The Supporter is a quarterly magazine providing a collection of stories from across the AnglicareSA community.
Autumn 2023
Disadvantaged job seekers Disability housing crisis Clothed with choice and dignity
Message from the CEO
Welcome to the first edition of Supporter for 2023. We have had a busy start to the year and our programs and services continue to work hard to keep changing lives for the better.
Believe Housing Australia continues to increase the supply of social and affordable housing through new builds across metropolitan Adelaide. We recently saw tenants, including those living with disability, move into brand new homes in Mansfield Park, Woodville, Woodville Gardens, and Athol Park. More new homes will become available throughout this year and next. We were grateful for the support and generosity of so many across our community who donated their time, money, skills, and goods to our Christmas Appeal and Hamper and Toy Drive. We raised $75,000 for our emergency services and were able to provide toys and Christmas hampers to more than 1,500 individuals and families in need. Thank you for your support. There are many ways individuals and organisations can work with us to support those in need and in this edition of Supporter we showcase some of them. Corporate donations, such as Kytons Bakery’s recent donation of hot cross buns, individual donations to our emergency assistance services, and grants, including from Morialta Trust for our Turning Point Program, all help to extend our reach throughout the community.
Demand for AnglicareSA’s services keeps rising in line with escalating living costs and the deepening impact of the ongoing housing crisis affecting so many in our community. Those already confronted with barriers, such as South Australians living with disability or facing unemployment, are even more heavily impacted. Anglicare Australia’s most recent ‘Jobs Availability Snapshot’ report showed that despite a jobs boom, South Australians who need help to find work are being left behind. People without qualifications or work experience spend an average of five years looking for work. Low-income earners and those relying on income support payments continue to struggle to find suitable and affordable accommodation. Those living with disability face additional difficulties in finding appropriate and accessible housing. Believe Housing Australia, the housing arm of AnglicareSA, recently hosted the third in a series of cross-sector housing roundtables, this time spotlighting access to disability housing. The roundtables aim to use collaborative thinking to provide solutions to the housing crisis and increase access to homes for South Australians.
We also rely on volunteers and mentors to help run our services. Our Star Bear camps need more volunteers to support young people and their families through times of loss and grief. So too, our Mentoring Program needs more people to give an hour or two a week to support a young person in care to develop life skills and achieve their goals. Please get in touch if you have some time you can share with our programs and services. Thank you for your ongoing support of our work. Together we change lives.
Grant Reubenicht Chief Executive Officer
Cover: Children and Families South manager Janine Carger at the new AnglicareSA Thread Together clothing hub located in the city.
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Jobs boom a bust for disadvantaged jobseekers in South Australia
With the help of AnglicareSA, Nathan is now working as a casual cashier and grocery stock worker at a local supermarket. But he would like more stable work. He is not alone having difficulty finding work. An Anglicare Australia report has found South Australians who need the most help to find work – early school leavers, those living with disabilities, and the long-term unemployed – are not benefitting from the nation’s current jobs boom. The Anglicare Australia Jobs Availability snapshot, released in December 2022, found 23 South Australians are competing for each entry-level job advertised and that people without qualifications or work experience spend an average of five years looking for work. AnglicareSA Chief Executive Officer Grant Reubenicht said that despite a strong jobs market, disadvantaged job seekers in South Australia – including early school leavers – are not getting a chance. “There needs to be change in not only how we support jobseekers with barriers to work, but in creating real and sustainable pathways for them to access more entry-level jobs, whether that’s through training or supported work placements,” he said. Finding school difficult, at 17, Nathan left school. He had completed Year 10 and was confident he would find a job. After hundreds of job applications and searching for work over five years early school-leaver Nathan finally got a break in 2022.
Early school-leaver Nathan applied for hundreds of jobs over five years
“I was looking for anything,” said the 24-year-old from Adelaide’s southern suburbs. “Shop assistant, warehouse worker, labourer, cleaner – you name it and I’ve applied for it. “The hardest thing was having your mates tell you that you’re obviously not looking hard enough, but it is really difficult to find entry-level work – people just don’t get how hard it is.” Unable to afford rent, Nathan was forced to return home to live with his mum. “I was living terribly,” he said. “If I had to live on my own, I wouldn’t be able to afford rent and food and everything else I need to live.”
