Measure for success

For 15 years, students have been coming to Mylor Adventure Camp to explore their faith while connecting with nature, each other and themselves, as part of Veta Morphus, a national Christian leadership program.

Designed for Year 11 and 12 students across the state, the annual Veta Morphus camps focus on reading and reflecting on Scripture as a way to get to know God better while working towards the SACE.

Veta Morphus Course Director and Accredited Minister, Peter Eckermann, says Mylor Adventure Camp offers the perfect space for connection and community building.

“Students get to know one another better, which helps build a culture of support and acceptance,” Peter explains.

With a flourish, Ondene skillfully pours milk foam over the latte’s crèma to create a feather pattern for a happy customer.

From the coffee cart parked in the busy community learning centre she is perfecting her barista skills and earning credit towards a Certificate II in Hospitality, which will contribute to her South Australian Certificate of Education. 

Ondene is participating in Baptist Care SA’s Flexible Learning Options program. Operating the Bean Buggy coffee cart helps her to re-engage with her education and prepare for a job in the future.   

After disengaging from school, Ondene appreciates the support the program provides. Each week, she meets with Shanna, from Baptist Care SA, who helped her identify her strengths and barriers to success, which set her on the path to a career in hospitality.

*George was finding his home life challenging when he was matched with Adam as a mentor.  

*Adam had participated the COACHing mentoring program at his church. The pair got to know each other through weekly meetings at George’s school.  

Adam learned that George faced barriers to learning and found reading and writing challenging.   

In a move that stepped outside traditional learning methods, he introduced George to the piano where he quickly discovered his musical talents.  

Dear Baptist Care SA,

I am the mother of Paul who has Down syndrome.

He has been a client of Baptist Care SA for seven years.

After looking after Paul for 30 years, I found it really hard at first.

But I was reassured by all the lovely carers with their support and care for him.

In the past six months, we’ve seen a significant spike in the number of young people, particularly international students, seeking food relief.

We’ve seen a 50% increase in the number of young people shopping in our community Food Hub, with many telling us they simply don’t have the means to buy food from standard supermarkets.

Coupled with this, is a 25% increase in the number of young people seeking immediate emergency food relief by way of food parcels or vouchers to shop in our Food Hub. 

We’ve also seen more working families with children seeking support for food relief, often for the first time. Many of these food insecure households have at least one person in paid work, meaning employment is no longer an effective insulator against the cost-of-living crisis. 

Each year, Baptist Care SA provides over 30,000 free meals at our WestCare Centre to people like Carol. 

Carol visits the WestCare Centre for breakfast each weekday morning when she welcomes anyone who stops to pat her Tenterfield Terrier, Walter, with a smile.  

She is in part-time work and on a part-pension, but her income doesn’t always meet her expenses, which have skyrocketed during the cost-of-living crisis. While she carefully watches every dollar, she still lives from pay to pay and without the support of the WestCare Centre, would be forced to go without meals and essentials or put her housing at risk.  

A humble and positive person by nature, Carol is thankful for the support she receives.  

“It’s wonderful,” she says. “I’m very grateful for the help I get.”