APCS HISTORY
Australian Polish Community Services
(APCS) was founded in May 1983.
The founding members were a group of warm-hearted and dedicated
people led by Zbigniew Ben Dabkowski who saw a need for a
welfare organisation assisting Polish people in Western suburbs.
The Employment Initiation Program was the first project launched
by APCS in 1983-94 and this was followed by the Community
Education Program in 1984 - 86. A priority in the early days
was to contain the growing isolation of the Polish- Australians
due to ageing and the lack of support networks. APCS saw clubs
for the elderly as an answer and helped to initiate Senior
Citizen Clubs in Ardeer, Footscray, Glenroy, St. Kilda and
Springvale. The tradition continues and currently these clubs
have hundreds of elderly members and meet regularly at many
Polish Senior Citizen clubs.In 1984 APCS moved to MRC in Footscray
and employed the first social worker. In 1985, Emergency Relief
funding was obtained to meet a variety of requests from a
growing number of clients, and this has continued every year.
In 1986 Zbigniew Dabkowski, the leader and tireless
worker for APCS died. In 1987 APCS obtained funding for research
about the long-term needs of the elderly Polish community
in the Western suburbs. As a result "The Coming Winter"
by Grazyna Mackiewicz was published. In migrant aged welfare
this was a land-mark research in demonstrating needs and gaps
in services to the elderly Poles in the Western suburbs.During
1987, the workload of APCS continued to grow. Over a thousand
cases a year were attended to, covering areas such as: family
conflict, health, practical aid and accommodation. By 1989
- 90, most of the senior citizen clubs were self - managing
and self - sufficient and as a result APCS could reappraise
its welfare focus. It recognised a need to concentrate on
the needs of new migrants.
The following year was one of change and planning
for the future. It was instigated by an APCS conference entitled
"The Polish Community: Where to from here? Creating a
New Future". Amongst the speakers were Prof. Jerzy Smolicz
(University of Adelaide) who presented a paper on identity
and culture in the Polish community, Adam Jamrozik (University
of South Australia) who spoke on the social effects of social
policy and their future implications and a paper delivered
by Marie Kabala, which covered the political influence of
the Polish community in Australia (Research Fellow at the
Bureau of Immigration and Population Research). The conference
sought to identify and emphasise the current and anticipated
issues affecting the Polish community.
In 1992 APCS started to run English Language
Classes for newly-arrived migrants and a Friendly Visiting
Program for isolated elderly living in the Western suburbs.
The same year, APCS moved to its current premises in Pickett
St Footscray. In 1993 APCS received additional funding to
assist the Polish elderly and unemployed migrants. The Visiting
Program with 23 volunteers continued to thrive and a new initiative
the Community Visitors Scheme was established. This scheme
organised volunteers to visit nursing homes and hostels to
provide companionship for isolated Polish elderly. Also, funding
was received to initiate the Community Care Packages program
which provided case management, personal and home care, and
transport to and from medical services for 15 clients.
In 1994-95 APCS focused on the equality of access
to mainstream services. APCS sought to raise awareness among
various organisations about the needs of the Polish community
and to organise services to cater for these needs.
In 1995 APCS was accredited with the Adult Community
and Further Education as a registered education provider enabling
APCS to organise and run educational courses. With the funding
APCS has been able to employ a teacher specialising in English
as a Second Language. These English classes enjoy much success.
The Community Care Packages program was expended servicing
30 clients in the Western and Northern region.
In 1996 APCS continued with all of the above
programs. In addition the APCS staff and management committee
have held a series of planning meetings with the help of a
professional facilitator to analyse and assess current activities
and to plan for the future. A bus was purchased to provide
a much needed transport medium for clients.
During the 1996/97 financial year, the Committee
of Management and staff continued to consolidate services
and programs. Amongst some of the achievements were the development
of the Policy and Procedures Manual and publication of a first
ever research report about unemployment within the Polish
community. Professor Desmond Cahill was the guest at the Annual
General Meeting and spoke on the topic: Hansonism A
Challenge for the Polish Community.
The following year, Mr Bill Nowak took over
the leadership of the organisation. One of the first significant
events was the launch of the In the Queue report by the Honorouble
Phil Honeywood, Minister for Tertiary Education and Minister
assisting the Premier on Multicultural Affairs. Next, APCS
embarked on the process of reviewing its services and appointed
Compass and Associates to undertake those reviews. As part
of the process of continuous improvement, APCS was successful
in developing a partnership with the Williamson Leadership
Program which resulted in a promotion strategy regarding the
needs of the Polish community.
