The Supporter is a quarterly magazine providing a collection of stories from across the AnglicareSA community.
SUPPORTER
AUTUMN 2019
SUPPORTER RECIPE FOR HAPPINESS INTENSIVE SUPPORT: AUTUMN 2019
FAMILIES INCRISIS AFFORDABLE
HOUSING UPGRADE WHAT IS EMERGENCY RELIEF?
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AUTUMN 2019
AnglicareSA Trott Park recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary. It is a wonderful aged care facility and we were delighted to celebrate with some staff and residents who’ve called Trott Park home since day one. We have recently added some new services to our portfolio. The State Government announced its partnership with AnglicareSA to fund our delivery of a ground-breaking new early intervention pilot program specifically developed for South Australian families at risk of having their children enter the child protection system. This program importantly focusses on helping vulnerable families before they reach crisis point. We believe this program will have long-lasting, positive impacts for many families and we are excited by its potential. The new Settlement Engagement and Transition Service compliments the work we already do through the Humanitarian Settlement Program. Supporting newly arrived people to settle into Australian life and break isolation in their community is important. We do it well through the Family Connect program and are proud to have helped develop the Anglican Sudanese Engagement Project, which is now funded by St Columba College and the Anglican Diocese. Our Christmas Appeal raised more than $170,000 for our emergency assistance services. Thank you to everyone who contributed. Your generosity allows us to continue the vital services for which demand continues to grow. To get an idea of the vast and important emergency assistance services offered by AnglicareSA, please see the article on page nine. We have a lot to achieve in 2019 and we have set our expectations high. I know, with your support, we will continue to provide a high level of support and care for the vulnerable and disadvantaged in our communities.
Message fromthe CEO
2019 is shaping up to be yet another busy but rewarding and impactful year for AnglicareSA and those we support. AnglicareSA has recently made some strategic land purchases and leases to secure the long-term sustainability of our organisation and its service to the people of South Australia. We are excited by the opportunities presented by these sites, which allow us to upgrade, consolidate and expand our services at key locations across metropolitan Adelaide. We also continue to invest in our existing sites, ensuring that the services and facilities we provide are high quality and suited to the needs of our customers. The redevelopment of our affordable and community housing in Panorama is an excellent example of this, as is our new services hub at the Elizabeth City Centre.
COVER PHOTO: Mwajemi migrated from the Congo to Australia 14 years ago. She understands the struggles that families face when arriving in a new country. A former foster carer, Mwajemi now works with the AnglicareSA Family Connect program supporting women from a refugee background with a lack of support networks and who face issues such as family violence, unemployment and isolation.
Peter Sandeman Chief Executive Officer AnglicareSA
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AUTUMN 2019
A recipe for happiness Pam (pictured right) has been living in the same house and community in Elizabeth Grove for the last 25 years. Three years ago, her life was turned around when AnglicareSA, as part of the State Government’s Better Places Stronger Communities (BPSC) initiative, commenced management of 479 homes in her area. “I wasn’t doing much because I live with mental illness and told myself not to. A lot of the time I wouldn’t go out, so I was stuck inside all day,” Pam said.
Pam’s life was nothing like it is today.
A newly renovated house and rejuvenated community have helped her to meet new people and get involved in all the things she loves doing.
“I love arts and crafts, cooking, and really enjoy meeting new people and making friends,” she said. “Nowadays I’m involved with AnglicareSA’s local craft, cooking and women’s groups. I’ve met a lot of friends I never would’ve had the chance to meet – we just have a good time and make each other laugh.” Pam said her increasing involvement within her local community has ultimately helped her pursue a happy life. “My community is full of great people – when you’re feeling a bit down they are there for you, and you’re there for them,” she said. “What AnglicareSA have done for me – making me feel a stronger sense of self-worth and belonging – makes me enjoy giving back too. If I can help someone else by being positive and lifting someone up through hard times, I will.” AnglicareSA’s BPSC program focuses on working in partnership with our tenants, to provide quality housing within communities that are appealing, vibrant and safe.
Active members like Pam, play a big part in shaping the best possible community for all residents.
Fostering care AnglicareSA is always seeking new foster care families to help meet the growing community need. The number of children coming into care nationally has doubled in the past 10 years. Seven out of every 1000 Australian children live in out-of-home care. Of these, about half live with foster families. The increase in demand, coupled with the impending retirement of many existing foster carers, means that we are constantly on the lookout for those willing to provide a safe home and nurturing environment for children and young people in need. There is a range of care types available to foster care families, including long-term and short-term care, emergency care or weekend respite.
If you are considering becoming a foster carer, we would love to hear from you. For more information call (08) 8131 3456 or go to anglicaresa.com.au/moments-that-matter.
