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As part of my usual working week, I attend several planning meetings, including one with staff at my corps – a wonderful team I’m very grateful for. Recently, we were due to start a 12-noon meeting when, at one minute to 12, one staff member entered in a rush and said to the rest of the team, “Sorry, I’m late.” I replied, “You’re not.” To which she said, “Well, almost. Sorry.” As she took her seat, I tried to wrap my head around the concept of apologising for being ‘almost’ late for a meeting. If you’re not late – even if you’re ‘almost’ late – then you’re either on time or early. So why was she apologising for being early to a meeting? Imagine someone passing a cup of tea to you and the tea gets a bit ‘wavy’ in the cup, but they don’t spill a drop, and as they pass it to you, they say, “Oh, I’m sorry, I almost spilled it then.” What are they apologising for? Apologising for things that almost happen but don’t is a curious thing. I’m kept busy apologising for the things I’ve done wrong without also apologising for the things I got right! Speaking of things I’ve done wrong. I recall a time at a previous corps appointment when a young man who attended the corps came to me after one Sunday meeting and asked if I’d pray for him on Tuesday at 10am because he had a job interview for a casual job. I asked some questions about the position, wished him all the best, and assured him of my prayers. Next Sunday, after the meeting, he again approached me, and I had a sudden glimmer of a thought that I was supposed to have done something for him. He smiled broadly and said, “I got the job!”. I said that was wonderful, and he replied, “Thank you for your prayer. It must have worked!”. Now, two things here: first, I forgot to pray for him. It never happened. Second, he was a young man still finding his way into faith and learning about the value of prayer. He was standing in front of me, believing that perhaps, just maybe, this prayer thing seemed to actually work. Maybe there really was a God who listened to us. Should I have apologised to him for my oversight? I decided I’d deliberately vague it up. I said, “Well, God knows what’s best. He must have wanted you to get that job.” This seemed to satisfy him, and he went away with a smile on his face and a fervent belief in prayer. In my defence, I never lied to him. He had the job. He believed in prayer. All was good. Well, goodish. It seemed to me that even though I should have been apologising to him, it was more important that he learnt a valuable lesson about prayer. Despite the lack of a, well, an actual, you know ... prayer. As it says in Romans 8:26–27, the Spirit intercedes for us in accordance with the will of God. So I’m of the belief that the Spirit prayed for him because I forgot. At least I ‘almost’ prayed. Surely that counts for something. – Major Mal Davies and his wife Major Tracey are the Corps Officers at Adelaide City Salvos

Today is the International Day of Prayer for Victims of Human Trafficking. In this video, The Salvation Army Survivor Advisory Council discusses the importance of voicing the lived experiences of those impacted by modern slavery. It is the hope of the council that by reclaiming this space, many will be empowered to tell their stories and experience healing.

BY CLIFF WORTHING The Salvation Army Brisbane City Women’s Homelessness Services was the beneficiary of funds raised by the Brisbane Sleepout on 8 September at the RNA Showgrounds. About 70 people participated in the event, raising more than $33,000 for women’s services, which provide supported accommodation for 35 women at a time and a mobile support service focused on early intervention and prevention of homelessness for women. “It was a good night. Everyone was in a reflective space and shared their own stories and experiences,” said Amelia Nixon, Community Development Worker at Brisbane City Women’s Homelessness Services. “It was great to build relationships with lots of like-minded people with a shared purpose.” Program Manager Jocelyn Harrison provided an overview of the service and encouraged participants to recognise the importance of listening to and reflecting on the experiences of women who had experienced homelessness. She asked everyone to reflect on the question, “What does home mean to you?” to set the tone for the evening and build shared understanding for attendees. A panel discussion that included two women with lived experience of homelessness enhanced participants’ understanding of the issues faced by women. Emma and Betty explained their challenges of escaping domestic violence, interactions with the Department of Child Safety and being priced out of the rental market. “Emma and Betty really connected with the audience and appreciated being able to tell their story,” Amelia said. “We really appreciated Emma and Betty coming along. Connecting with the community this way is so important in reducing stigma and helps develop the community’s understanding of homelessness and how to support people.” Funds raised will help the women’s service support early interventions such as assisting with rental arrears, sustaining a current tenancy, furniture or relocation costs for new tenancies and addressing other barriers to keeping their children in the home and the family being able to stay where they are. “We are all in this together,” Amelia said. “We can respond as a community to address this growing issue, listening and valuing the contributions of those who have experienced this firsthand, alongside the work of government and social services in this space.” “I was really moved by the outpouring of support for homelessness in the community, and even though I was nervous to speak, I am so glad I did it,” Emma said. “Thanks everyone for showing up and showing your support.” Brisbane Sleepout slideshow of photos: Photo 1: Participants discuss some of the issues facing women at risk of homelessness. Photo 2: Milly (Community Development Worker), Betty and Emma provide insights as part of the panel. Photo 3: The full panel share their insights with attendees. (From left) facilitator Jess from media company Olive Louise Social, Community Development Worker Milly, Betty, and Emma (women with lived experience). Photo 4: Attendees line up for dinner at the SAES van. Photo 5: (From left) Sean Aston, Lisa Kroon, Paul Campbell, Heather Olm and Bronwyn Rule from Brisbane Streetlevel Mission provide much-needed coffee and chocolate for attendees.