In 2022, Nathan, through support from AnglicareSA, gained his Learner’s permit and received employment coaching, including writing cover letters and a resume. He gained casual employment in June and is keen to work more hours in a more permanent role. “Having a job gives you quality of life – it gives you freedom. You can enjoy yourself. Life is much better now.”
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Supporter Autumn 2023
Introducing Tim Sarah At the end of last year, we welcomed Tim Sarah to lead our AnglicareSA Board and Believe Housing Australia (AnglicareSA Housing) Board.
Tim officiated as the new Chair of the boards at his first meetings in November and December. The 54-year-old South Australian co-manages the iconic construction company Sarah Group – the legacy of which spans three generations across the state. Tim was 24 years-old when he and cousin James took over the company established by their grandfather in 1961. At the time, Tim was a Chartered Accountant with an Economics Degree from Adelaide University working at accounting firm Ernst & Young. In November last year, Tim took over as Chair of the AnglicareSA Board and the Believe Housing Australia Board from Bruce Linn AM in November. Bruce retired as chair after nine years at the helm.
Tim has served as board member of the Believe Housing Australia Board and as chair of AnglicareSA’s Audit and Risk Committee since 2019 and 2020 respectively. “It is an honour to be able to be involved in AnglicareSA,” says Tim. “AnglicareSA is one of the great institutions of the state and for me to be able to play my part is humbling and deeply satisfying.” Tim says the biggest challenges faced by AnglicareSA include continuing to support those in need during a post- pandemic, cost-of-living crisis. But he says AnglicareSA’s depth, breadth and reach of services, dedicated employees and resources meant we are best placed in serving more of those in need than ever before. “We are AnglicareSA and we are seen as a reputable, quality, community service provider – our size gives us
Tim Sarah
the ability to knock on doors of government and advocate for those who are voiceless and powerless. “We have the opportunity to be drivers of social justice, a centre of excellence of delivery of community services and to be an attractor of talented employees, of government and of investors – we want people to know that if they want a solution, they will find it at AnglicareSA because AnglicareSA is known to strive to deliver excellence for all South Australians.”
Love is in the air
The secret to a good marriage is compromise, and a sprinkle of good looks can help along the way too!
Peter and May met as young adults while working at the Bickfords cordial factory in the late 1940s and early ‘50s. It was British-born May’s defiant independence on the factory floor that caught Peter’s eye at the time. “There are so many aspects of May that I like,” says Peter. “She is still an
Peter and May, who will celebrate their 72nd wedding anniversary in December, shared some of their top tips for marital longevity in the lead up to Valentine’s Day. “Give and take,” says Peter, 97. May, 93, says: “I thought he was so handsome, and he still is.” The Adelaide couple were married in December 1951 and have been residents of AnglicareSA’s Trott Park aged care site for more than a year. They are parents to four children and have six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
independent woman today.” Our aged care sites across
metropolitan Adelaide celebrated Valentine’s Day on February 14 with our residents and their loved ones.
Peter and May celebrated their love on Valentine’s Day
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Disability housing crisis In late February, a 100-person roundtable of sector experts from services, not-for-profit and government addressed the housing crisis and its impacts on one of the most vulnerable cohorts,
people living with disability. Believe Housing Australia’s latest roundtable is part of a series of cross-sector events, held to bring together many of the best minds and specialists to collaboratively develop strategies and solutions to deliver more housing in South Australia. Stacey Northover, Believe Housing Australia Acting Executive General Manager, said recent announcements regarding the Housing Australia Future Fund and rental reforms to protect tenants were heartening, but there was still much to be done over the short and long term to end the housing crisis. “We hope that the release of the Housing Australia Future Fund, along with state government initiatives, and housing delivered by local housing providers, will all have a very real and lasting impact on the most vulnerable Australians,” she said. “The community, government and housing sectors must work together to end this worsening crisis. “We know that housing plays a major role in the health and wellbeing of
negative consequences, including homelessness, poor health, and lower rates of employment and education.” Believe Housing Australia, with the Community Housing Council of SA (CHCSA), has presented two other roundtables and produced outcomes and recommendations following both, that have been distributed to the sector and the Minister.