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AUTUMN 2019
10-year Trott downmemory lane
Olga and her late husband Tom moved into Trott Park immediately after its doors opened in 2009 and spent around five years there together before his passing. As pioneering residents, the couple were instrumental in sparking the warm and welcoming culture at the home. “When we first came here, I used to put videos on in the common room and get all the residents to come and watch,” she said. “Before the trolley came along, Tom and I also ran the shop downstairs, which provided residents with pharmacy goods and snacks. “Tom was very well thought of here… he was a real gentleman.”
Olga is still actively involved in activities on site.
“I go to bingo and ladies group,” she said. “We do different things and have fun talking about families, photos and things like that. “It’s been very interesting hearing about everyone’s different lives.” Olga says she loves everything about living at AnglicareSA Trott Park.
“Life’s been very good here,” she said.
In January, AnglicareSA Trott Park aged care home celebrated its 10th birthday. Staff and residents who had been at Trott Park for the full 10 years were recognised at a celebratory lunch. Olga (pictured above) was one of three inaugural residents who celebrated a decade of memories at Trott Park.
“The carers are very obliging and helpful in every way and so is everyone – the residents, the nurses, and the lifestyle, hospitality and cleaning staff – absolutely everyone. “I’m very happy – I would definitely say this is one of the best nursing homes you could possibly have.”
AnglicareSA and the University of Adelaide are proud to partner in a scholarship to be awarded in April to a high- achieving university hopeful experiencing disadvantage. The AnglicareSA 150 Augustus Short Scholarship will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the iconic St Peter’s Cathedral and the Right Reverend Dr Augustus Short. As the first Vice-Chancellor and a pioneer in the founding of the University of Adelaide, Dr Short believed high-achieving students, regardless of wealth, should have access to higher education. We look forward to sharing details of the successful recipient in the next edition of Supporter. Scholarship targets disadvantaged high-achievers
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AUTUMN 2019
Panorama housing upgrade
AnglicareSA has lodged development plans with the City of Mitcham to replace our units on Ontario Avenue in Panorama with modern, fit-for-purpose affordable community housing. We have also purchased a neighbouring site which will enable us to expand the facilities to incorporate specialised disability accommodation and green, open space. The development will include ten architecturally designed two-storey townhouses consisting of two and three bedrooms fronting Ontario Avenue. Behind the townhouses will be a predominantly three-storey
apartment building consisting of 24 one and two bedroom apartments. The majority of these apartments will be set aside as affordable homes for people over 55 years of age. Up to eight apartments will be purpose-built as supported accommodation for people with a disability. The proposed rebuild will include a large centrally located shared garden and open space as well as on-site car parking for all residences. We expect this exciting new development to be completed by mid to late 2020.
Securing services and support
AnglicareSA has purchased a portion of the old Coca Cola Amatil site at Light Terrace, Thebarton.
The 9,500 square metre site will be developed into multi-storey affordable and social housing and an AnglicareSA service centre. The services hub is likely to include community aged care, homelessness and disability services. This is the third key metropolitan site secured by AnglicareSA in an effort to achieve the long-term sustainability of its services for the South Australian community. AnglicareSA recently purchased a new site for its southern operations in Noarlunga, as well as signing a new 99-year lease for the Elizabeth Mission site in the north. Bruce Linn, Chair of the AnglicareSA Board, said securing long-term sites was a strategic investment to future-proof the provision of much-needed services for the community. “Ultimately, these acquisitions will also result in significant financial savings and improved efficiency in the delivery of services,” Mr Linn said. “As South Australia’s largest social services provider, we have a duty to maintain robust financial responsibility and governance in order to continue our important work across the state.” Plans for the Thebarton site are being developed and are subject to planning approvals. It is hoped construction will commence in 2019.
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AUTUMN 2019
Intensive family crisis support
AnglicareSA will deliver a ground-breaking new early intervention pilot program specifically developed for South Australian families at risk of having their children enter the child protection system. Funded by the State Government, the $2.8 million program will engage 46 families and about 138 children each year and will be delivered over two years from 2019. The service will be co-designed with key experts to ensure vulnerable families have the right supports in place to manage complex issues, and hopefully keep their family together. The Intensive Family Intervention Service will engage families who have multiple complexities and trauma histories and are at risk of having their children removed. This may include families with histories of domestic violence and drug and alcohol abuse, as well as children with child protection notifications. Specialist support staff will give families intensive, face-to-face, in-home contact, and will build on existing international evidence-based services, such as HomeBuilders in the US, which
demonstrates high outcomes of children staying safely with their families 12 months after intervention. There will then be a lower intensity six-month follow up. AnglicareSA CEO Peter Sandeman said research and overseas experience shows us that intensive family support is effective. “If children can remain safely with their birth family, then that’s by far the best place for them to be,” he said. “It is clear from our work at AnglicareSA that, faced with the risk of losing their children, many families will work hard to get back on track and this program will help them do just that. “We believe that we can make significant impacts at a critical time, which will mean long-term positive outcomes for children and their families.” AnglicareSA, the Department for Child Protection and the Early Intervention Research Directorate will co-design the program.
