Meet Bob. He’s a keen footy fan, an experienced scuba diver, and a retired banker.

While he jokes that if he gets any busier he will need a personal assistant, Bob volunteers his time every Thursday at our Grange residential aged care site running the Men’s Shed.

The Men’s Shed gives residents the opportunity to help craft items such as mosaics, birdhouses, and money boxes, or try their hand at painting.

“We will have brainstorming sessions where we all sit down and find little things that we can make that are within our skill sets,” Bob said. “It’s just a matter of having a go.”

Bob started the Men’s Shed four years ago as a way to spend time with his late father, who was a resident at the site.

“It started because I wanted to do something with my father. It was payback time, after everything my parents did for me, it was the least I could do.”

However, the group developed into more than just volunteering for Bob – it’s mateship – which is why he kept the group going, even after his father’s passing two years ago.

“It’s a sort of comradeship that we’ve developed over the years,” Bob said. “I feel as though having done it now for about four years, if I didn’t come, I’d be letting my mates down.”

Whether it’s a conversation about boats, a passionate discussion about footy or having a laugh, the group gives residents an opportunity to connect with others and make friends.

“Some days we sit there, and we hardly achieve anything but just talk. It’s something different for them and gets them out of their rooms.”

Bob might downplay his contribution to the health and wellbeing of the residents he calls mates, but the results are obvious.

Some residents experience health issues that can be challenging and isolating, but seeing Bob every week keeps them positive.

The playful jokes at each other’s expense, a good laugh, or just a simple ‘How are you going?’ are common themes in conversations with Bob, leaving residents with a smile that is palpable and infectious.

A firm believer in social connection and that learning from others can make a world of difference — Bob encourages everyone to give volunteering within aged care a go.

“I think it’s an opportunity to be involved with people, creating connections through activity that doesn’t cost me much other than a couple of hours once a week.

“If everyone in society showed a bit more interest in caring for other people the world would be a better place.”

At AnglicareSA, we’re proud to have around 300 volunteers who give their time to support people in need. Volunteers are an integral part of our support services — their generosity and commitment enable us to deliver a broad range of services to the South Australian community.

You can Register Your Interest online by clicking here, or alternatively view our current volunteer opportunities here.

It was all about dribbling into fun this school holidays, with AnglicareSA’s Playford Communities for Children teaming up with Community Partner Yara Family Connections to host a free basketball event.

The event at Smithfield Plains’ John McVeity Centre saw children aged between 5 and 12 years old run some basketball drills, connect with others, and expel some energy.

For the children involved, it might just be a fun day out, but this school holiday basketball event is part of a broader community picture.

It’s one of the many events that AnglicareSA runs in partnership with another service.

Melissa Ruthen, co-director of Yara Family Connections, said the Community Partner model worked because it was relationship based.

“I’ve partnered with almost every major organisation, not only in the northern suburbs but throughout the metropolitan area,” Melissa said. “AnglicareSA partners very well, their communication is exceptional, and they share information easily.

“A lot of agencies are still in that competitive mode where they think they can’t partner because they’re competing for the same funding. AnglicareSA doesn’t think like that.”

Amita Rana-Marjara, Community Development Worker at AnglicareSA, said partnerships within the community were crucial to the work the organisation does.

“We look at what the gaps are in the area,” Amita said. “We work alongside other services as much as we can to make sure there are activities and services that families can access around Playford.”

AnglicareSA Community Development Worker Jayde Milburn said Yara Family Connections was a perfect choice to partner with for this event because of its strong ties in the local area.

“Yara Family Connections is doing amazing things in our community,” Jayde said. “They have so much passion for the community.”

The organisation, which launched in May 2023, offers services exclusively for First Nations peoples after the directors saw a gap in mainstream services and wanted to create safe services for Aboriginal peoples.

Melissa said the event was not so much about the basketball as it was about teaching the children resilience, especially from a cultural leader and proud Kaurna, Narrunga, Ngarrindjeri man like Trevor Pearce, who is one of Yara’s co-directors.

It’s clearly an approach that’s working, with some of the children so eager to play basketball and interact with mentors like Trevor that they arrived half an hour early.

Through similar events and partnerships with organisations like AnglicareSA. Melissa said the trust circle becomes broader for people to access the services and support they might need.

“We’re trying to widen the trust circle and the partnership approach does work,” she said. “Even though I’m promoting another business, people are going to benefit from that.

“We can invest the time and leverage the community’s trust to say AnglicareSA are people that Yara trusts, and they will look after you.

“It’s always about community and about what’s right for them.”

Learn more about AnglicareSA’s Playford Communities for Children program online or through the Facebook group.

