Salvos claim third industry award, demonstrating ‘pattern of excellence’

The team has won its third SIMNA Industry Award, and been finalists five times. Image: Supplied

BY KIRRALEE NICOLLE

The Salvation Army’s Research Team and Centre for Mission Impact was recently recognised for their outstanding collaboration across the organisation through the National Homelessness Outcomes Measurement Project.

The team was awarded the 2025 SIMNA (Social Impact Measurement Network Australia) Award for Outstanding Collaboration in Social Impact Measurement. This marks the third time the team has won a SIMNA award, and the fifth time the team have been named as finalists. SIMNA is the leading professional network for social impact measurement in Australia.

Head of Department, Centre for Mission Impact Dr Elli McGavin said the team had a growing track record of being leaders in the space.

“There is now a very significant pattern of excellence that needs to be celebrated,” Elli said.

Research Analyst Dr Stefano Verrelli has been driving much of the project, and said it felt validating to know that the approach The Salvation Army was taking to measure its mission impact and then utilise that data to strengthen service delivery was being recognised by leaders in the sector.

He said collaboration was “at the heart” of the project, which involves 700 staff working across 100 different programs. He said the perspectives of those who have lived experience of homelessness were core to ensuring the project was grounded in the realities that truly matter. He also said he “could not have worked with a better team of people”.

“In our homelessness services, we work across so many diverse contexts with a wide range of people and communities, and so we needed to make sure that we could create something that worked well across this diversity,” Stefano said. “The only way we could do that effectively was to bring together the perspectives and expertise of all those connected to our homelessness services, and integrate them as much as possible.

“I’ve always felt that The Salvation Army genuinely values collaboration. The way we listen, we take on what others have to say, and how it shapes the way we work together. That definitely permeated through this as well.”

The judging panel for the award commended the team highly on their commitment to stakeholder engagement and collaboration across the project’s lifespan.

“This is an extremely strong application for this category that demonstrates excellence in stakeholder engagement in design and collaboration in implementation and delivery,” the judges wrote. “Given the context of TSA being a large-scale, longstanding organisation navigating a complex policy environment, the collaboration demonstrated to amplify lived experience in the approach is exemplary.

“This is a great application, demonstrating strong collaboration. Of particular strength is the feedback loop, allowing for clients and communities, especially those involved with consultation, to understand the value of their involvement and collaboration.”

To find out more about how The Salvation Army measures impact, click here.