BY CHLOE RICE Partnerships play a vital role in living out The Salvation Army’s mission of transforming lives and restoring communities. One such partnership is the collaboration between The Salvation Army and Red Dust, a community organisation, implementing intergenerational Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) programs for men aged 18 and above on Arrernte lands in Alice Springs. For a decade, The Salvation Army ran an Indigenous AOD recovery program out of Alice Springs. With challenges such as unmet targets, staffing issues and program revisions, it was evident that a change was needed. In 2019, territorial leadership acknowledged the significance of having Indigenous leadership running the program, prompting Tam Tran, The Salvation Army’s National AOD Specialist, to approach Red Dust. Red Dust soon became the delivery partner of the program, and The Salvation Army maintained the government contract, meeting accreditation and governance requirements. Six months into the partnership, the program was exceeding its goals. Between July 2021 and June 2022, the program saw approximately 200 yarning circles being facilitated, 146 brief interventions provided, 15 suicide prevention actions and 18 referrals to other services. Kathryn Wright, General Manager for AOD, says that the cultural knowledge and leadership Red Dust brought to the delivery of the program – through outreach activities, cultural trips and yarning circles – was critical to its success. “For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, connection to culture and Country has a direct link to a significant reduction in alcohol and other drug-related harm. Of course, it makes sense, as a connection to Country increases First Nations people’s sense of self and belonging,” Kathryn explains. The program takes a trauma-informed approach, acknowledging the impact of personal and intergenerational trauma on people and their journey to recovery. This critical approach establishes a sense of safety and trust through the various activities Red Dust runs throughout the year. Some of these include: • Camps and day programs that focus on providing knowledge and skills to inform healthy decision-making around topics such as the misuse of drugs and family violence. • Yarning circles that are aimed at connecting as individuals and groups. • Discussions around what it’s like living in the ‘intergenerational gap.’ • Discussions around living in a ‘white man’s’ world while maintaining their culture. • Vocational activities, practical life and work skills such as Bush mechanics, fencing and cement work, and artifact/traditional tool making. There is also a focus on Elders passing on their knowledge to younger men, conversing through several generations. Specifically, the ‘Elders’ group’ has helped clients obtain better access to traditional knowledge and perspectives, reconnecting a sense of identity to places of history and belonging. Between 2021 and 2022, 39 new clients engaged with this group through the partnership with the Salvos. Exploring spirituality is another key element to the delivery of the program, which has led to a deeper sense of culture, identity and faith. This results in a strengthening of first-hand participants, their families and communities. The ‘Train the Trainer’ initiative is another example of the support Red Dust is able to equip previous program participants with the necessary skills to become trainers themselves. By passing their knowledge and passion, participants become living proof of the program’s sustainability and potential for long-term change. Throughout 2021-22, Red Dust employed four Alice Springs-based Aboriginal men and four Elders as coordinators, drivers, cultural guides and facilitators. Red Dust’s ability to connect to these communities is reflected in the growing number of participants joining the activities. These connection points help provide a stronger sense of self, cultural safety and alliance to community members, something the Salvos haven’t been able to do previously but are working on through such partnerships. But the partnership is twofold. From Red Dust’s perspective, collaborating with the Salvos meant they could gain their own accreditation, which took 8-9 months. Fred Docking, The Salvation Army’s Service Manager and Northern Territory Coordinator, shares, “The Salvation Army assisted Red Dust in getting accredited, enabling them to secure funding and achieve new heights. “Capacity-building has allowed Red Dust to grow independently while the partnership continues to provide employment opportunities, lifting people out of poverty and making a positive impact on individuals, families and communities.” Tam Tran added, “We’ve given them the resources and template, they did the work and are now going beyond that and delivering more support for more communities.” Although there is still much work to be done in this space, Fred explains that there are four pillars of recovery – safety, hope, health and community. Addressing these in a culturally safe environment is the key to delivering true transformation in any community. For more information on Red Dust, go to the website here

