The Supporter is a quarterly magazine providing a collection of stories from across the AnglicareSA community.
Spring 2024
Finding a place to call home Celebrating our aged care employees Community connection for young people
Message from the CEO
At AnglicareSA we are fortunate to have an aged care workforce of more than 1,000 employees who show great dedication and commitment to the health and wellbeing of our older customers.
The Turning Point program is part of our homelessness service supporting women with children who are homeless due to escaping domestic and family violence. Finally, a heartfelt thank you to everyone who generously donated to our Winter Appeal. Together, we raised more than $85,000 to support AnglicareSA’s Emergency Assistance services. During an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis with more and more South Australians in need of help, your gifts support us to continue meeting the ever-increasing demands upon our services and offer a warm and welcoming place for people in times of need. Looking ahead, registrations are now open for this year’s Christmas Hamper and Toy Drive where you can help us to deliver more than 1,000 hampers and more than 2,000 toys to AnglicareSA customers in need at Christmas. It is something that makes a significant difference to the lives of so many people. Thank you for your ongoing care and support. Together we change lives.
a safe and stable place to call home where they can focus on Sheila’s health thanks to the support and advocacy of our employees. Our Youth Services team is finding innovative ways to support young people living in out-of-home care to build a sense of community and connection. A new partnership with St John’s Grammar School in Belair delivered a unique school holiday program where students acted as mentors and led a day of fun activities for young people in out-of-home care. On page 6 you can find out more about the partnership and the social impact it will have moving forward. The connection we have to our community is something we are not only proud of, but something we will foster for years to come. Through this we can play a role in supporting projects and events like a recent big band concert hosted by the St Bede’s Anglican Parish (page 9). However, it also provides an avenue for the community to walk alongside us and support our services. Women and mothers in crisis were the focus of a welcome donation from the Lions Club of Charles Sturt of 20 packs of essential items to our Turning Point program (page 11).
On August 7, we said Thanks for Caring as part of Aged Care Employee Day to celebrate more than 370,000 aged care workers across Australia who support more than 1.5 million older Australians. Closer to home, we are proud of our Aged Care Services employees who work across many and varied roles, from nursing and care workers to the hospitality and lifestyle teams, allied health professionals, administration, and so many more. You can read about two of our aged care team members on pages 4 and 5, including Adris who retrained and turned the disappointment of the Holden factory closure to a career in community aged care that has spanned almost a decade. You’ll also meet Darcy who is all about bringing the fun and wellbeing to residential aged care. The aged care workforce in Australia is facing rising demand as the number of people aged over 85 continues to increase, so please reach out to us if you are interested in pursuing a fulfilling career in aged care. On page 8 you’ll meet Gary and Sheila who, through our Care Finder program for vulnerable older people, were prevented from becoming homeless and living in their car. They now have
Grant Reubenicht Chief Executive Officer
Cover: AnglicareSA Care Finder program customers Gary and Sheila
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New benchmark for affordable housing Believe Housing Australia’s $14 million Mansfield Park affordable housing development has been hailed as Project of the Year at the prestigious Urban Development Institute of Australia (SA) Awards for Excellence.
tenant Johnathan was one of countless South Australians facing the struggle of finding an affordable rental. He and his partner had been forced to vacate the property they had only been renting for 12 months after the landlord initially sought to increase rent by $50 a week but then decided to sell the home. “We were already paying $400 for a two-bedroom apartment, which was really expensive for us,” Johnathon said. “Then we had the added pressure of trying to find a new place. Described by the panel of judges to be “world-class and outstanding”, Mansfield Park also claimed the Affordable Housing Award. The 37 purpose-built two and three- bedroom rental homes on Wilson Street, which include six specialist disability accommodation units, were brought into being by the AnglicareSA development team headed by Gayle Dunnett. The project was then initiated and managed to completion by Richard Hubert. AnglicareSA CEO Grant Reubenicht said: “I am extremely appreciative and proud of the hard work that the AnglicareSA development team did to bring a concept through from initiation to completion of such a worthwhile project that has now achieved the rightful accolades it deserves so far.” These properties are managed by Tier 1, not-for-profit community housing provider Believe Housing Australia (BHA). BHA Executive General Manager, Housing Services, Stacey Northover, said Mansfield Park was a great example of how Community Housing
Duncan Fairclough, Frankie Lea, Ben Vigor, Stacey Northover, Darren Huitema, Rachael Napper, Jodi Dreyer, Christie Marrot-Castellat, Sasha Cameron, and Richard Hubert at the UDIA(SA) Awards for Excellence
“Believe Housing Australia has delivered a simply outstanding project that complements and lifts the wider urban renewal in the area, delivering a welcoming place to call home with every essential service and facility at their fingertips,” he said. “It has created a micro-village that 37 families call home in an interesting, attractive, and connected community, close to essential services and facilities.”
