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May 21st 2009. This afternoon we visited one of five "Probation Centers" in the Wielkolpolska region. The Probation Center is an after school facility for juveniles that have been brought before the court on delinquency petitions or Child in Need of Assistance Petitions. The Probation Center is structured time after school for children. Homework, paraprofessional counseling, role modeling, and meals are all part of Probation Center experience.
The children have named this particular facility, "Club Under Heart." The phrase "under heart" is one that conveys caretaking and love in Polish culture. The "Regulamin" are the official rules of the facility, created by the child participants.
The photo below reflect the sentiments of the child participants of the center about the staff. The Director of this particular facility is also the manager of the Family Court Probation Unit that we visited earlier today. She has directed this center for 17 years now.
Our dinner of vegetables, potato pancakes, meat and vegetable sauce with apple cake and cheese cake as dessert was prepared by the children. The children peeled more than 30 lbs. of potatoes for this one meal. The food was good. Really good. I had two helpings of the potato pancakes and sauce as well as three pieces of cake to fully understand just hard these kids worked. I won't tell you that Lori and Cathy each had more than one helping also. CARE committee, expect to see these recipes in time for the publication of the upcoming cookbook.
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It is here at the Probation Center that we shared 120 bookbags that residents from HOPE House and inmates from IMCC worked to create. The Probation Center manager and staff have been encouraged to visit this blog, access the photobucket link and run the movie Americorps volunteer Hollea Haut created to convey the work done by residents and inmates as she coordinated this project. Hollea, our sincerest thanks!!!! We also wish to thank IMCC Associate Warden Kelli Collins, Manager Paul Waldschmidt, and Crew Supervisor Martha Mills for their efforts on this project. If you visiting this blog and have not seen the movie, please access the photobucket link to the right of this blog now.
The children at the Probation Center were taken out for ice cream at the time of our presentation so we have no pictures of their reactions to this gesture. We are convinced however, that the efforts of the persons who made the bags will be yet another way that the Probation Center helps these children understand that they are persons of value. We were honored today to have the privilege of seeing the facility's work.
Hey Sam, I have enjoyed reading about your Poland adventure. What a wonderful opportunity! Great pictures and it looks like a lot of walking...when one of our administrators went he mentioned that POs in areas of Poland don't have vehicles and they take public transit for field visits. Is that still the case? Are you finding similar case management styles and/or an EBP model there?
ReplyDeleteI will continue to keep up with your trip. Hope you and your co-workers are well.
Bridget. Good to hear from you. I trust that things are good in Bexar County Texas Probation Offices. Please extend my regards to Andrea and Rita.
ReplyDeleteTo answer your question, this place is full of cars. Many of them very nice. From what we can see, PO's generally have the resources to purchase a car. However, cars are small because gas is expensive. It is sold by the liter here. Presently, a liter of gas is $2.48. At first glance, you'd say so??? Takes five liters to make one US gallon. Public transportation is very efficient and popular. Driving in Poland requires a good deal of moxy. The streets are lined and marked, drivers tend to see spaces and opportunities though. Earlier this week we spent an overnight on the north coast of Poland. Traveled there by car. Four hour drive from Poznan. Professional driver. Employed by the Poznan District Court to move Judges, Probation Administrators, PO's and in this case, us. Having the driver allows the agency to control expenses associated with travel. PO's with cars often walk or use public transit to get to work, court or conduct fieldwork.
Hope that answers your question. Thanks for the comment.
Sam