Dementia Action Week (18-24 September 2023) is drawing to a close. The theme, ‘Act Now for a Dementia-Friendly Future’ is one that The Salvation Army Aged Care (TSAAC) takes seriously across all its 21 residential aged care centres. Salvos Online writer SIMONE WORTHING recently spoke to Margaret Williams, Manager – Clinical Procedures and Practice Excellence for TSAAC, about her work, with a focus on caring for those experiencing dementia, and their families. Salvos Online: How did you become involved in working for The Salvation Army’s Aged Care centres? Margaret Williams: I grew up in Sydney and moved to the Kimberley in WA, working in a remote Aboriginal community with the intention of returning home in one to two years. I worked in the Kimberley and Darwin, and 17 years later, I returned to Sydney. I was looking for jobs and saw one advertised with The Salvation Army Aged Care. My career had been varied over the years, but the last time I had worked in Aged Care was at Macquarie Lodge, one of the Salvos Aged Care centres, when I was at university. I’m the Manager of Clinical Procedures and Practice Excellence for The Salvation Army Aged Care centres around Australia. One of the challenges is that the Salvos have 21 aged care centres in seven states and territories. I write the policy documents that need to meet the differing requirements in each state. My role also involves assistance with incident investigation, education, compliance and accreditation. I’m a registered nurse by profession. It was an interesting time to come into aged care, particularly with policy and accreditation. When I started it was in the middle of the pandemic and there were different regulations in every state. It was also not long after the Royal Commission into Aged Care, so there were new standards and requirements for all providers, and it was interesting to navigate all that. Is most of your work done behind the scenes or in the centres? I write policies, send them out to the centres and talk to centre and care managers to make sure that the care we’re providing is best practice but also person-centred and works for the consumers and for the staff. I also work with our teams in Salvos Home Care and our retirement villages. In working with those with dementia, is there anything that delineates The Salvation Army from other aged care providers? A lot of our centres have designated dementia units and provide education to our staff. It’s a challenging space, and the dementia journey is different for every person and their families, so you can’t have a one-size-fits-all approach. It’s about looking at individualising our care and services for the person, which can be challenging. But our staff are trained to identify people’s needs and understand their behaviours and what might help each individual. Do you have chaplains or ministers who are able to look at the spiritual side of aged care? Yes. We’re very big on making sure our care is holistic, and we have a chaplain at each centre. The chaplain conducts a spiritual assessment with every person so we can find out what has been important to them. If it’s a particular religion, for instance, we ask what parts of that religion are important to them. We also have lifestyle staff at all our centres, and residents do a whole range of activities during the day – anything from movies to karaoke to cooking classes and gardening groups. What are some of the stereotypes and myths around aged care that it would be good to have busted? I think the environment around aged care is a bit of a myth. A lot of people see it as hospital wards where people are just sitting in rooms, whereas in most of our centres, the environment is beautiful. We have outdoor areas with sensory gardens and beautiful views, and lots of sitting rooms and activity rooms. Another of the myths in aged care is around food. You always hear, much like you do with hospitals, that the food is terrible. But we have chefs on-site at all our centres and put a big focus on what we call the dining experience. Is there anything you would like to add about the ageing journey? People are living much longer and from an aged care perspective, we really understand that now. Just because somebody’s older doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have choice, and that they shouldn’t have a say in their care and their life. Lots of families feel guilty about putting people into aged care or they’re worried about whether they’re going to be able to be involved in their care. It’s really important for significant people in the person’s life to be involved in their journey as well, so they can maintain those relationships. What are some of the personal joys in your job? I love it! Members of the team in head office are great to work with – everybody’s very collaborative, and our passion is to ensure that we do aged care well. We’re all on the same page, and it’s evident that we don’t want to just be good at things, we want to always do better. Our centres are full of beautiful, committed people who really enjoy their jobs and care about those they look after. Does The Salvation Army have plans to develop aged care? We are always working on improvements. It’s definitely a growing area, and there’s absolutely a growing need throughout all levels of society. Lots of our centres have waiting lists, and it’s certainly an area that people sometimes struggle to get into. We want to ensure that there is equitable access for everyone. All people deserve to be cared for well as they age. It’s going to be a challenge in the future, but The Salvation Army is absolutely committed to trying to ensure we meet the need. ‘Striving for the best life possible’ – To read an interview with Colleen Fitz-Gerald (Clinical Learning Specialist at The Salvation Army Aged Care, pictured below) click here