“But the reality is, it’s tough out there and trying to find a home is almost a full-time job with long lines outside homes of people competing for the same property.” Searching listings online at every opportunity, Johnathon and his partner came across Believe Housing Australia which was advertising rentals for its affordable housing development at Mansfield Park following its unveiling in March. “We secured a home here and we’re now actually saving more than $100 a week, which is a huge help as it will hopefully assist us to get back on our feet and save some money,” he said. Providers could deliver housing solutions during a housing crisis, that were also created with community connection in mind. “I want to thank the UDIA for this incredible honour of not only winning the award for excellence in an Affordable Development, but also Project of the Year,” she said. UDIA SA Chief Executive Liam Golding hailed the housing project as an exceptional development.
A welcome home in Mansfield Park Believe Housing Australia
Mansfield Park tenant Johnathon
“We’re currently on a 12-month lease but the goal is to get back on our feet and to open up this home to someone else in need.”
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Supporter Spring 2024
Thank you to our aged care employees
On Aged Care Employee Day on 7 August, we said Thanks for Caring to our dedicated workforce of more than 1,000 care workers, hospitality teams, nurses, allied health professionals, lifestyle teams, coordinators, administration staff, and many others who work across our Aged Care Services.
They make a difference every day by providing essential care, comfort, and companionship to older Australians. They help our loved ones live longer in their own homes or feel at home in residential aged care.
Their commitment and dedication to providing extraordinary care in what can be at times a challenging occupation is worthy of recognition.
From Holden to community care For Adris Salih, home care wasn’t part of his original career plan.
“I worked at Holden for 28 years and thought I’d be there until I retired,” Adris said. However, the closure of Holden’s manufacturing plant threw a spanner in the works for Adris, who had to find new employment, choosing to retrain as an aged care worker. “I like to talk to people and have good people skills, so I decided to give it a go and try something different,” Adris said. “It was a big change, but I have really enjoyed it.” Adris, who has been a part of AnglicareSA’s community aged care team for nearly 10 years, was recently promoted to Home and Community Client Services Lead and now manages 43 care workers across metro Adelaide. He said he loved being able to mentor the next generation of aged care workers. “I try to catch up with each of them as much as I can on their shifts and see if they need any support. “I love being able to help them to care for our customers.”
“The job we do is huge and makes a big difference to the lives of older people.”
Adris said Aged Care Employee Day provided an opportunity to recognise aged care employees’ hard work and commitment to the health and wellbeing of older people.
“Aged care workers put 110 per cent into their work,” he said. “The job we do is huge and makes a big difference to the lives of older people.”
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Aged Care Employee Day 7 August 2024
Bringing the fun at home Darcy Kemp likes to say that her role as a Customer Wellness Assistant at our Grange residential aged care home is all about bringing the fun. From celebrating events to facilitating gardening groups, armchair travel sessions, and the all-important Bingo Wednesdays, Darcy brings bucketloads of enthusiasm to every lifestyle activity she’s a part of. Darcy is part of the lifestyle team responsible for designing and creating engaging and fun leisure activities that meet residents’ needs. It’s a role she thinks is very important for residents’ health and wellbeing. “Moving into a residential aged care home can be hard initially for residents, who are now living with other people they don’t know,” she said. “I like to make them feel at home and find ways to get them involved in activities that make them happy and where they can connect with other residents. “When you age, your abilities might change, but your interests don’t.” It’s clear that the residents are fond of Darcy – smiles and laughter are common takeaways in their interactions with her. And talking to Darcy, the feeling is mutual.