people with disability, by providing shelter, safety and security. “The availability of accessible, affordable, appropriate housing helps people with disability to participate in the social, economic and community aspects of everyday life. “A person who does not have access to affordable, secure and appropriate housing may experience several
Read more about the Youth Roundtable and Over 55s Roundtable outcomes by visiting believehousing.org.au/research/
Welcome home Thanks to the state government’s ROSAS community housing transfer, a number of Believe Housing Australia tenants were able to move into lovely new homes towards the end of last year in Mansfield Park, Woodville, Woodville Gardens and Athol Park.
As well as building new homes, tier one community housing providers like Believe Housing Australia manage community housing, provide affordable rentals, create a sense of community, and support tenants. Every year we also re-invest in the upgrade and redevelopment of ageing and low standard social housing.
Tenants said they were so happy and felt grateful for the opportunity to move into these fresh, beautiful new homes, which include solar panels and reverse cycle air conditioning. The new builds have enabled us to house a diverse range of tenants. We have housed a large newly arrived family, a mum and her newborn, a family with two kids in wheelchairs, and First Nations families.
Our tenants are delighted with their new homes
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Supporter Autumn 2023
Fun and learning
While that social connectedness is a significant and positive factor for older people, it is also an effective learning and development tool for children. Some of the benefits identified in Australian studies include learning and communication skills, as well as language development and following instructions. For playgroup participant Alice, it was an opportunity to work alongside her young friend Patrick, decorating and making musical instruments, laughing that she’ll take them back to share
Alice and Patrick enjoyed the intergenerational playgroup
with her regular choir friends. “This is the first time I’ve done something like this,” said Alice.
“In the sessions we’ve designed a lot of craft activities,” Alicia explains. “Activities that both the older adults and young children can participate in, help each other with and work together on. “One of the activities was partnering up an older person and young child and they drew portraits of each other. “They helped each other out with their drawings and then they presented to each other at the end.” While the intergenerational playgroups are a lot of fun, these types of interactions and sessions also deliver many other benefits, including increased social connectedness and improved relationships for older people.
An intergenerational playgroup trial has harnessed the benefits of occupational therapy to support some of AnglicareSA’s oldest and youngest customers. Occupational Therapy graduates Alicia and Hannah created the playgroup as part of their new graduate program with AnglicareSA, bringing together aged care customers and young children from the Daphne Street Early Learning Centre. With a mixture of arts and craft, music and song, the three trial sessions held at the Prospect Library at the end of 2022 have the potential to become a broader playgroup experience following a review.
“I’m normally quite busy out and about with things like my choir, but I’m glad I came because children are great. “I have grandkids and you just let them come to you on their terms and in their own time, but you can always get along with them.” With the trial sessions completed, Alicia says an evaluation of the playgroup project results will take place with a final report bringing the outcomes together. “In terms of feasibility for AnglicareSA moving forward, hopefully we can foster this pilot project, move it forward and continue it on into the future.”
Early ‘bun-der-ful’ Easter delivery Easter arrived early at the Magdalene Centre with the delivery in February of 540 hot cross buns thanks to Kytons Bakery.
AnglicareSA Executive General Manager Community Services, Nancy Penna, said the thoughtful donation by Kytons Bakery not only fed hungry mouths but helped make South Australians facing tough times feel special and valued. “Our six Emergency Assistance hubs continue to see an increase in need within our community as the cost of living continues to rise,” said Ms Penna.
The delicious buns were distributed to AnglicareSA’s emergency assistance customers. “We know that many people are finding life tough out there at the moment,” said owner of Kytons Bakery Sharon Sutton. “So, we thought we would spread some ‘bun-der-ful’ love out there as we launch into our busiest season of the year.”
Kyton Bakery’s Sharon Sutton and AnglicareSA’s Nancy Penna
“Almost half of those seeking help are families with children.”