As part of Dementia Action Week this week, 18-24 September 2023, Salvos Online writer SIMONE WORTHING spoke to Colleen Fitz-Gerald about her role with the Salvos and her passion for people living with dementia. Salvos Online: What is your role in The Salvation Army’s aged care program? Colleen Fitz-Gerald: I’m the Clinical Learning Specialist – manager of education across residential, home care and retirement villages of The Salvation Army. Initially, my job was meant to be clinical education because I’m a registered nurse, but it now encompasses other things like manual handling, codes of conduct and new staff orientation. I develop all different kinds of resources and competencies in medication, wound management, hand hygiene and PPE. I’m based in Sydney and travel around the country to residential centres and home care hubs to train staff. The people in home care are clients, and those in residential centres are residents, and I work with both cohorts. What motivates you to work in aged care? I’ve been working in aged care for about 25 years. I love being part of people’s final journey and making that as good as it can be. My underlying passion is for people living with dementia, and I love working with them and giving them the best life they can have. I enjoy teaching staff that the very best way you can care for any person is by being person-centred – really getting to know them. The other important concept that I teach the staff is to make that person’s own reality okay for them. For a person with dementia, it’s very real that they think it’s 40 years ago and they need to pick the kids up from school. So, I advise the staff to forget actual reality and to meet the person where they’re at. I teach carers different things to say to distract the person and get them talking about their memories. What are the main causes of dementia? There are so many different causes of dementia, and it’s such an umbrella term, but it’s very closely connected to lifestyle and diet – hereditary dementia is on the lower end of the causes and more rare compared to other forms of dementia. We’re seeing a lot more alcohol-related dementia and dementia caused by sporting injuries. And because our lifestyles have changed for the worse over recent decades and, in my opinion, we’re going to see a lot more of this. Dementia is the second leading cause of death in Australia after coronary heart disease and the leading cause of death for women. How important is lifestyle? I think lifestyle has the biggest impact. We can’t change our genetics, but we can change our lifestyle. At a recent conference I attended, a man with Alzheimer’s disease spoke to the audience about his lifestyle and the changes he implemented, tracking everything he was doing. It was interesting to hear his observations about his lifestyle and how changes he was making improved it. How can people in the community become more understanding and respectful of those living with dementia? Acceptance is absolutely key, as is knowledge. We need to be better informed about the disease and the ways we can help people living with dementia. South Australia has just opened a dementia village similar to one in Norway where the whole community is dementia friendly. Supermarkets have been set up to help someone who’s struggling with money. Tasmania is starting a similar project as well. It’s my dream to have something like that someday, where people with dementia can be happy because the disease doesn’t totally impact their lives. ‘Holistic approach to aged care’. To read an interview with Margaret Williams (Manager – Clinical Procedures and Practice Excellence for The Salvation Army Aged Care, pictured below) click here