Towards the end of 1998, APCS had the privilege
of Sir James Gobbo, the Governor of Victoria, launching a
study on the needs of Polish-residents in aged-care facilities
in Victoria. The launch also included the celebration of the
80th anniversary of Poland gaining independence and a place
on the map of Europe after almost 150 years of foreign occupation.
1999 was a year when APCS initiated a Polish
Women Memoirs Competition which aimed to document their unique
experiences. A motto linking together, proudly serving
was adopted as a way of encapsulating the focus of APCS
efforts in that year and for many years before that. We were
very pleased with the trust shown in us as a Polish-community
based organisation by the Dept of Immigration and Multicultural
Affairs which provided a 2-year grant to continue to provide
settlement-related assistance to the Polish community in Victoria.
At present, we continue to provide high quality
services to the Polish community and expand the popular Polish
A-Z Brokerage Program. Also, the Committee and staff organise
initiatives and strategies which aim to advocate on behalf
of the Polish community, raise awareness of the existing needs
and gaps in service provision. We continually initiate projects
by using community development principles eg. Carers Retreats,
Information sessions, conferences. One of the first public
relations functions was the launch of Lonesome No More
,
A study into the needs of older Polish women who arrived in
Australia in 1980s and 1990s. Funds have recently been approved
to implement the recommendations of the study findings.
In 2000, through funding from the State Department
of Human Services, organised a successful conference entitled:
Best Practice and the Planned Activity Group programs. Also,
significant funding was obtained to expand the always popular
Community Aged Care Packages program. APCS also applied to
establish a support service for older persons in Geelong.
2001 was one of the most successful years in
the history of APCS. Through additional funds from the State
and Commonwealth governments, APCS was able to move to much
better premises in Droop St, extend its services to three
other Eastern European groups (Ukrainian, Czech/Slovak and
Latvian) and establish a new HACC Access program for the Polish
community. Amgonst many other initiatives that year were:
publication of two reports - They Have Come a Long Way and
It is My Duty, partnership with Polish-speaking missionary
sisters and establishment of a weekly outreach program in
Dandenong. 2001 was the International Year of Volunteers and
APCS awarded almost 100 older persons who voluntarily manage
or assist the 27 Polish Senior Citizens Clubs in Victoria.
This was an extremely well received initiative. Finally, APCS
appointed experienced consultants to help develop a Polish
10-year Aged Care Plan in view of the rapidly ageing Polish
community and the urgent need for support services.
In 2002, APCS consolidated its services and
continued to provide flexible, responsive and quality services
for the Polish community. Its Community Aged Care Packages
program was extended to Geelong and a new version of the Polish
Services Directory was published. Also, in partnership with
the Inner Western Region Migrant Resource Centre, APCS provided
practical work experience(through the Community Jobs Program)
to Polish-background persons who were unemployed. In addition,
APCS was invited to speak at high-profile conferences including:
Beyond Tolerance (Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission),
Poland and Polonia: common expectations (Szczecin University).
2003 - State-wide conference entitled: the Polish
Community where to now?, attended by 130 people including
representatives of interstate Polish welfare organisations
9th May 2003, Open Day to celebrate the 20th anniversary of
APCS
24th May 2003, 20th anniversary dinner held at Millennium
House
2003 saw the 200th anniversary of the first
recorded Pole arriving in Australia, Josef Potaski. To celebrate
this bicentennial, APCS organised a 200th Anniversary Concert
which was held in October. A range of artists performed classical
music and operetta and Dalmae Barton, an indigenous performer,
travelled from Queensland to perform three songs she adapted
for the occasion. Over 200 people attended the concert on
a drab October afternoon to support the Polish community in
their celebrations. Special guests who attended included:
Dr George Luk-Kozika, the Honorary Consul of the Republic
of Poland, The Hon. John Pandazopolous, Minister Assisting
the Premier on Multicultural Affairs, and the Minister for
Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs and Minister Assisting
the Prime Minister, The Hon. Gary Hargrave. In addition, a
number of state politicians were present at this event. (JOSEPH
POTASKI, AUSTRALIA'S FIRST POLISH SETTLER)
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