“I think it’s so important that we give back to older people and look after them.”
“I love talking to the residents and their families and hearing their stories.
With the number of Australians aged over 85 expected to double over the next decade, it’s no secret that more aged care workers are needed to keep up with the demand. Want to make a difference in the lives of older Australians? Join the AnglicareSA team and apply for a role in aged care here. anglicaresa.com.au/join-our- team/
“I form such strong bonds with the residents, it’s like I have 100 grandparents,” she joked.
Darcy said Aged Care Employee Day was also a chance to acknowledge the contributions of older Australians. “I think it’s so important that we give back to older people and look after them,” she said. “Everything that we have now is thanks to them.”
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Supporter Spring 2024
Community service and forging connections A new partnership between AnglicareSA’s Youth Services team and St John’s Grammar School in Belair is helping create a sense of connection while potentially uncovering the community services workforce of the future.
A fun and friendly focus
AnglicareSA’s Stronger Together and Thriving Families programs have been working together on fun and interactive activities, getting their hands dirty, hearts pumping, and creating magical memories. The first day of activities was a blend of creativity and culinary fun with the morning spent with the Art of Expression team in a workshop where young people expressed themselves through various mediums, including drawing, painting, and clay work. They then turned their hands to the kitchen and whipped up pizzas for lunch. The second day was all about the physical challenge of Ninja Warrior and inflatable obstacle course at SA Base Camp in Kilburn. The program, planned, and facilitated in collaboration with our Participation and Wellbeing team and Integrated Family Services staff, provided an opportunity for young people to learn new social skills, meet new friends, and gain confidence while discovering new interests. The Stronger Together program provides tailored interventions to families with children or young people at imminent risk. Thriving Families builds a caregiving community that is tailored to local need, and is collaborative, strengths based and trauma informed to meet a child and family’s developmental and recovery needs.
St John’s Grammar School Assistant Head of Senior School, Brady Lloyd, said the school believed in the importance of providing students with an opportunity to look beyond their own worlds and was thankful for the
It was all about school holiday fun, from whipping up a double batch of brownies, or having a kick with a couple of AFLW Crows stars, to arts, crafts, and games, as St John’s Grammar students led activities for 12 young people living in out-of-home care across Adelaide. AnglicareSA Participation and Wellbeing Coordinator, Rebecca Walker, said the partnership between Youth Services and St John’s Grammar supporting children in out-of-home care was based on mutual aspirations. “The school, through its Leader of Wellbeing Danielle Kemp, was looking for a service opportunity for students which was meaningful and a way for them to feel like they were giving back to the community,” Rebecca said. “At the same time, our team was looking for ways to provide a program for young people living in out-of-home care across Adelaide where they could come along and meet other young people who are there to support and mentor them. “We also wanted them to be able to hang out and meet other kids who, like them, are living in out-of-home care through various agencies. “This is an opportunity for them to connect with others and build a sense of community.”
partnership with AnglicareSA. Being involved in the mentoring
project was also a chance for students to gain exposure and understanding of more career options open to them in the community services sector, Rebecca said. “Just like with our other programs we see the ripple effect of these kinds of experiences in terms of developing a greater understanding of the need in the community as well as possibly choosing different career paths,” she said.
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Building strong relationships With each rep and each set, Sam * knows he is one step closer to achieving his dream of being a powerlifter and he’s doing it with AnglicareSA mentor Dan by his side.
The pair were introduced to each other in February last year through AnglicareSA’s Mentoring Program – a program that matches community mentors with a young person in care to support them in developing life skills and focussing on achieving specific goals. “I saw the job online,” said Dan who is currently studying social work at Flinders University. “That’s where my passion is and the field of work I want to pursue – working with young people – and this is a perfect opportunity.” Growing up surrounded by positive role models including his parents and sports coaches, Dan knows the importance of having people around to help someone achieve their goals. “I can still remember the impact of my English teacher and PE teacher, and I want to be able to have that sort of an impact for someone else.