To read Major Christine Cutts’ tribute, click here

“It’s been good to see how far Tony has come from when we first started working with him over a year ago,” said Peter Hore, Griffith Family Store manager. “It’s definitely been a team effort, with the Griffith Corps, Family Store and Homelessness team working together.” Peter has been working for over a year with Tony, a young man from the community who has been volunteering at the Griffith Family Store in south-west NSW, to pay off his outstanding fines under the Work and Development Order program and as a Community Service Order under correction services. This week, with the help of Judy Tamanisave, Team Leader – Homelessness Murrumbidgee, and her team from Salvos Housing, Tony will be moving into one of the bedsits on the corps property. “It was challenging for our Homelessness team due to Tony having no form of identification, which was his choice, but after seeing how grateful he was, he couldn't thank The Salvation Army enough,” Peter said. “It just goes to show how great things can happen and what we can achieve when we work as one. “Now Tony will have a safe place to sleep, and somewhere he can call home. With the help of other organisations in the area that also want to help Tony because of the impact The Salvation Army has had on him, the sky is the limit for him if he chooses it. “Correction Services are happy to help him with starting the process of recovering or replacing his documents and identification. The local branch of APM Employment, which assists people in finding work, improving their health and wellbeing and participating in their community, will help with any training or courses that Tony needs to gain employment. “The Linking Communities Network, with the help of our Homelessness team, managed to get Tony into a motel for the night due to the bedsit needing to be cleaned before he can move in.” The Homelessness team will continue to work with Tony to help him achieve his goals. Major Lyn Cathcart, Griffith Corps Officer, will continue assisting Tony in the Positive Lifestyle Program and the Family Store will help Tony replace his clothing. “This is what can happen when we work together,” said Peter.

Maxwells to confirm Army in Thailand Australian officers Commissioners Wayne and Robyn Maxwell will have several important duties to perform in the coming days as leaders of the South Pacific and East Asia Zone. Wayne, the zone’s International Secretary, and Robyn, the zone’s Secretary for Women’s Ministries, arrived in Singapore this week and were greeted by leaders from the Singapore, Malaysia and Myanmar Territory. During their visit, the Maxwells will officiate the opening of a new facility in Kuching, Malaysia, and also confirm the work of the Army in Thailand. Following a meeting of The General’s Council in May, former world leader General Brian Peddle approved the official recognition of the commencement of the Army’s work in Thailand, making it the 134th country in which The Salvation Army has a legally and officially recognised ministry. Support for the vulnerable in Romania A Salvation Army mobile team has visited vulnerable families in Romania to distribute backpacks full of back-to-school essentials and a few extra treats. “One of the little girls was so happy about her backpack full of supplies,” said one of the team members. “She said she didn’t have anything for school, so she prayed about it and is happy now that her prayer was answered. “This is our mission in a world of suffering, with many lacking, to bring some hope, and answers to prayers.” As part of the Adventurers 2023 camp, Romanian Anti-Trafficking Liaison Officer Major Roxy Sandu led a workshop on prevention and awareness of modern slavery and human trafficking. She spoke on the theme ‘I have heard their cries’ designed for The Salvation Army’s International Day of Prayer for Victims of Human Trafficking on 24 September. The theme comes from Exodus 2:23-25: “The sons of Israel weighed in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of slavery reached to God. God heard their cry and remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” “The children were very involved and wanted to write words of solidarity and encouragement, which they joined together with the help of the team in a continuous chain with the message ‘Put an end to it’,” Roxy said. Romanian Regional Leaders Majors Ionuts and Roxy Sandu recently met with a Salvation Army delegation from the Netherlands and Norway to look at the increase of migration to their nations, and how The Salvation Army can respond. Salvation Army supports Rwandan farming project In the African nation of Rwanda, Salvation Army teams are teaching farmers sustainable farming practices and self-sustaining business models. The farmers contribute to a village savings and loan association (VSLA), which is a community-based bank system where you can save money and take out a loan. The project is supported by The Salvation Army World Service Office. Here’s how it works: • The community members unite to form a VSLA group; • Regular contributions are made by each member, creating a pool of funds; • Members can then borrow from this fund, paying back with a small amount of interest; • The interest and savings generate income for the group, which can be reinvested or distributed. This type of banking system empowers farmers to improve their businesses while having a safety net to fall back on when emergencies come up. This loan and savings system enables the farmers to depend on and encourage each other to save each week; to expand their businesses; to send their kids to school; to become financially literate and self-sustaining, and so much more! Chef assists Salvos in challenging times Since the wildfires in western Canada began in April, The Salvation Army has joined with various partners to help provide food and hydration to evacuees and firefighters. In Kelowna, British Columbia, one chef and his team have made it a mission to ensure residents, evacuees, and frontline workers don’t go hungry. Chef Adam Relvas and his wife Lindsay are the owners of Relvas Catering. Together with their team, they partnered with The Salvation Army to provide meals for seniors unable to leave their homes due to the dangerous smoke hovering over Kelowna. “Once the fires started, we knew that we needed to do something to help. We talked with our contacts from The Salvation Army, and they wanted to do something as well to help so that the seniors didn’t have to go out into the smoke,” Adam said. While the Relvas team prepares meals, The Salvation Army reaches out to seniors in the community who may need food assistance. Once the meals are ready, the Army delivers the food to the homes of those in need. Partnerships between The Salvation Army and Relvas Catering have been frequent in the past few years – especially when it comes to providing food for seniors. “During COVID, we started teaming up with The Salvation Army to provide meals to seniors. And so we’ve had the relationship with them for the last few years,” Adam added. Since the collaborations with the Army began, Adam says his team has prepared over 10,000 meals for seniors in the community.

