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Salvation Army students win learning awards SWAN LODGE THE Salvation Army’s Lifehouse in Sunderland won multiple prizes at the One Awards Celebration of Learning 2021. Sonia Ritchie-Park (pictured), a support worker and tutor who leads classes at the Lifehouse, received a Learners Choice for Tutor award. One student said: ‘From the very start, Sonia put me at ease… I have gained so much confidence from the courses available and the way they are delivered. Sonia creates a very safe environment to learn and is extremely encouraging and supportive. I have not only grown educationally but also as a person, allowing me to re-engage socially. I cannot thank and praise her enough.’ The Lifehouse Tenancy Achievement Group received a Learning Group award. Many of the students have overcome substantial personal challenges and this is the first learning experience they have completed in a number of years. For some, this was the first qualification they had ever completed. Sonia said: ‘The quality of work they produced was fantastic and it was a joy to teach them. To be honest, in some ways they have helped me get through the past few months with their laughter and dedication.’
As the Lifehouse is considered a single bubble under Covid-19 restrictions, learners chose face-to-face teaching – adapting to remote learning when necessary. Covid-safe measures ensured students kept themselves and each other safe. Swan Lodge resident Gillian, who found herself homeless a year ago, also received a Personal Progress award. Sonia said: ‘Gillian was very shy and lacked confidence. To try and encourage her out of her room I asked her if she would like to come and do some cooking. This seemed to act as a switch as she began to enjoy learning so much that she signed up for any course that she could in her time at Swan Lodge.’ Gillian has completed a career preparation unit, functional skills maths entry 3, skills for employment, training and personal development, and is currently awaiting results of her English entry 3 and maths level 1 functional skills. She has tackled several personal challenges in the past year, including the death of her partner. Sonia added: ‘Gillian’s confidence has grown and now it would be out of place if she were in her room on her own. She has not only been a pleasure to teach but it has also been an honour to watch her grow academically and as a person. She really deserves recognition for how far she has come and her dedication to learning.’ – AR
ST HELENS Two disused flats are being remodelled to serve as homes for rough sleepers as part of a £1 million project backed by funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, 108 people experiencing homelessness in St Helens were moved into temporary accommodation. Since then, the council and its partners, Torus and The Salvation Army, have worked closely to provide essential help for them to overcome barriers and lead new, more independent lives. The new flats will be fully staffed and benefit from 24-hour security. Residents will be supported by the Army until they are ready to move into a home they can sustain on their own. – AR
EVERY day, more people cross the border from Mexico to the USA seeking asylum. And every day, The Salvation Army’s emergency response teams do what they can to feed, clothe and safely transfer these vulnerable people to new homes. The number of migrants entering the USA has risen steadily in 2021. Border towns such as Yuma, Arizona, are overwhelmed as customs and border protection officials drop off asylum seekers who have completed exhausting journeys and still need to connect with their sponsors, who are likely to be a bus journey or flight away. The increase in people seeking help has placed major strains on these small communities. ‘Local, state and federal governments are turning to The Salvation Army and asking us to help,’ said Emergency and Disaster Services Director John Berglund. ‘They’re looking to us because we have a history of providing these resources effectively.’ Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Services teams have provided more than 1,600 packaged meals and nearly 4,000 snacks in the California South Division alone. Five different migrant shelters offer about 175 rooms for migrant families and individuals. Typically, people are at the shelters and in the care of service providers for 24 to 72 hours before the next stage in their journey. ‘Love is kind,’ said Jeannette Aird, director of Emergency Disaster Services for the Southwest Division. ‘Whoever it may be, we don’t discriminate. These individuals find themselves in a location here, and they’re unaware of where exactly they are, the culture, how our system works, everything. We can come alongside them and provide hope and a hot meal.’ – CJ
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Salvationist 12 June 2021
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