President's Speech at 15th Annual General Meeting

    I am very pleased to present the report of Acacia activities and achievement during the year 1996-97. The past year has marked with many significant progresses. Through child care and outreach program, the Centre has been considered as an effective service provider and reliable resources to the community. Acacia has reached its ultimate goals which aim to provide the child care and promote children's services to Indochinese families.

    In the year 1996-97, the Centre's philosophy has been reflected in various activities. The child care centre with its bilingual-bicultural program has significantly effected in the children's development and provided a high quality of care. Outreach program has played a crucial role to promote the children's services to Indochinese families.

    I am proud of the Committee of Management's achievement. The Committee has tirelessly shown a supportive attitude towards staff and myself. Their enormous contribution make me feel privileged to be a part of an extraordinary committee.

    We are fortunate to have a team of dedicated staff who performs a strong commitment to their work. It is quite true to say that our staff are the centre great asset and have been undoubtedly considered as a corner stone of the successful operations of the Centre. I would like to thank to every staff member for their contribution of service.

    In conclusion, on behalf of the Committee of Management, I would like to thank the continuing support from the Family & Children's Services Program Commonwealth Department of Health & Family Services, the Children's Services Branch Department of Human Services of Victoria, the City of Yarra, all government agencies and other organisations. Acacia could not have achieved another challenging and successful year without their support.

    Finally, I would also like to express my appreciation to all those who have been cooperating and assisting me in the commitment to providing quality service to our community.

    Kim Lien Nguyen
    President


Director's Report at the 15th Annual General Meeting

    It is a great pleasure for me to present this report covering the 1996-97 year of operation of the Centre. This report highlights my achievements which reflect the centre’s philosophy. The key objective of Acacia is to focus on the community services. Therefore, the challenge for Acacia is to develop, change and adapt to meet the ever changing needs of the community. Acacia has also made an important commitment to effectively deliver appropriate services to our community and continue to be relevant in the provision of community services.

    The year 1996-97 has been remarkably successful - children’s services have been consolidated, community development has greatly achieved, employment and training programs have directly assisted the needed people, use of technology in the internet home page has been maintained and accessible in both national and international level.

    CHILDREN'S SERVICES

    Acacia main task is to focus on children and family services in which Outreach Program, funded by Children's Services Program Commonwealth Department Health & Family Services, has played a vital and crucial role in making the service more accessible, sensitive and culturally appropriate. The outreach staff with constrained resources have hardly tried to carry out satisfactorily their tasks. Followings are some of the significant performances achieved by outreach staff:
     

    • Promote children's services to wider Indochinese community through educational, linguistic and developmental programs.
    • Assist children’s service providers in understanding the culture needs and differences of Indochinese families.
    • Improve childcare staff attitude towards children with additional need through training, discussion...
    • Encourage IC parents to be involved in the Management Committee or other working bodies.
    • Provide and conduct seminars and workshops to assist Indochinese families and children service providers in bridging their culture gaps.
    • Provide linguistic support to child care staff and parents.
    • Assist students in Early Childhood Studies to plan programs which are relevant to Indochinese culture.
    • Assist students in completing their research, getting advice and gaining knowledge and skills in the community development.

    Although Acacia has not been well-funded to become a resource agency, Acacia staff have tried actively to develop resources and disseminate information which aim to promote and assist IC families in increasing their access to children's services and to make children's services providers aware of the differences of Indochinese culture. Resources development and information dissemination are an on-going and vital function of the outreach programs.

    In the past year, the need to provide information to Indochinese families on the rapid change of children's services is highly demanded. A range of information brochures have been translated and updated to assist Indochinese families aware of the new rulings, legislative changes, services and facilities available.

    COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

    Another performance of the outreach program is to develop and establish the community activities. In conjunction with the Belgium Avenue Neighbourhood House, various activities have been organised. Throughout the year, events, activities and excursions have been organised and have attracted a high number of participants of Indochinese and local community people.

    EMPLOYMENT & TRAINING PROJECT

    The employment project was commenced in April 1996 and was successfully completed in November 1996 it was highly evaluated by the DEETYA.

    In conjunction with Swinburne University, funded by OTFE, the Certificate in Child Care - Home Based course has been organised to provide training for 30 Vietnamese family day care workers.

    The employment and training program are another Acacia’s innovation that has consolidated our organisation in the service delivery.

    INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY UTILISATION

    In the past decade, we have seen the rapid emergence of information technology, which significantly transform and improve the way of providing services and support. By advancing technology, Acacia has integrated into the world wide communication network.
     

    1. Acacia Internet Site

      2. It is proudly to claim that Acacia is the first community based centre bilingually providing children's services information on the internet. The web site aims to
      • Promote children services through multimedia and internet
      • Improve in productivity and service delivery
      • Improve communications with other organisations
      Acacia Internet site has been significantly maintained and updated. Acacia web page can be accessible at http://www.yarranet.net.au/~acacia/acacia.htm.
       
    2. The Vietnamese Version of the Child Care Course in the WWW

    I would like to thank all staff for their untiring and insightful support. I am very grateful with your compassion and commitment that you have given to me throughout the year. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Committee of Management for their supportive guidance to staff and myself. Finally, I wish to express my appreciation to the assistance and support of all government departments and agencies and their respective staff throughout the year. I hope that your supports will be continued in the coming years.

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Acacia Children's Centre

13 Belgium Avenue, Richmond Vic. 3121, Australia
Tel: + 61 3 9429 8890 or + 61 3 9429 6150
Email: acacia@yarranet.net.au

This web page was created by Buu Q. Phung on October 17, 1997