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C-BERSS EX-PRESS
September 2004
Issue 2, Vol 7
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All Newsletters : September 2004 : C-BERS at the Crossroads
C-BERS at the Crossroads
Where To From Here?
In January 2005, C-BERS will have been in existence for ten years. Over that time, C-BERS has changed the way it operates to reflect the changing needs of the men and women it seeks to support. C-BERS Chairperson Dr Maria Harries AM reflects on the changes that have taken place and the challenge of ensuring that services continue to be relevant to where people are at in their own life’s journey.
As I read through the contents of this news-letter I am reminded of the phases C-BERS has gone through over the years.
It strikes me that organi-sations, like people, can grow and move on, or — they can also get stuck.
When C-BERS started, it was a traumatic time for so many. The extent of the pain was palpable even though it may have been experienced differently by different people. Yet, it was this same pain, and the courage it took to confront it, that provided the strength from which our services grew.
C-BERS brought together many different groups — the Congregation that wanted to right past wrongs; the men and women who were former child migrants and their families who had to learn to trust us; the men who had been residents in child care institutions at a time when standards were not what they are (or ought to be) today; staff and management who wanted to meet the needs (as variable as they were) and who suffered along with the men and women; and the various people and organisations that had worked to support former child migrants.
The process seems to me to have been a slow progression towards healing — from awareness and openness and much expression of anger and sadness, there developed a generosity of spirit that has enabled so many of us to move on.
There have been several inquiries — all useful but also traumatic to many — and a will to generate changes to ensure we don’t repeat the errors of the past. (The report of the latest inquiry into children in institu-tional care was released on 31/08/04).
There has always been a core group of men and women — former child migrants and friends who have offered friendship, and mutual support based on shared experiences. Some have centred on particular institutions and the Old Boy’s Associations. Some are more local. Most are even stronger now than they were in the past.
Many men and women have moved on to even more health giving relationships. And so has C-BERS. We have a great core of terrific people who have traveled the years with us or who are more recently involved.
The number of new people accessing our services is, however, declining dramatically leading us to pose the question “where to next in the healing process”?
To help provide some answers, we will be holding an important planning meeting in September. I so hope that as many people as possible can come to the meeting to share their thoughts on where C-BERS should be heading, (and to have some fun as well).
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