AnglicareSA community mentor Dan is working with Sam* in the gym to meet his fitness goals
“Sam and I hit it off right from the start because he has such a passion for the gym, and I used to be a gym instructor, so we bonded over that.” Sam said his weekly sessions with his mentor had been an amazing experience, working together on his gym training while also working on his personal development. “I’d love to be a powerlifter. I love the process, the feeling of hitting a new record, constantly improving myself,” Sam said.
“I’d also like be a personal trainer helping others to get stronger and reach their goals. “The Mentor Program has been great. I was never someone who talked a lot to people and ever since I have been working with Dan, I have developed a real sense of confidence.” * Sam’s name has been changed for privacy reasons .
A college effort in the name of giving
Investigator College staff and students kept busy during term two with a number of fundraising efforts in support of AnglicareSA. Whether it was during events like the coin chain, a sleep out in the gym, or through donations of non-perishable items, the students demonstrated their generosity and power of giving
during the term’s activities. As a thank you, junior school
students at the Victor Harbor school enjoyed a well-earned Pyjama Day and disco in the final week of term where they also presented the college’s donations to AnglicareSA’s Philanthropy and Partnerships team as well as the much-loved Star Bear.
AnglicareSA Head of Philanthropy and Partnerships Ian Cox with Investigator College students and the Star Bear
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Supporter Spring 2024
Daphne Street a centre for excellence Our Daphne Street Autism Specific Early Learning and Care Centre (ASELCC) continues to build its reputation as a centre for excellence and an employer of choice for allied health professionals wanting to work in the field. Through participation in key research projects, and being invited to speak on a state and national level, the Daphne Street centre and its team is being recognised as a leader in its field Earlier this year we hosted Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth MP, Minister for Autism Emily Bourke – Labor MLC, and Autism CRC chief executive Andrew Davis to officially launch Autism CRC’s latest National Practice Guideline Resources. The resources include the Supporting Autistic Children and their Families short course and eLearning and the National Guideline for the Assessment and Diagnosis of Autism in Australia. The guidelines define evidence-based
Gary and Sheila can now focus on their health and future after securing stable housing through the Care Finder program
Finding home security Given just four weeks’ notice to move out of their private rental, Gary, 72, and Sheila, 59, found themselves in a crisis.
to help vulnerable older people navigate and access aged care.
Countless applications for private rentals were rejected, and they were not approved for retirement housing due to the short timeframe. With few options available to them, the desperate couple even considered driving to New South Wales to live in their car near their daughter. However, due to Sheila’s health conditions they were advised it would only make matters worse, coupled with the fact they would no longer be on the list for community housing in SA. “It was right on Christmas,” Sheila said. “Right at the eleventh hour AnglicareSA was able find us a hotel to stay in, we thought we were going to be living in our car the next day. “Our daughter who was training to become a case worker had put us in touch with AnglicareSA and the Care Finder Program which helped us find somewhere to stay in an emergency and more than that, they then helped us find a safe place to call home.” The Care Finder Program is an initiative of the Department of Health and Aged Care and funds a workforce of care finders to provide face-to-face support
AnglicareSA worked with the Adelaide North West Homelessness Alliance in sourcing funding for the couple and their small dog to live in a hotel where they spent the next three months living alongside other people experiencing homelessness. Gary and Sheila were then able to be housed in a flat through Unity Housing. “We can’t thank AnglicareSA enough,” Gary said. “We are so grateful for the support and advocacy provided to us during such a tough time.” Now that they are housed, the Care Finder team has linked Gary in with carer support through Carers SA, while Sheila has been provided a worker to assist her with accessing the NDIS. This, she said, meant she could focus on her health without the stress of facing homelessness. “It was such a stressful time, we had our belongings in storage and nowhere to live. Now we are here, we are unpacking, and we can relax in our own home,” Sheila said.
practices for supporting autistic children and their families that
promote children’s development, their participation in childhood activities, and their wellbeing. The centre was proud to host this launch and shine a light on the important work the Daphne Street team does to support local autistic children and their families.
