Salvos Smart Cookies program ‘championing people’ in Devonport
- deansimpson7
- 8 hours ago
- 6 min read
BY LERISSE SMITH
Monday nights at Devonport Salvos are anything but ordinary. Kids build Lego towers with fierce determination, parents laugh over a cuppa and stickers are awarded like gold medals.
Welcome to Salvos Smart Cookies – an exciting new initiative transforming lives in the local Tasmanian community, with one clear modus operandi at its heart.
“It’s about championing people,” says Lieutenant Dave Bruford, Corps Officer at Devonport Corps in Tasmania.
“To champion them living their best life, to be the person they are meant to be, to be a flourishing person, a flourishing family, a flourishing community – and just championing them to be.”
So, how did it all begin? With simple chats.
The program grew out of conversations the corps mission team had with schools, the local community and chaplaincy about a year ago, in which one issue kept emerging in the community – low literacy and numeracy.
“God really placed on our hearts ... what can we do in this space?” Dave reflected.
“And so obviously, we spent some time discerning what does that look like? And we had this picture of this beautiful idea, at the beginning of the year, of having this space that was open to families to come and to connect. To also have help with the children’s homework, engage in educational games, and have this safe space to connect.
“The picture was that the families would come and thrive in a safe space and enjoy some community connection outside of school and whatever else was going on for them.”
Another priority quickly emerged – healthy, tasty food. A nutritious and cost-effective meal to share with others, bringing people together to the table as a community.
Then fate stepped in.
Corps selected for Pathway of Hope pilot
The corps was approached by Charmaine Stubbs, Salvation Army Community Services Child and Family Specialist, with news that it had been selected to pilot an exciting new initiative for two years called Pathway of Hope in Australia – a program already successful in the United States.
Devonport is the first location in Australia to pilot the program. Primarily focused on early intervention, Pathway of Hope supports families with children from newborn to 12 years, including those who are pregnant. Its Doorways parenting team provides personalised casework alongside the corps, from setting goals to helping families who require additional support.
“We know parenting is hard,” Dave emphasised.
“Pathway of Hope caseworkers are very much targeted around intense support for goals around parenting. It’s about being the fence on the top of the cliff instead of the ambulance down the bottom. So, it’s really exciting that we got approached about this.
(Left) Young Harrison Ralph proudly displays his achievement stickers and attendance card. (Right) Dave and Smart Cookies attendee Maybelle Ralph play a game at the regular get-together each Monday night.
“I genuinely believe Pathway of Hope, the model itself, actually has potential to shape the way we deliver service as The Salvation Army … very missional and very much about coming together, partnering together and championing our community members to flourish in a holistic way. The potential is huge.”
Charmaine and a working group connected with the Pathway of Hope pilot provide support and expertise, with a focus on community needs analysis. In partnership with local churches, community agencies, learning centres, chaplains and teachers, Belinda Hendrickson, Salvos Research Analyst, identified that families and young parents need a safe, welcoming, and cost-free space where they can connect, relax, and seek support without fear of judgment – and confirmed the needs of the community for the corps.
“So, from that day, we worked together, and we discovered, yes, there’s this need for this program, to create connection, to meet a need and to see transformation,” Dave remarked.
“And so, we are seeing transformation, which is so exciting, and people from our community having ownership in this. Through all the process, our team worked on what it would look like.”
Then came the spark – the launch of Salvos Smart Cookies alongside the Pathway of Hope initiative. Something a little fun and quirky.
Each Smart Cookies session is a vibrant mix of fun, friendship, fellowship and learning.
Children move between zones, including Lego, Play-Doh, sensory and colouring. Parents are encouraged to join, creating opportunities for meaningful connection. Casual chats with volunteers allow families to access additional support without pressure, fostering trust and safety.
A crowd-pleaser is the playful sticker system. Children earn stickers – from kind cookie and creative cookie, to attendance, reading, homework, teamwork and more. Bonus stickers and prizes are awarded for reading five books and completing five weeks of homework.
“We want to champion these kids to flourish in learning,” Dave said.
“However, it is that they choose to learn and it’s not specific. Homework may be that they have got to practice their writing. Sometimes, it’s about building something. We’ve got different zones happening.”
Parents are encouraged to engage with their kids and learn, with church volunteers offering a cuppa, chat and listening ear for life’s challenges, including issues with their children. It’s a space where families can thrive, belong and connect – and it has been a great success since launching a few months ago.
Some of the Lego creations at the Smart Cookies program.
Victories of all sorts are celebrated.
One young girl, struggling with writing, beamed with pride as she traced her ABCs – a milestone that reflects the program’s ethos of encouragement and growth.
“She was so proud,” Dave commented. “It was just beautiful that we were able to champion her.”
Many other inspirational stories have followed. One child shared how she was brave because she went to the dentist, while another went to school for the entire day. One passionate Titanic lover has built the huge ship with LEGO.
Salvos Smart Cookies also emphasises shared meals and practical learning. Families enjoy nutritious food together each week, with recipe cards to try at home.
They have also created their own rules. And the first rule? To have fun!
“I love the fact the first rule of agreement is to have fun,” remarked Dave. “We are in the really early stages, but seeing our corps folk to be able to connect with the kids and families. We’ve been able to support people to connect with our caseworkers where they get additional support, which is fantastic.”
Sharing the love of Jesus
All goals are approached holistically in a safe space, with sharing the love of Jesus in an authentic way at the top of the list, reflecting The Salvation Army’s Mission, Vision and Values.
“We are able to live in an authentic relationship with them, whatever that looks like,” Dave emphasised.
“It’s doing life. The whole call of William Booth of soup, soap, salvation is meeting that first immediate need. As followers of Jesus, we do this as a response of non-judgmental love to say, ‘Hey, we are here. You are welcome to come and have a safe space to connect, to grow, to laugh, to cry, whatever it might be.’”
With such positive feedback flooding in, the future looks bright.
“The kids absolutely love it,” Dave said.
“They are excited to get their stickers; they actually look forward to coming, which I think is a real testimony to it being a place where kids can come and connect. We are very much looking forward to how it is going to grow and shape to meet the needs of our community.
“We have seen and heard from the community of its impact already … so, it’s a no-brainer! It's something that we want to invest in, and we want to see lives transformed. The collaboration with the community is where we are seeing transformation. That’s where we are seeing God at work – and it’s really exciting.”
