What's New

Mental Health Awareness Project

APCS has been funded by the William Buckland Foundation to Coordinate the Mental Health Awareness Project promoting mental health well-being amongst the group of ethnic communities identified as being at risk of experiencing mental health problems due to migration, limited social networks and history of trauma and torture. The five communities involved include: Polish, Macedonian, Arabic, Cambodian and Chinese community.

APCS will have a leading role in this initiative providing mentoring to the above mentioned community leaders and supporting them in the development of a culturally and linguistically appropriate awareness packages for both communities’ members and relevant service providers. The main aims of the project are to improve understanding of mental health that will lead to a reduction of stigma associated with the topic, to improve support for those experiencing metal health illness and their families.

For more information please contact The Project Coordinator Patrycja Toczek via e-mail or direct phone: 03 8371 2316.

Making it Happen

Video on APCS Services

Volunteer Scoping Exercise

APCS has received funding from the Department for Victorian Communities (DVC) and Adult Community & Further Education (ACFE) to undertake a Scoping Exercise to explore the involvement of the Polish community in volunteering activities. This project involves a survey with members of the Polish community (first, second & third generation) about whether they volunteer, what interests them about volunteering and what would encourage involvement in volunteering. From the information collected APCS will be able to have input into broader discussions on volunteering in the community and support those interested in becoming involved in the volunteering industry.

If you can spare a few minutes to complete the survey. Completed surveys can be e-mailed to info@apcs.org.au or posted to APCS, 77 Droop St, Footscray, Victoria 3011. The survey is available in both English & Polish.

Computer classes

Are you interested in learning how to use a computer and the internet? APCS has received a small grant from ACFE to conduct an introductory computer and internet course to members of the Polish community. The course will operate for 3 hours per week over four terms (a total of 40 weeks) and will be delivered in the Footscray area, close to public transport. The cost of the course is $120 per term (may be less for people with Health Care Cards in 2007).

If you would like to discuss the course or enrol please contact APCS on (03) 9687 7446.

Pope’s Memorabilia

Thanks to funds received from The William Angliss Trust, APCS has been able to purchase a very interesting collection of Pope memorabilia. The collection consists of over 50 items and includes the newest books, albums, DVDs, CDs and videos related to the late Pope John Paul II. You can find the Pope’s autobiography which includes over 100 colour photographs as well as many unique black-and white archival photos, "Kronika życia i pontyfikatu" (‘Life and pontificate chronicle’), "Jan Paweł II poza protokołem" (‘John Paul II behind the protocol’)- for those who would like to get to know more private side of the Pope, a selection of the Pope’s encyclics, poems and prayers and even a book for children- ,,Jan Paweł II, czyli jak Karolek został papieżem” (‘John Paul II, how a little Karol became a Pope’). Films and sound recordings complete the collection and make it possible to re-experience the many unforgettable events of the memorable pontificate.

Many of the collection items were compiled after the Pope’s death and therefore capture his life and spirituality.

The collection is available for loan for APCS clients, volunteers and staff. Please forward all enquiries on ph. (03) 9689 9170 or e-mail: info@apcs.org.au.

New Multicultural Community Aged Care Packages in the East

In 2007 APCS will be expanding our Community Aged Care Packages (CACP) into the Eastern Metropolitan Region. APCS has received funding to deliver 15 Packages to members of the Polish, Ukrainian, Czech, Slovakian, Ukrainian, Latvian, Lithuanian and Belarusian communities. Services in the East will be established over the next few months and we anticipate there will also be a brokerage service available to other organisations.

APCS will be recruiting staff in the Eastern region in the above language groups. If you are interested in the possibility of joining the APCS team as a care worker and you have or are completing Certificate III in Aged Care contact Iwona Trickett on (03) 8371 2306.

Forever Young

Looking for the recipe to stay young? If so, this collection may interest you. Forever Young (Zawsze Młodzi) is a collection of ten stories from Polish people in their 80s documenting the physical, social and mental activities, nutritional habits and daily routines these individuals undertake on a daily basis to remain active, mobile and alert despite illness and the impacts of age related ailments that enable them to remain in their own homes, to combat depressive illnesses and maintain a level of independence and control over their lives despite the significant hardships they experienced early in their lives.

The collection has been produced in both a Polish & English format and copies are available from the office for $4.00 each.

Our Secret Lives

This small collection of stories looks at the difficulties experienced by members of the Polish community who have or are caring for someone with a disability. Most forms of disability are perceived in a negative way or as some form of weakness in the Polish community. Attitudes towards disability result in greater isolation and loneliness for the person with the disability and their family / carers. As a consequence, Poles tend to hide their disabilities and find strategies for keeping wider family circles, friends and the community unaware of their needs and supports, hence the title of the collection, Our Secret Lives. It is hoped the stories will challenge pre-existing perceptions of people with a range of disabilities and trigger a move towards a more understanding and supportive attitude. The collection is bilingual and can be purchased from APCS for $4.00.

Publications Now Available for Download

APCS has now made many of their publications available for free download. Anyone interested in any of our publications now have the choice of purchasing professionally finished hard copies for a small cost or can download the reports they want for free. See our Publications page for what is currently available for download. Additional downloads will be included as they are made available.