KAPCS: Past and Present
What and where is KAPCS?
How did KAPCS get started?
What does KAPCS do?
How is KAPCS funded?
Where have KAPCS conferences been held?
What is the future for KAPCS?
What and where is KAPCS?
KAPCS stands for Kimberley and Pilbara Children’s Services Inc.
It is an incorporated community group that represents the interests of children’s services in the remote Northwest of Western Australia.
Click this link for the regional map and information.
How did KAPCS get started?
The idea for KAPCS started with a passionate group of child care centre co-ordinators across the Kimberley and Pilbara region back in the 1980’s. They could only meet very occasionally due to the high cost of travel in this isolated region. They were frustrated that city based government departments and agencies didn’t seem to understand the special challenges of managing remote child care services.
Their other concern was the lack of training and professional development for their regional staff – an essential factor in retaining staff and maintaining high quality care for young children. Carers needed to be able to share their expertise and experience through networking and ongoing training.
The vision of this group led to KAPCS becoming incorporated in July 1993 so that they would be able to apply for funding to address these challenges.
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What does KAPCS do?
KAPCS currently has two key priorities:
1. To organise an annual training conference for regional staff.
2. To advocate on behalf of Kimberley and Pilbara children’s services and respond to national and state issues
A management committee is elected at the Annual General Meeting that is held during the conference. This is the only time that the committee ever meets “face-to-face”, so all other “meetings” occur by teleconference.
The group tries to represent the views of all types of services and people, and especially promotes the special cultural and social needs of the region. See KAPCS Constitution. For example, there are a growing number of remote Aboriginal communities developing services for young children. These families and staff have additional challenges in obtaining the resources and support they most need.
Each KAPCS committee member takes responsibility for getting feedback from services in their area about their needs and how KAPCS can best support them.
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How is KAPCS funded?
KAPCS does not receive any ongoing funding, other than annual membership fees which support the work of the voluntary committee.
Therefore co-ordinating the annual conference brings new budget challenges every year! The conference fees reflect all the costs of venue, catering, guest speakers and workshop materials. Each participant is responsible for their own accommodation and travel costs. Every effort is made to support regional people to attend, and scholarships and travel subsidies are often available for this purpose.
However over the years, both state and commonwealth government and associated agencies have strongly supported KAPCS to achieve their vision. For example:
• The state Department for Community Development has contributes approximately $5,500 to fund a conference coordinator
• When possible, the Commonwealth department of Family and Community Services has funded one-off grants (approx $20,000) to subsidise travel and attendance costs for remote participants.
• Support from city based Resource and Training Agencies eg secretarial support from the Children’s Services Support Unit.
• Other applications for funding are sourced annually – eg the Early Years Strategy sponsored guest speakers in 2004.
• Click this link for information re sponsorship
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Where have KAPCS conferences been held?
1992—Inaugural Conference Broome Kimberley Camp School
1993—Broome Kimberley Camp School
1994—Broome Kimberley Camp School
1995—Dampier Pilbara Camp School
1996—Dampier Pilbara Camp School
1997—Broome Kimberley Camp School
1998—South Hedland Pundulmurra College
1999—Derby Bungarun
2000—South Hedland TAFE College Campus
2001—Broome Mangrove Hotel
2002—Karratha College of TAFE
2003—Kimberley Old Mornington Wilderness Camp
2004—Newman Recreation Centre
2005- Fitzroy Crossing
2006- South Hedland
It is now KAPCS policy to alternate venues between the Kimberley and Pilbara regions each year.
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What is the future for KAPCS?
In 2004, KAPCS received funding from LotteryWest so that we could develop a strategic plan for 2005 - 2009. The Centre for Equity and Innovation in Early Childhood from the University of Melbourne worked with members to reflect on our past achievements and debate our vision for the future. This has formed the basis for our mission statement and six principle goals.
The mission of KAPCS is advocating, networking, learning and supporting services for all children and their families in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions of Western Australia based on a commitment to children’s rights and voices and respect for Indigenous ways of knowing, cultural diversity and equity.
To achieve its mission it will act as an agent for change in the regions by undertaking activities to help it achieve its six principle goals of:
- building networks with carers and other professionals, community members, children, elders and families to share information, passions, concerns and interests relevant to our mission
- working collaboratively with diverse communities and agencies to identify, investigate and advocate for innovative and flexible approaches to providing and funding services and gatherings for children and families
- undertaking advocacy in ways that inspire commitment to children’s rights and equity for all children and respect for those who work with and care for children
- growing approaches to professional learning through its training and development conferences, scholarships, mentoring and other activities that are culturally relevant, accessible and affordable.
- increasing Indigenous participation in KAPCS to realise its vision of respecting Indigenous ways of knowing, cultural diversity and equity.
- diversifying the KAPCS funding base to secure its long term viability as an agent of change in the regions.
The next challenge is to turn these goals into actions. Priorities are to establish funding for an executive officer, and to develop working parties that will focus on achieving one specific goal.
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