. This was great because we had a child-friendly space in the Blue Dot. Many children came to play and spent time there - they loved it. They had art activities and played together, which was good for them during this transition time in a new country. 

As Scouts, leadership skills are instilled in us and are very important as we do Scouting and lead patrols of younger children. My experience at the Blue Dot allowed me to apply my leadership skills in a professional environment which was very useful.

We were a team of coordinators, a psychologist, a Child Protection Specialist, and a manager of the child-friendly space. Many of them were Ukrainian refugees themselves, which was incredibly helpful to the refugees coming to the Blue Dot for assistance. They could understand each other, and it helped them build a lot of trust with us. 

Looking back now, I learned so much during my months there. The first thing that I’m really happy about is that I got to learn Ukrainian! Our languages are a little similar, but interacting daily with Ukrainians helped me speak and understand it much better. Another thing I learned is crisis management, which means being a problem-solver under pressure while managing a team of people. I’m grateful that I now have this skill to help me. 

This experience was very rewarding, but the biggest reward was that I could immediately see the impact of my work and effort, which kept me motivated every day. Even if I helped someone with a simple task, it meant a lot to them. Because of my help, people are one step closer to comfort, safety, or family; this was my biggest reward. 

*Blue Dots are safe spaces along border crossings and transit areas that offer immediate services and information for families fleeing the war. Scouts provided vital support and coordination of UNICEF’s Blue Dots in Poland for over one year.