AnglicareSA EGM, Disability and Wellbeing Services Ian Byrne, Board Chair Tim Sarah, Senior Manager Autism Services Grace Frost, and Austism CRC chief executive Andrew Davis at the launch
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Getting the band back together Music has the power to connect people of all backgrounds and generations and AnglicareSA home care customer Ric is keen to get the band back together. Ric is a regular at several social groups run by AnglicareSA, however the
absence of a music group is off-key for the passionate musician and karaoke enthusiast so he’s now working with Social Activities team in putting the call out for others to join him. “When you think about the number of AnglicareSA customers across home care, aged care, and other programs and how many of them are old musicians,” Ric said. “I want to get them together, get their gear out of the cupboards and join a big band – there would be singers out there too.” Growing up with a love of music, Ric got his start in the industry at the age of 15 doing sound and lighting at the former Palais Royale on North Terrace before a move to Sydney immersed in the booming music scene throughout the 1960s and ‘70s.
Home care customer Ric with AnglicareSA Social Activities Coordinator Tash Burszyk
“Music brings people together and provides a sense of purpose,” he said. “It’s helped me beat cancer twice – it’s just always been a part of my life and still is.” Social Activities Coordinator Tash Burczyk said the benefits of social groups went far beyond just remaining active as they also ensured
AnglicareSA customers had opportunities to remain connected socially with significant friendships often formed via the groups.
For more information about how to get involved with the social groups please contact 8209 6626 .
Big band soundtrack to connection A love of big band music brought the AnglicareSA community together with the St Bede’s Anglican Parish playing host to Brass at St Bede’s. The free event, sponsored by AnglicareSA, brought together the talents of bands from St Peter’s College,
Trinity College, Westminster School, Prince Alfred College, and the JazzSA Superbands. AnglicareSA Head of Philanthropy and Partnerships, Ian Cox, said St Bede’s Hall was a packed house and the entertainment was first class. “Each band that got up on stage and played was extraordinary,” he said. “And the camaraderie between them all was clear, they enjoyed watching the other bands as much as being on stage.” Ian, who emceed the night, paid tribute to event organiser Ros and her team at St Bede’s for pulling it all together, providing an opportunity to forge community connections.
Brass at St Bede’s brought the big band sound to the community
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Supporter Spring 2024
Meet Meagan Schwarz Hope Partner
Tell us about yourself and what inspired you to start supporting AnglicareSA. I’ve been involved with the Anglican Church for more than 20 years and worked for the AnglicareSA equivalent in Papua New Guinea for a few years. I was brought up in a family that believed in giving back to the community and as a young person was involved in volunteering and fundraising for various charities. Once I left university and got a job, I had less time to volunteer so turned to donations to continue to give back. AnglicareSA was a natural fit once I moved to Adelaide in 2016.
What specific aspect of our cause or mission resonates with you the most? Where do I start? Your emergency assistance program is a lifeline to people in need – I can only imagine how hard it must be for people to ask for help, but your staff and volunteers treat them with dignity and respect. Your housing program provides a foundation upon which people can build a new life, I know the blessing of a stable home environment and I pray that blessing for everyone. I could go on! Are there any upcoming projects or initiatives for AnglicareSA that you are particularly excited about? All of them! But if I had to choose, then it’s work you’re doing for young people leaving care and Believe Housing. The solar panel project is exciting too.
Tell us about your philanthropy journey and what is important to you about regularly donating. My philanthropy journey started as a young Girl Guide and at school – selling raffle tickets and sausages at fetes and collecting cans. Then, ever since I got my first job, I’ve been supporting not-for-profits that share the same vision of wanting to see people everywhere experience life in all its fullness. My faith is also a big motivator – it’s a discipline, a way of being that I try to cultivate, an attitude of generosity with my time, talents, and treasures. I also think it’s important to model generosity to my daughter. We talk about how we have a responsibility to use what we have been given to make the world a better place for everyone, not just ourselves.
