| September 1998 | Volume 1, Issue 4 |
Table Of Contents
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What A Reunion It Was!!! A Celebration of Survival 1938 - 1998 Sixty years after the first of many child migrants arrived in Western Australia, the call went out to ALL former child migrants to join the 1938-ers for a celebratory reunion lunch. Sunday 8 August 1998 saw 300 former Child Migrants of Catholic Care Institutions, and their partners, arrive at the Boundary Room of the WACA to enjoy a very special reunion lunch. Tom Haydon and his fellow "38-ers" had issued the invitation and they came in droves - men from Bindoon, Clontarf, Castledare and Tardun, women from St Joseph's in Subiaco and Nazareth House in Geraldton. Maureen Colgan not only helped to organise the reunion but has written a story on the day which we feature later in this newsletter. 
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Owning Our Past ... Claiming Our Future A message from C-BERS Services Chairperson, Maria Harries following the July hearings in Perth by the British House of Commons Inquiry into Child Migration and the subsequent release of the Inquiry's Report in August 1998.  Last month the media reported extensively on the findings of teh British House of Commons Inquiry into Child Migration. The events which prompted the enquiry occurred long ago, but their consequences live on.The media reports, which highlighted the human costs of a scheme which brought child migrants to Australia, point to a story that needs to be told to a bigger audience -- indeed they point to many stories that need to be told, and retold, before they are passed into history. We need to be continually reminded of the consequences of social policies on the day-to-day reality of people's lives if we are to learns from the lessons of out past. The media reports are, however, somewhat less enduring than the day-to-day reality of the story which continues to be experienced by those of you who are the subject of the story. Even after the media hype dies down there needs to be a more enduring listening, and a capacity to respond, to the needs of people whose lives have been profoundly affected by this on-going story. The Opportunity of the Inquiry The House of Commons Inquiry sought submissions from people and agencies in many Commonwealth countries who could contribute to an understanding of the practices and consequences of the policy of child migration. At a local level, C-BERS Services welcomed the British Inquiry -- particularly as it promised to look towards the current and future needs of former Child Migrants and their families. In making a written submission to the Inquiry, we took with us the understanding that had come from stories told to us by the more than 250 former Child Migrants who use C-BERS Services. Our submission not only outlined details of the services we offer, but also suggested some ways that our services could be improved. We were concerned to ensure that services should not only inform Child Migrants and their families about the range of support services now available to them, but should also provide for the people who seek help from those services to have some influence over, and some choice about, what is offered. Hearings in Perth Members of the C-BERS Services Management Committee, and some staff, met with the Inquiry when it was held in Perth. C-BERSS sent a letter inviting the men who have had contact with our services to tell their own story to the Inquiry. Stories of Sadness The hearings in Perth were predictably a sad event. It was clear that the Inquiry members were deeply shocked by what had been said to them over the days that the Inquiry hearings were held in Australia. Such sadness is a part of the life of most Child Migrants. C-BERSS' appreciation of it informs all of our work with you. However it was new to many of the Committee members -- many of whom expressed their outrage to us. We did not have the time to say all of the things that we wanted to say and so forwarded a summary of the discussion, plus our ideas, to the Inquiry. A copy of the summary is available for anyone who wishes to read it. Hopes for the Future There remains a lot that can be done to move forward with former Child Migrants in the latter part of their lives, which may not only benefit their own lives, but the lives of their children and children's children. We believe there is a lot of information and knowledge that is shared by the former Child Migrants and the people who have been working with them about what help they need - what has worked and what has not worked. C-BERS Services is interested in the possibility of sharing ideas with the former Child Migrants and service providers so that we can learn from each other and strive to deliver the most effective services. Maria Harries
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Open weekdays between 8.30am and 4.30pm. Email welcome@cberss.org Web cberss.org Freecall 1800 621 805 Phone +61 [08] 9381 5422 Fax +61 [08] 9382 4114 Address 12 Alvan St, Subiaco WA 6008 Australia Post to PO Box 1172, Subiaco WA 6904, Australia |
This newsletter was created by Chris Nicholson [me@chrisnicholson.org] for C-BERSS [cberss.org]
The story of mateship of Richard Kenny (Bindoon, 1947-1951) and Patrick "Paddy" Cole begins in a very different time and place from present day Western Australia.
Empty Cradles by Margaret Humphreys