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AUTUMN 2019
Strengthening support for life at school
For the last four years the Anglican Sudanese Engagement Project has supported parents to build confidence and a stronger connection to the life of their children at St Columba College in Andrews Farm. The project, which ran from 2014 to 2018, was joint-funded by AnglicareSA, the Anglican Diocese of Adelaide and St Columba College to support families from a refugee and migrant background to feel less isolated and more comfortable in their local community. David Amol, who is from the Sudanese Dinka community, was employed to lead the project and develop a school-based service for students and their parents.
The Anglican Sudanese Engagement Project has supported 165 Sudanese students and a further 44 students from other parts of Africa. The project has seen St Columba College establish a cultural diversity and inclusion team. Parents have become involved in school strategies and volunteering, and are provided with group meeting spaces at the school. Due to its success, the school and the Anglican Diocese will continue to fund the project. Meanwhile, AnglicareSA’s Family Connect program continues to work with St Columba College, with a particular focus on supporting mothers from a refugee background.
“There’s a large Sudanese settlement in Andrew’s Farm with many children attending St Columba College,” said Mary Awata, AnglicareSA Principal Multicultural Services. “But due to language barriers and other issues at home, parents are vulnerable to being disconnected from their children’s schooling – in many cases families didn’t have the confidence to engage with the school. “David, with his deep understanding of the community, has been a vital bridge between the school, students and parents, which has seen the school culture and student performance significantly improve.”
Supporting newarrivals in need AnglicareSA was recently awarded an Australian Government grant for the Settlement Engagement and Transition Support (SETS) program. SETS is a specialist settlement service in Adelaide’s north that supports humanitarian entrants (people who resettle in Australia under the Humanitarian Program) and migrants aged between 18 and 30 years to achieve sustainable settlement with a focus on learning English, and engaging in education, training and employment. SETS aims to work with young adults to identify their talents and aspirations for the future, and develop achievable pathways to assist on this journey. The SETS program complements other AnglicareSA programs including the Newly Arrived Youth Service, Humanitarian Settlement Program (Housing) and Family Connect. The SETS program is based at our Elizabeth Mission site. For more information call 1800 778 008 or email sets@anglicaresa.com.au.
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AUTUMN 2019
Newclothes, newoutlook AnglicareSA’s Thread Together mobile wardrobes, which deliver new clothing to those in need, will now have a centrally located hub from which to operate, allowing the program to expand its reach and support more people. AnglicareSA has consolidated all op shop operations in Adelaide’s CBD at the newly relocated Magdalene Centre at 82 Gilbert Street. The Cathedral Fashions op shop outlet at 35 King William Road in North Adelaide closed its doors in early March and transferred operations to the Mag Centre site.
The site provides room for the mobile wardrobe vans to park and be restocked every day, as well as a central location for AnglicareSA services to refer clients in need of new, quality clothing. For those experiencing vulnerability, hardship and social exclusion, access to new clothing plays a key role in enabling dignity, choice and self-esteem. Thread Together works in conjunction with clothing manufacturers to receive and sort brand new, end-of-line clothes for distribution through its charity partners. This clothing would otherwise end up in landfill. At the end of 2018, the AnglicareSA Thread Together service had supported more than 2,000 people to receive free brand new clothing.
The mobile wardrobes will continue to deliver clothing direct to those in need in the northern and southern suburbs of Adelaide. The move enables AnglicareSA to repurpose the North Adelaide site, creating a central clothing hub for its Thread Together operations. Newnorthern services hub
In December, AnglicareSA opened a new community services hub on Playford Boulevard in the Elizabeth City Centre precinct. The Playford site is home to a number of programs and services including Allied Health, Home Care Services, NDIS Therapeutic Support Services (OATS), and the Northern Foster Care support team. The new, larger premises allows us to increase the range of services we offer to our customers across these programs. With better access, newly fitted-out clinic rooms and two new exercise and well-being spaces, we are confident our customers will benefit.
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AUTUMN 2019
What is emergency assistance? AnglicareSA provides a range of emergency assistance services across metropolitan Adelaide and regional South Australia. Emergency assistance is a rapid response to individuals and families who are experiencing crisis. We assist them with information, referral to relevant services and supports, and material aid. Material aid covers items such as food, prescription assistance, clothing, blankets, shoes and personal care items. The service critically links people to appropriate services to assist them to find long-term sustainable solutions to problems. We collaborate with local parishes to deliver our emergency assistance services. These partnerships are vital to support those communities.