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Supporting others on a journey through grief
To register your interest in volunteering or to seek further information please email starbear@anglicaresa.com.au
Jo lost her soulmate Davide to cancer in January of 2020 – he was aged 45. Through a monthly bereavement support group, Jo heard about the unique work of AnglicareSA’s Star Bear loss and grief camps. She attended one of the camps with her two young children in June 2021. Immediately after, Jo knew she wanted to share her own grief journey and support others as a Star Bear volunteer. AnglicareSA is looking for volunteers like Jo to join the Star Bear program and make a real difference to the lives of children and their families who have lost a significant family member. To be a Star Bear volunteer you don’t need to have experienced grief or loss, but you will need some security checks and to complete training modules. AnglicareSA will support you in obtaining these.
Jo’s loss led her to become a Star Bear volunteer
“Star Bear helped me to open up to like-minded families who experienced the same or similar emotions for the loss of their loved ones,” Jo says. “It was a short, but amazing time to reflect and acknowledge the loved one in a supportive and comfortable
environment away from day to day-to- day distractions. “I felt like I could actually grieve without my kids seeing me being vulnerable and upset and was able to share the experience with others.”
Lunch with a Cook to serve those in need AnglicareSA supporters shared lunch with South Australian Human Services Minister Nat Cook at Parliament House recently. The lunch was hosted by Minister Cook for several men and women who donated funds to AnglicareSA’s
emergency assistance services. Last year AnglicareSA provided
emergency relief though food, clothing and financial help to more than 13,000 South Australians. Among the generous diners were lawyers from the Women’s Legal Service (SA) and Kane Lisman, a contract administrator and social services advocate. Solicitor Barbara Hancock said a seat at the lunch table with Minister Cook had provided an excellent opportunity to highlight the important work of the Women’s Legal Service (SA).
The group of AnglicareSA diners at lunch with Human Services Minister Nat Cook
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Supporter Autumn 2023
role involved spending three hours a week with a child or young person, creating activity plans, organising and facilitating activity sessions, and providing case notes. “It’s a once-a-week commitment that can change the lives of some of the state’s most vulnerable children and young people by supporting them to thrive and reach their personal goals,” she said. Liverpool fan Robbie says the experience has been transformative. “The favourite thing I’ve probably done is karting, or the first week, getting to know Luke and knowing that it’s not just something that I’ll do for a couple of weeks and say no to, that it was something that we could do for a lot longer than I expected,” says Robbie. Getting out of the house and having one-on-one time with someone independent of the household dynamic has been “awesome”. “Sometimes I get people that I don’t know, and they only come once and leave, but with Luke I get to see him once or twice a week,” says Robbie. Luke says the program has changed his life too. “Seeing the person Robbie is now from when I first met him is a part of the by- product of the mentor relationship and knowing that I’ve played a role in that gives me a lot of pride and joy.” The AnglicareSA Mentoring Program is run with the support of the Department of Education and the Department for Child Protection across metropolitan Adelaide and surrounding areas, including the Barossa Valley and Victor Harbor. Community service mentors are paid for their time and undergo a screening and recruitment process, including a Working With Children Check and National Police Check, in order to work with children and young people.
Mentor Luke Liccione and Robbie
Kicking goals on and off the pitch Up until eight months ago, Robbie * lacked the confidence to try new things and setting future goals felt too far out of his reach. Now the 13-year-old soccer fan’s growing to-do list includes a professional sporting career, world
“This program is really young-person led,” Luke explains. “So, I encourage Robbie to choose something each week that he would like to do that he’s either done in the past, or something that he would like to try but he hasn’t had an opportunity to yet. “We’ve done karting, soccer, basketball and he’s started asking questions about nutrition and health, so we’ve organised a few cooking and gym sessions.” AnglicareSA needs more mentors like Luke to meet the growing demands of the program. Judi Kammerman, AnglicareSA Senior Manager Operations, Family and Youth Services, said the mentor
travel, and simply having fun. Robbie is part of AnglicareSA’s Mentoring Program – a community- based therapeutic model that provides a young person in care with an adult mentor to support them to develop life skills and focus on achieving specific goals. Since joining the program, Robbie says he has become more outgoing and braver in trying things that he hadn’t done before. Mentor Luke Liccione was matched with Robbie under the program in 2022. Luke, who is a Youth Engagement and Wellbeing Practitioner, comes from a sporting background and knows firsthand the impact a good mentor can have on the life of a young person.