Member for Eden-Monaro Kristy McBain stopped by Cooma Salvos Stores last Friday (15 September) to receive a certificate of appreciation for her help and support. The Salvation Army received a $16,500 Commonwealth Grant as a part of the Stronger Communities Program, which has been put towards effective heating and cooling in the Cooma store, Corps Officer Aux-Lieutenant Anthony Barford said. “We would like to thank Kristy for all her help and the work she does to support the community. The new infrastructure will help volunteers and staff stay comfortable while they support our community,” Anthony said. Ms McBain said she loves supporting organisations right across Eden-Monaro, especially those like The Salvation Army that do so much in our community, which many may not be aware of. “For people who are in need of the services of The Salvation Army, it is literally life-changing for them, and we should make sure volunteers and employees of The Salvation Army have a place they can come to which will be warm in winter and cool in summer,” she said. “It’s not only good for those volunteers and employees, but it’s also good for those community members who find this a safe space to come to. “Whatever we can do to assist what The Salvation Army does we are more than happy to support. “We absolutely take the lead of Sandra and Tony (Corps Offcers), the volunteers, and the organisation as a whole. This is a huge kudos to everyone involved in The Salvation Army in Cooma because without their work we wouldn’t know how or what to support them with, and we are thrilled to be able to support them.” Article courtesy of the Monaro Post

The Salvation Army’s work in Papua New Guinea over the past seven decades is the focus of an exciting new book to be launched by Salvos Publishing next week. Not Weary Yet: Inspiring Snippets of The Salvation Army Papua New Guinea Story will be launched at Port Macquarie Corps (NSW) on Wednesday 27 September, at 1.30pm. The book tells of the factors that led to starting the work of The Salvation Army in PNG on 31 August 1956, and compellingly describes some of the pioneering experiences of the early PNG Salvationists in establishing the Army in their own country. The book also contains snippets and stories of the ongoing work since those early days, through to today. Written by Commissioner Ian Cutmore with contributing authors including Commissioners James and Jan Condon, Commissioner Miriam Gluyas and Colonel Kelvin Alley, the book will be available at the launch and then from Salvationist Supplies by emailing trade.sydney@salvationarmy.org.au or trade.melbourne@salvationarmy.org.au or by calling Sydney Salvationist Supplies (1800 634 209) and Melbourne Salvation Army Supplies (1800 100 018). For those unable to attend the launch in person, a link to the event will be available on the Salvos Publishing Facebook page from Monday 25 September.

Majors Michelle and Niall Gibson are Rural and Remote Chaplains for The Salvation Army, sharing the gospel by foot, car and plane throughout the Top End of Australia. Being a listening ear and a helping hand to people in remote areas can make a big difference to these communities, and as Michelle says, “bringing Jesus to the people”.