An interview with Izabella Snopkowska – Director of SIEMACHA Spot in Wrocław, winner of the Charismatic Woman title – about maintaining balance between work, motherhood and continuous education.
When did you feel you’re charismatic?
The moment I was left alone with two kids in a foreign city. I had to manage everything. I used to work three jobs to support us three in a rented flat in Krakow. I was 28 years old at the time, while my daughters were 3 and 8. Sometimes I would take them to work at night and in the morning I had to quickly transport them to kindergarten and school. I gave birth to my first daughter at the beginning of my studies. At the time, I was studying pedagogy with therapy and re-socialisation at the Academy of Applied Sciences Higher School of Management and Administration in Opole, but simultaneously I had to work. I managed, because of sport so helpful in this situation. I come from Nysa and from the first grade of primary school, I coached hockey there, for 12 years, at the Sports School Complex. Trainings started at 6 a.m., we had classes from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and then training again. I would get home at 8 in the evening and start learning. If someone didn’t learn well, but attended trainings at the club, they were suspended until they improved their grades. I never let up.
How did you acquire your competences?
I studied a number of majors. Apart from pedagogy, I graduated in cosmetology and currently I’ve been studying neuropsychology at the Wyższa Szkoła Biznesu (National Louis University) in Nowy Sącz. Furthermore, I completed postgraduate studies in occupational health and safety at the AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow, evidence law at the Jagiellonian University and a course in suicide prevention at the Jagiellonian University.
How did your professional career develop?
I started working in a men’s prison, where I was the only woman. At a certain point, I realised that if someone’s sentenced to life imprisonment for murders, he would never undergo the rehabilitation process. As a volunteer, I also worked in an around-the-clock facility for children. I saw how it worked and I found that these children could still be helped, they could be saved from prison. That’s why I ‘re-branded’ myself from adults to children. I took up a full-time job as a pedagogue and therapist in one of Krakow’s primary schools. Since 2021, I have been a coordinator and board member of the Mała Przystań Foundation operating at the Care and Education Facilities Centre “Parkowa” in Krakow. These facilities have a socialising and therapeutic character. Apart from the fact that I supervise the Foundation, I coordinate scientific projects funded by EU and obtain subsidies, I also run trainings and therapeutic classes for socially maladjusted people, and I help addicts at risk of demoralisation. Educational and therapeutic work makes me fulfilled. Two months ago I became the director of one of the centres of the SIEMACHA Association, namely SIEMACHA Spot in Wrocław.
You live in Chorzów, work in Wrocław and Kraków, how do you combine that?
I recently gave birth to a son in Krakow, so I took maternity leave. I get up at 5.30am to spend some time with my little one and at 11am I set off for Wrocław. This two-hour journey I usually have most of professional matters handled. I sleep 4 hours, but that’s enough for me. I’m used to this lifestyle. When I’m at work, the child is taken care of by my partner, who, because of being a filmmaker, often goes on movie sets. So now they enjoy the time together.
There is no compulsion here. You are here because you want to.
You are not alone here. Be nice to others. We need each other.
Try to know a lot and understand even more. Use your time well.
Don’t destroy things around you. You’ll need them tomorrow too.
Feel good in this place. It’s up to you what happens here.
What’s the mission of the SIEMACHA Spot centre?
These are modern, new-generation courtyards under a roof, as an alternative to the world of virtual reality or the street and social exclusion. Places for creative activities, free educational and therapeutic workshops, sports activities, meetings with other people. Their name refers to the word SPOTkanie (meeting). It’s a day care centre. Our offer can be used by school-age children and adolescents who are looking for a safe and creative environment of peers and the opportunity to develop under the guidance of qualified adult staff (educators, psychologists, therapists, etc.). To join us, you need to visit the centre with your parents or legal guardians. During the meeting, an Alumni Form is filled in, containing basic data and written consent for the child’s participation in the classes. Enrolment continues throughout the year.
How many people do you employ at the SIEMACHA?
Generally speaking, the number of people employed at SIEMACHA Association far exceeds 100, while at Siemacha Spot we have 10 full-time employees and people employed on a contract basis. We run sport judo classes, educational classes: speech therapy, linguistics, an instructor in robotics is at the same time a tutor in mathematics, physics and chemistry, preparatory classes in humanities, socio-therapeutic classes, corrective-compensatory classes, artistic classes: photography, film, role-play, theatre, visual arts, dance and music. Volunteers from music bands teach our children play instruments, and in return they can rehearse in our hall twice a week free of charge. We organise cooking workshops, have a carpentry and DIY workshop. More than 150 children come to us, including those from difficult families or recommended by educational and psychological counselling centres because of various types of deficits, but there are also children without deficits. They learn here, do their homework, have therapy, cool activities and, in addition, a hot meal. Due to mental disorders, computer and mobile phone addictions, there is a huge demand for the specialised classes we offer. Everything is free of charge, because we are funded by the European Union, partly by MOPS and private sponsors.
What are your plans?
I want to develop an innovative method of therapy at the centre through team games, including field hockey. I will be an instructor and therapist for disturbed children, so that they don’t have to rely only on pharmacology. We want to show sport as a very important factor helpful in achieving the state of tranquillity. We offer climbing wall therapy with a psychologist who is also a climbing instructor. Another psychologist helps others relieve stress by playing basketball. Yesterday, I spoke to a circus educator and we will soon start circus therapy. Privately, my family and I are planning to move near Pszczyna. I would like to finish the novel. I intend to publish three parts, of which the first one is being finished. And after I raise the baby I’m going to start my doctorate.
What are you most proud of?
Of my achievements, although the road has been winding at times and if it wasn’t for my ambition and stubbornness, developed by sport, I don’t know if I would have got to this point. When something bad happens, I say: Ok, I fell, but I need to get up, shake it off and move on. I’m most proud of my children. My eldest daughter is almost 18. She’s stayed in Kraków and attends military school. She wants to study interior design in absentia and work in the police. She’s already acquired all the necessary certificates. Our younger daughter lives with us in Chorzów. She’s 12 years old and the youngest Aluś is 3 months old.
What makes you feel happy?
My family. When I come home and see my son and my partner happy, or my older daughter calls and says it’s all great, I feel happy. My partner and children drive me forward.
Dorota Kolano
Beata Sekuła
