PDF file - Community Services Center

CSC NEWSTwenty-Five Years On:a history ofThe centerTExT: STEVE PARKER1987 Jackson released Bad, whichsaw George Michael go solowith the album Faith. Michaelproduced five number-one singles (a record that has neverbeen beaten). U2 released the album The Joshua Tree,which made them international superstars. Madonnabegan her “Who’s that girl?” tour. Kylie Minogue beganher singing career with a cover of the Loco-motion. Andthe biggest song of the year would be Bon Jovi’s Livingon a Prayer. And I turned 21….Michael Jackson may since have left us, but love themor hate them all of the artists listed above are as strong apresence in music today as they were 25 years ago, if notstronger. And I like to think that 25 years later I am stillan active and useful member of society….1987 was also special for the birth of a very importantTaiwan institution — the Community Services Center.That makes it our 25th birthday this year. Twentyfiveyears later we are still serving the internationalcommunity in Taiwan. Our mission has adapted with thetimes but our ‘music’ is still heard by many.As a non-profit organization it is not really our way tomake too big a deal out of this milestone, but it’s mademe, and many of the people who work here, think abouthow The Center started and exactly what The Centermeans, today, in 2012.CENTER BEGINNINGSI find as I talk to people that one of the first questionsthey ask me is how The Center started. There are onlya few people still in Taiwan who really know how it allbegan. Even those who have been around for many yearssometimes forget. I believe in The Center and believe inall the good work we do, but like many good things thegreatness was born out of tragedy.In 1987 there were three teenagers from theinternational community who often hung out together.They were teens whom people generally called ‘troubled’and many were concerned about them, but like a lot ofcommunities did not know what to do, trusting in timeand maturity to ‘cure’ them. And then tragedy happened.The three teens were hanging out on Yangmingshan ina common hangout area. Without going into too muchdetail the three were drinking, taking things that theyshouldn’t have, and playing dangerous games. The endresult of all this was the tragic death of one of them. Ihave spoken to those who were around at the time andthey recall just how strongly this affected the internationalcommunity. What came out of this was there was nosingle crisis intervention center to help the internationalcommunity cope and so The Center was created.Initially it was the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT)and the Taipei American School, along with a number ofsocially minded members of the international communitywho got together to set up The Center.THE CENTER NOWAs I said above, this year is the 25th anniversary of TheCenter. From humble beginnings we have come to anequally humble present, but we have grown and changednonetheless. Originally The Center was about CrisisResponse. We had a professional counselor on staff whocould provide counseling and crisis response immediately,as needed. The counseling service has helped countlessthousands of people over our 25 years and has nowgrown from an initially — and necessarily — reactivecounseling service to one that covers the whole gamut ofcounseling needs.Gradually over the years we realized that one ofthe elements of coping with crisis was to make surethat people were equipped with the tools they needto avert crises from happening. The Center began todevelop more into a hub of activity and a place wherepeople would come to learn about their new home, getinformation and eventually enjoy activities like Chinese,arts and crafts. For the newcomer professional itdeveloped into a place to take cross-culture training tomake sure they understood about the place they weregoing to work in for at least the next two years.Developing further The Center started to producebooks and a magazine. Taipei Living has become the‘Bible’ for most people arriving in Taiwan and is currentlyin its 10th edition. Our magazine Centered on Taipei isread by an estimated 10,000 people every month. And14 march 2012 www.communitycenter.org.tw