AnglicareSA is opening doors and creating pathways for Disability & Wellbeing Services customers to be able to live with more independence.

Since August, six customers have moved into brand-new housing accommodation in Adelaide’s northwestern suburbs – a complex which includes three single-bedroom units and two three-bedroom units, as well as a community space, garden, and staff office.

AnglicareSA Manager, Accommodation Services Disability Support, Rebecca Curnow said the customers had previously lived together in a home where they only had their own bedroom and communal kitchen.

“The idea of this housing project was to offer a space where we can support them to develop those independent living skills,” she said.

“We want to help them build those skills, so they are able to do their own thing – things like shopping for themselves rather than communal shopping like they have always done.”

And it wasn’t just about rehousing the customers into a brand-new space, the Disability & Wellbeing Services team also worked on a co-design process with the customers, providing an opportunity to help shop for items, decorate, and set up their spaces how they wanted them.

“We wanted them to have ownership of their future,” Rebecca says. “They deserve to be able to live their best life, they deserve a nice new space to call home.

“It’s a space they have helped create and positive environments build positive people. That’s what we wanted, we wanted them to put their own personality into their homes.”

The residents are able to live independently, even those sharing a three-bedroom unit as the third bedroom is designed as a breakout room to offer a second living space.

And while much of the focus is on supporting independence, there are also opportunities to come together for regular activities and events.

“They have regular Friday barbecues, basketball, exercise circuits in the central garden space, fruit trees and vegetables, and even the local SA Police Community Constables drop in from time to time to challenge the residents to a few games of table tennis.”

Working closely with Believe Housing Australia, the tenants are learning about their responsibilities of living independently – tasks like housekeeping and maintaining the neatness of a property.

“We are hoping they can learn, grow, and develop these skills to a point where some perhaps see it as an opportunity to be able to live independently without the around-the-clock staffing support on offer at this property,” Rebecca said.

“In such a short space of time they have become so house proud.

“They have told staff to knock on their door any time and they’ll let them know if they are busy, or they are asking for advice on things such as how to fix up a mark on the wall.

“They take great pride in where they live.”

Donna and Lloyd were busy parents working full-time but they knew they wanted to give back to children in care.

Through her work as a police officer, Donna was exposed the reality of life for some children. This, and a desire to grow their family, inspired Donna and Lloyd to welcome their first foster child into their family with daughter Grace.

Now, more than 10 years later, the couple have been long-term foster carers to two children.

“I couldn’t bear the thought that these children could be living somewhere without love, it’s hard to imagine,” Donna said.

Donna and Lloyd still have regular contact with their first foster child – who is now 19 years old – who moved out of the family home to live independently.

Their second – an eight-year-old – has lived with Donna, Lloyd, their adopted greyhound and three chickens for just over a year.

While their foster care journey hasn’t been without challenges, Donna and Lloyd said the positive times far outweighed the challenges.

They encouraged anyone considering foster care to take the plunge.

“I think people hear more of the good than the bad and there is definitely a stigma around foster care and foster children,” Lloyd said.

“But I think if you want to do it, how much time you have doesn’t matter. They’re part of the family and you make it happen.”

AnglicareSA is one of South Australia’s largest foster care providers, if you are interested in finding out more about becoming a carer, please visit anglicaresa.com.au/foster-care/ 

AnglicareSA’s Solar Pilot Program continues to be a shining light on the national stage, taking out the Sustainability category of the recent Future of Ageing Awards.

Launched in October 2020, the collaboration with CORENA, 369 Labs, and Beat Energy provides smart rooftop solar energy systems to tenants with no upfront costs.

Currently, 150 systems have been installed on our aged care Independent Living Units and Believe Housing Australia (BHA) properties. The solar systems are fully paid for, maintained, and owned by AnglicareSA and BHA.

With no out-of-pocket expenses for tenants, this solar initiative helps to reduce bills, contribute positively to the environment, and educate our tenants to better understand and control how and when to use energy throughout the day.

It is estimated that annual tenant savings through the solar project is in the range of $250-$280, representing an energy bill saving of up to 25 per cent each year.

In September, Believe Housing Australia was honoured with the Innovation Award for the solar project at the Australasian Housing Institute (AHI) Brighter Future Awards SA/NT. 

“Winning the Innovation Award for our Solar Project is truly marvellous, shedding light on our unwavering dedication to enhancing lives and nurturing sustainable communities through groundbreaking ideas and unwavering commitment,” Believe Housing Australia Executive General Manager Stacey Northover said. 

As we work towards our goal of increasing the supply of social and affordable housing in South Australia, we’re committed to ensuring the development of sustainable homes suitable for the long-term.