A life of hope from a strong foundation of care
This Homelessness Week (5-11 August 2024), The Salvation Army is urging all Australians to work to ‘End homelessness – for good’, working to eliminate homelessness and recognising the ‘good’ things, such as stable schooling, employment and better health outcomes that flow on from secure housing. Sharing recently at a launch of the 2024 Red Shield Appeal, Bianca, who now works for The Salvation Army, spoke of Salvation Army support she received during a struggle with homelessness in her teenage years.
Bianca shares:
My role with The Salvation Army Moneycare service is coordinator of the ‘Normalising Money Conversations’ initiative. The role looks at how we can make having essential money conversations more comfortable.
We need to know how to communicate around finances, to speak up and seek help early, how to communicate and work together as a family or household group to maximise our financial literacy and effectiveness, and how to deal with financial issues before they spiral. Normalising money conversations may sound simple, but the positive results can be profound.
Sadly, shame is often a barrier to people opening up, and that is tragic, because cost of living and personal debt is now the top reason for suicidal thoughts in Australia. They are also drivers of homelessness.
If you, or someone you know needs support, please click here to find a range of support organisations and services including Beyond Blue and Lifeline.
Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24 hours / 7 days)
Beyondblue: 1300 224 636
The road to stability
I love this role and helping others, because I was greatly helped by others.
I grew up experiencing the effects of a parent struggling with addiction, plus poverty, neglect and much worse. By the time I was a teenager, I was depressed, anxious, self-harming, struggling with addiction myself and homeless.
A friend pointed me to The Salvation Army’s Oasis Youth Support Network in Surry Hills, NSW, and was connected into a 10-week employment coaching course, housed in crisis accommodation (which also included case management) and more.
When I started applying for jobs, I was still living in Salvation Army homelessness crisis accommodation.
I secured a job as a team leader in a law firm, because I had previous work experience. At that time, I felt extremely out of my depth, especially as I had to use the address of my temporary housing as my home address, which filled me with both shame and fear that someone might recognise the location.
(However, when looking at my completed form — my new boss saw my postcode and commented that I must be doing well for myself to live in the city!)
As I had significant debt to pay back and a whole lot to work through mentally, the staff at the crisis service recommended I stay for at least a year, so we could work towards an effective exit plan together.
I eventually left my job at the law firm and started working for the Salvos — first in a role in youth homelessness awareness and school engagement. This was like coming home for me.
If your housing situation feels insecure or unsafe, The Salvation Army may be able to help you. Our homelessness support services are inclusive, welcoming and flexible.
Today I’m married, with a two-year-old daughter and we own our home in the Blue Mountains (NSW). My mum passed away five years ago, my dad (who I didn’t know well) three years before that.
When I look back at the road I have travelled, I see how much difference the support and care of people through The Salvation Army and other connected services has made in my life. I have a deep Christian faith and believe God uses everything, even the tough stuff, for good.
One of the many layers of care I was given on this journey was the coaching I received from the intake worker I met first at Oasis. He was trained as a Salvation Army Positive Lifestyle Program coach, and he created tailored coaching for me — focused on keeping my job and being a great team leader. For the first time in my life, I had a group of people supporting me, and also helping to keep me accountable.
To say I had imposter syndrome was an understatement. Weekly coaching helped me to tackle this mindset and learn practical ideas for supporting the team. I don’t know if they just said it to be nice, but I heard from several people that I was the best team leader the service centre ever had. All credit to my coach!
Life-changing initiatives
I was so privileged to connect and still be connected to the Salvos.
They do everything out of a love of Jesus and the desire for everyone to experience the peace, joy, contentment and love only found through a relationship with Jesus. It is quite beautiful to experience.
I hope that as well as helping people build stronger money skills, healthy financial mindsets, and preparation for financial shocks, I can also share something of 'God's economy' with those around me — helping others to discover their God-given gifts and strengths, to be good stewards of money, to practice contentment, and to connect more deeply with family and community.
In my experience, what we all need most is a sense of ‘family’ or some sense of connection and belonging, agency over our lives, contentment and gratitude, purpose and meaning, and hope for the future. We all need to have something to live and hope for; and to know we are not defined by our circumstances, and we are valuable.
This is exactly what God gave me, through the care of the Salvos! With God’s grace and strength, my passion is now to spend my life making a lasting difference in the lives of many others.
Learn more about how we can end homelessness, so others can experience good in their lives, just like Bianca. Visit: salvationarmy.org.au/homelessness-week