Polish Welfare and Information Bureau in NSW Inc.
Polish Welfare and Information Bureau in NSW Inc. is a community non-profit organisation established and registered under the Charitable Collections Act in 1974. Initially services were offered two days per week and it was staffed by volunteers. The Bureau coordinated lobbying by the Polish community for funds for an aged care hostel. The submission lodged by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth was successful and Br. Albert's Hostel, a 30 bed hostel, was opened at Marayong in 1977. In 1979, funding from the Department of Immigration and Ethnic Affairs under the Grant-in-Aid Scheme, enabled the Bureau to engage the services of a Welfare Worker on a full-time basis to provide information, advice, referral, interpreting and translation services in the areas of immigration, housing, employment, social security and health. Increase in funding in 1982 permitted the engagement of a second Welfare Worker. This enabled weekly half-day sessional services to be conducted from the Migrant Resource Centres at Liverpool, Blacktown and Parramatta.
To enable the provision of more effective services for the sudden increase in the number of Polish arrivals in the 1980s, the Bureau took the initiative of forming a task force in conjunction with the Ethnic Affairs Commission of NSW, chaired by Prof. A. Jamrozik of UNSW. The analysis of needs and recommendations for appropriate services for new arrivals was published in 1983 under the title "The Polish Immigrants - A Quest for a Normal Life". In the same year the Bureau published "Kacik Imigranta" (A Migrant's Guide) which was collated and edited by Mr F. Rozmus, a member of the Management Committee. It was followed by a "Polish Committee Services Directory" which was mailed to all service providers to assist them with Polish speaking clients. In 1983 the Bureau conducted a one day seminar on the situation and needs of Polish migrants. It resulted in the launching of "Aging in Australia - Needs of Polish Aging" prepared by N. Skoroszewski and A. Chodkiewicz. The publication drew attention to the growing number of aging among the Post World War II refugees. Following a campaign conducted by the Ethnic Communities Council of NSW, the criteria for funding of nursing homes was changed by legislature. This enabled funding of ethno-specific nursing homes, and allowed for the funding of a 40 bed Polish nursing home at Marayong. Subsequently the Bureau formed a Polish Nursing Home Committee, which conducted a fundraising campaign and assisted the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth with the co-ordination of the building of the Nursing Home at Marayong, opened in 1990.
The Bureau has also administered a number of annual grants from the Ethnic Affairs Commission of NSW, including Telelink, which provided information and social interaction for aged, housebound Poles by use of a conference phone. There was also a Youth Project undertaken to research the needs of Polish youth and develop services. In 1991, the "Informator Seniora" (Seniors' Guide) collated by Ewa Adamkiewicz, a member of the Management Committee, was published and then updated in 1994. A decrease in funding to one and a half grants in 1991, then down to one grant in 1994 resulted in a gradual curtailment and subsequent cessation of the sessional services in 1994. In 1992 the Bureau presented a report "Survey of Social Support Groups for NESB Older People, People with Disabilities, and Carers" funded by the Department of Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs as a Pilot Equity and Access Project. The Bureau became incorporated in 1994 in line with the Associations Incorporation Act 1984. More recently, in April 1998 the Bureau achieved official recognition as an Aged Care Services provider under the Aged Care Act 1997.
Existing programs include Community Aged Care Packages (53 funded), National Respite Care Services and Community Settlement Services Scheme (which the agency hopes will be extended beyond September 2003), as well as Brokerage. Up until three years ago, there were three separate offices, which have since been integrated into one seamless provider. The management structure had to be developed without funds for a management position to oversee the whole service. An area that is currently identified as an unmet need is family violence and family conflict. English language classes (run by volunteers) are also offered as is a Polish language class. The agency is often approached by students who arrive in Australia to study. Assistance cannot be provided, however, practical placements are offered.
For further information please visit www.polishwelfare.org.au