* Robbie’s name has been changed for privacy reasons.
If you are interested in becoming a mentor and having a positive impact on the life of a young person in care, please contact AnglicareSA via mentoring@anglicaresa.com.au
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Morialta Trust Grant win The Morialta Trust recently awarded a grant of $21,000 to AnglicareSA’s Turning Point Program. The program provides young families with children aged under five experiencing homelessness with up to three months of family friendly accommodation so they can stabilise after crisis and plan for the future. We are grateful to the Morialta Charitable Trust and its Governors for their passion in supporting disadvantaged children, young people and their families.
ANWHA partners joined to launch emergency accommodation – Peppertree Place Peppertree Place We were proud to join our Adelaide North West Homelessness Alliance (ANWHA) partners at the recent opening of our first collaborative project – Peppertree Place. Located in the northern suburbs, Peppertree Place will provide
Peppertree Place will be a much better alternative for families, with support services then able to walk them through the entire process of finding a new, more permanent home. ANWHA is a collaboration between Aboriginal Sobriety Group, AnglicareSA, Centacare Catholic Family Services, St John’s Youth Services, The Salvation Army South Australia, Uniting SA, Uniting Communities, and the SA Housing Authority. AnglicareSA’s vision is “justice, respect and fullness of life for all”. We can’t achieve that if our human rights are not protected. People in Victoria, Queensland and the ACT have their human rights legally protected. These laws are delivering meaningful improvements in people’s everyday lives. We want that for SA. A Human Rights Act could provide a framework to require the South Australian government to consider everyone’s basic rights when it designs new laws, regulations, or policies.
temporary emergency accommodation for families experiencing homelessness who would otherwise be in hotel rooms. While some families are able to access emergency hotel accommodation, it’s not an ideal environment, with families large and small often living and sleeping in one room, with limited access to cooking facilities, and limited access for pets. Human rights It’s hard to believe, but here in South Australia, human rights are not yet properly protected in law. On Human Rights Day in early December, AnglicareSA joined with other like-minded organisations to call on the South Australian government to begin a community-wide conversation by establishing a public inquiry into a Human Rights Act for South Australia.
Morialta Trust’s Lauren Noake with AnglicareSA’s Kellie Bartlam
Importantly, it could also ensure South Australians have accessible pathways to resolve any disputes about their rights and achieve effective remedies if their rights have been unjustifiably breached, without expensive litigation. Together with SACOSS (South Australian Council of Social Service), Australian Lawyers for Human Rights, and other like-minded organisations, AnglicareSA will continue to advocate for a Human Rights Act that legally protects the dignity, security and interests of all South Australians.
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Supporter Autumn 2023
At the end of 2022, we held our annual AnglicareSA Employee Appreciation Festival to acknowledge and celebrate our employees and the end of another busy year. The Festival was a great opportunity to say thank you to our employees for all that they do to support more than 51,000 South Australians each year. Thank you to the Festival’s principal partner and sponsors, Your Nursing Agency, Access Pay, Supply Clusters, Goodman Field Food Services, BidFood John Lewis Food Service and Liquor, Wasteflex and AON for their generous support of this event. Employee Appreciation Festival
The Toy Boys made and donated hundreds of wooden toys for Christmas
Toy Boys spreading the Christmas magic A tiny army of master craftsmen, tinkerers and toymakers help change little lives right across the state each Christmas. They are called the Toy Boys and their magic cave of toy making tools in Adelaide’s western suburbs delivered
The group soon rapidly expanded and moved to a larger factory space in Woodville. The Rotarians and other volunteers now operate out of the former Charles Sturt Council depot in Henley Beach, handmaking an array of toys that could rival Santa’s Workshop – everything from trucks and cars to mix-masters, cradles and pull along animals. The Toy Boys also make beautiful, wooden Memory Boxes for children and young people attending our Star Bear camps. These camps create a safe space for families, whose lives have been shattered by the loss of a loved one, to share their experiences and to help support their grief. AnglicareSA experienced a 20 per cent surge in demand for its Christmas hampers in 2022, as cost of living pressures stretched already limited budgets over the festive period.
