northern ireland council for ethnic minorities

An article on the BBC today about a study by the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities (NICEM)claiming that "Polish people 'need crisis fund'" got me looking into charities in Northern Ireland. Everything about their website screams fakecharity including the statement on legislation and campaigning

We work to bring about social change through partnership with organisations in Northern Ireland, the UK, the Republic of Ireland, the EU and the Council of Europe to campaign on common issues of concern. seek to guarantee actual access to rights and equality of outcome for BME communities in Northern Ireland and through research and information gathering we seek to identify and address issues of socio-economic disadvantage and systematic discrimination.

Unfortunately the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland requirement for accounts to be published is not up and running yet, and won't be until 2011 so it's impossible to investigate the source of the funding of NICEM. Yet.

Back to the BBC article then

A crisis fund should be set up to assist Polish people living in Northern Ireland, a report has recommended. The study, by the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities (NICEM), found that Polish people were three times more likely to be unemployed. It also said that their take up of Jobseekers' Allowance was low. The findings also indicated that Polish people struggled with bureaucracy in their efforts to find jobs and to access benefits.

AND? If I go to find work in another country then I should accept that I may not fully understand the associated bureaucracy when I arrive. It is not the responsibility of the country to help me, it is my responsibility to help myself.