Hope Partner Meagan and her daughter
What impact in the community do you hope to see from your gift? My prayer is that my small gift can support those programs that don’t receive government funding but are doing important work in our community. I pray that the participants of these programs know that they aren’t alone and that with AnglicareSA they can find their path to a better life. We don’t talk about hope enough, or it’s spoken of in a wishful thinking kind of way. Hope is real and it’s what sustains us through the most difficult times. So being a Hope Partner allows me to share the hope I have in a better future in real and practical ways with people across our city and state.
2024 Christmas Hamper and Toy Drive If you’d like to donate items to help fulfil more than 1,000 hampers and deliver more than 2,000 toys for our AnglicareSA customers in need this Christmas, please register via this QR code to receive updates on this event:
Registrations are open to be involved in our iconic festive community donation event.
Christmas will be here before we know it. Start your season of goodwill and giving now to help us continue our efforts year-round.
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A welcome donation for those in crisis
Join us for an unforgettable evening: Divine Dining at St Peter’s Cathedral some home comforts like beauty packs, a towel, coffee mug, and a magazine.” The Lions Club donation was assisted through a $2,000 White Ribbon Small Grant which the club itself matched Community Engagement Manager Simon Blight said the Lions Club donation was about providing some much-needed essentials. “In the packs were essentials like nightwear as well as bathroom products such as toothpaste, shampoo and a brush,” Simon said. “But it was also a chance to provide Women and mothers in crisis were at the heart of a welcome donation from the Lions Club of Charles Sturt which provided 20 packs of essential items to our Turning Point program. The Turning Point program is part of our homelessness service, combining our case management capability and experience with our housing arm, Believe Housing Australia to offer housing to women with children who are homeless due to escaping domestic and family violence. Women often flee an at home situation with very little and AnglicareSA Step into the sacred grandeur of St Peter’s Cathedral for an extraordinary evening of elegance and purpose. We invite you to Divine Dining, a reimagining of our Cathedral Banquet as an exclusive gala fundraising dinner that promises to enchant your senses and elevate your spirit. Imagine an immersive evening where the majestic architecture of the cathedral provides a stunning
Charles Sturt Lions members Gay and Afroz with AnglicareSA Community Engagement Manager Simon Blight and one of the bags donated by the club for clients of our Turning Point program
dollar for dollar, as well as support from local businesses. Families stay in a Turning Point home while AnglicareSA case management provides wraparound services to help them secure long-term housing, refer them to employment and training services, access financial support, and keep children engaged with school. AnglicareSA Senior Manager Homelessness, Susan Johnson, thanked the Lions Club of Charles Sturt for the donation, saying the packs had been well received by women who were just trying to keep their heads above water.
Divine Dining is more than just a dinner; it is a celebration of community and compassion. Your presence and generosity will support our vital mission, helping us to continue our important work within the community and beyond. Together, let’s make a difference. Join us for an evening of splendour, sophistication, and heartfelt giving at Divine Dining. We look forward to welcoming you to St Peter’s Cathedral. “The mothers always put their children first, so a pack that puts them first makes them feel part of a caring community,” she said. Projects like this demonstrate the power of community which AnglicareSA relies upon in supporting its social impact work. Should your community group wish to hear more about the great work of AnglicareSA and how your club may support our programs and services, contact our Philanthropy and Partnerships team on 8305 9200 .
backdrop for an exquisite culinary experience. As the cathedral’s storied walls echo with soft music, you will indulge in a gourmet feast prepared by renowned chefs, each course designed to delight and inspire.
Scan the QR code to join the VIP waitlist to gain access to tickets for this sought-after event.
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Thank you
Thank you to everyone who so generously donated to our Winter Appeal. Together, we raised more than $85,000 to support AnglicareSA’s Emergency Assistance services. Your gifts support us to continue to meet the increasing demands upon our services and offer a warm and welcoming place for people in times of need. During this appeal, we were deeply moved by the generosity of one of our donors who shared: “For me, giving is as essential as eating.” At a time when so many families are struggling with food security, this was so heart-warming to hear and speaks to the generosity of our donors. Whether it’s collecting donations of food, volunteering time, or simply offering a kind word, every act of giving highlights the profound impact of supporting those in need. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who support AnglicareSA’s vital work to bring care into our South Australian communities. Thank you. We couldn’t do this without you.
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