close to 500 meticulously crafted traditional wooden toys for children in need at Christmas. The toys – including trains and ride-on rocking horses – were donated by the Toy Boys to eight separate charities, including AnglicareSA. AnglicareSA delivered the toys to families making the difficult choice of paying the rent or placing gifts under the Christmas tree. “We volunteer our time to do this because we want to be able to provide for young people who don’t have anything at Christmas,” says Toy Boys workshop team leader John Cook. The Toy Boys were formed in 1992 when the late Ron Bettinson, a member of the Rotary Club of Charles Sturt Grange, began making toys in his shed at home.
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Clothed with choice and dignity
Anthony * , aged 62, suffered a work-related injury and now relies on a disability pension to support himself. His fixed income is not enough to make
“The fact that Anthony left his home to attend the Thread Together appointment shows just how much he needed new clothes. “When we were at the Thread Together clothing hub, Anthony was treated with kindness and dignity, and he was given a choice. “He had assumed that he would just have to accept what was given to him, however, he was pleasantly surprised. “As an older gentleman living alone in hard times and with no money to spare, the fact that there was a service where he had choices made him feel welcome.” Edward works for one of more than 125 external agencies who access clothing for clients through AnglicareSA’s Thread Together program.
ends meet, with rising living costs stretching an already tight budget. Anthony buys a few basic clothes during the Boxing Day sales every year to save money. However, after a long winter and unseasonably cold spring, Anthony’s only jumper was wearing very thin and was not enough to keep him warm in his home, which has no heating. Anthony’s support worker, Edward, contacted the Thread Together team. “Anthony is one of those individuals who had unfortunately fallen through the cracks,” said Edward explained. “He lives with mental health challenges, including social anxiety.
Support worker Edward
Donate now and give those in need access to new clothes
– support those experiencing or at risk of homelessness – assist refugee families arriving in Adelaide with little or no possessions – help survivors of domestic violence who flee without packing clothes
Your donation will provide comfort, build self-esteem, and dignity to those in our community experiencing disadvantage. Our Thread Together program has so far supported more than 20,000 customers, but there are many more who need our help. Through your donation our Thread Together Program will help: – rebuild lives after natural disasters
One in eight Australians are unable to afford adequate clothing and yet one third of all new clothing is going straight to landfill as fashion excess. Your donation to our Autumn Appeal will play a crucial role in ensuring all South Australians have access to essential clothing.
– provide clothing to long-term unemployed, with no means of purchasing appropriate interview attire. The Thread Together program relies on donations to continue this vital service. We simply could not continue this work without you.
Clothing is packed and sorted
Our mobile wardrobes deliver clothes to people in need
Fashion partners donate this stock
Previously, end-of-line stock was sent to landfill
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Thank you
Thanks to the generosity of our many supporters, partners, volunteers and employees, AnglicareSA was able to deliver joy to hundreds of families and individuals doing it tough over Christmas. The Christmas appeal raised $75,000 to help fund emergency food relief, clothing, basic essentials, once-off rent assistance, financial counselling, and referrals to other support services. Thank you to everyone who donated. We are also very grateful for the generous support of the local parishes, schools and community members who donated items and volunteered their time so that we could deliver more than 1,500 hampers and toys to individuals and families in need. A big thanks to our corporate supporters, CMI Toyota and Complete Ute and Van hire for loaning us a vehicle, fondly known as our Hope Mobile, to pick up and drop off donated items. Special thanks to Beyond Bank for their incredible assistance in providing us with 23 Hope Mobile drivers across three weeks, and the many other Beyond Bank volunteers who helped pack hampers and sort toys at the Magdalene Centre. This support from our community is crucial to the work we do.
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