21,620 meals were served at the Elizabeth Mission in 2018
TOTAL HOUSEHOLDS
NEWHOUSEHOLDS TO ANGLICASRESA
NUMBER OF VISITS
SITE
503 604 65 338 96 33 135
2,127 2,300 207 1,502 195 74 418
3,006 3,806 285 2,518
Elizabeth The Magdalene Centre St Marys Outer Southern Hub Copper Coast Maitland/Pt Pearce Whyalla
265 169 875
Total
10,924
6,823
1,774
An essential anti-poverty strategy
On average, it costs $55 to support a household each time they visit. We could not provide these vital services without the support of our many generous volunteers, private donors, corporates, school and parish partners, and State and Federal Government grants and funding. Thank you to everyone who helps. The need is enormous and increasing, and we need your support to improve the lives of those who need it most.
Many of AnglicareSA’s community services support people experiencing some type of financial stress. The flow-on effect of financial stress is significant in terms of housing instability, family relationships, mental health, and domestic and family violence.
In 2018 2,438 people accessed our financial counselling services
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AUTUMN 2019
Will you take the plunge? AnglicareSA is co-hosting the Adelaide City Plunge in October this year. The Adelaide City Plunge, presented by Zenith Events, is the ultimate charity challenge. We invite you (and 99 others) to abseil 132 metres down the Westpac building, to raise money to support those facing much larger challenges every day. This event aims to raise more than $200,000 in total and AnglicareSA participants will be registered to abseil on Saturday 19 October 2019. Registration is $100 per person, with an individual fundraising target of $850 per person. Our fundraising team will support you to raise money along the way. Registrations opened on March 1 so act now to gather a team of four people or register solo. If participating in this type of event isn’t your style, you can still donate at anglicaresa.com.au/adelaide-city-plunge
Paul started volunteering with the AnglicareSA marketing and fundraising team on 30 January 2009. He very quickly became an integral part of the team, and is now the longest serving team member. He assists the team in a range of activities and we thank him for 10 years of service, friendship and loyalty. AnglicareSA is supported by 700 passionate and hardworking volunteers who, like Paul, generously donate their time, energy and expertise to help us deliver our programs. We are always on the lookout for volunteers across our organisation. For further information and to register your interest in volunteering, please call 8305 9200 or visit anglicaresa.com.au and click on Join Our Team. Thank you Paul
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AUTUMN 2019
Help deliver new threads to those in need Many of us take for granted the ability to purchase new clothes. For the people we support, new clothes are a luxury that is often beyond their reach.
AnglicareSA and Thread Together have partnered to drive social and environmental change. Last year we launched the very first mobile wardrobes in Australia. They deliver brand new clothes directly to people in need. Thread Together collects excess clothing from fashion retailers that would otherwise go to landfill, and AnglicareSA distributes it to people doing it tough. Each day, we travel to those who are struggling in our communities, so they can choose outfits for school or job interviews, and clothes that match their style and personality. Offering choice is crucial in restoring dignity and self-esteem. Will you join us today to raise $30,000 so we can clothe and impact the lives of 3,000 South Australians doing it tough over the next 12 months? Your donation supports those escaping domestic violence, experiencing homelessness, and long-term unemployment, and those living with a disability or mental illness.
“I’m always looking out for new clothes for my children. It provides us with confidence for whenever we meet new people.” Abdul Ghani and his family of seven fled Syria to a refugee camp in Turkey around four years ago. They came to Australia two years later. His youngest son is blind – believed to be due to war trauma experienced during pregnancy. Abdul Ghani is determinedly learning English with the desire to provide his family with a fulfilling life.
Your tax-deductible gift will have a powerful impact.
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Thank you to everyone who so generously donated their time, money and goods to help others at Christmas. Our Christmas Appeal raised more than $170,000 for our emergency assistance services. Your support does not just help at Christmas time. It allows us to continue to provide emergency services throughout the year, including short- term accommodation and nutritious meals. Our hamper drive resulted in 1,319 Christmas hampers for families in need. We also collaborated for the first time with the RSPCA to run a dog food drive to help those doing it tough over Christmas feed their four-legged friends. We thank our Anglican parishes and schools, our volunteers and our corporate partners, including Beyond Bank and Telstra, for assisting with the collection, pickup and delivery of donated goods for our hamper drive. Special thanks to CMI Toyota who once again generously loaned us the vans that make the hamper drive possible. Thank you for your care and support. Thank you
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