So far we have funded the following exciting collaborative projects:

Round 1 – 2018

Get Out

An adventure-based friendship program run by Blackwood Hills Baptist Church in partnership with Baptist Care SA’s Crossroads and Inner Southern Youth Homelessness services. This program links interested clients who are experiencing or are at risk of homelessness, with volunteers from Blackwood Hills Baptist Church to empower them to strengthen their life skills and to connect them with a welcoming community and ongoing genuine friendships.

Kids COACH

A school-based mentoring program run by Clovercrest Baptist Church that links volunteers from their church with local school students to mentor them in a way that celebrates their strengths and helps them to grow in confidence, connection and to develop in areas important to them.

Round 2 – 2019

Community Meals Program

A meal preparation training and mentoring program run by Soul Food Christian Community that supports vulnerable people in Adelaide’s North East who are experiencing unemployment, to develop their strengths and skills, become more socially connected and increase their employability by learning various meal preparation skills.

Enrich Life Café Ministry

A café based hospitality training program run by Rostrevor Baptist Church that mentors and trains volunteers. The program supports vulnerable people to become aware of their current skills and to develop skills in hospitality. Volunteers  become more socially connected in their local area and increase their employability as they grow in confidence

English as a Second language class

A weekly ESL class run by Enfield Baptist Church for vulnerable people in Adelaide’s Northern suburbs who are from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. This program seeks to equip and empower participants to grow their English skills, connect with local community members and to become more confident and employable.

Round 3 – 2020

Driver Mentor Program

A weekly driving mentoring program run by Blackwood Hills Baptist church. This program further supports the participants BHBCs ‘Get Out’ program who are at risk of homelessness and do not have the finances or social connections to be able to achieve the required 75 hrs of supervised driving practice to enable them to obtain their provisional license. Lacking a driver’s license can make finding and maintaining employment and safe housing a significant challenge. This program aims to remove this barrier and empower young participants to thrive.

Whyalla COACH Mentors

A family mentoring program working closely with a variety of community partners through ‘The Hub’; an established Collective Action located at Whyalla Baptist church. This program will empower and support families through friendship and mentoring to achieve self-identified life goals and boost their connection with their local community.

Port Pirie Community of Hope Creative Arts Project

A weekly outdoor community arts program run by Port Pirie Baptist Church, focusing on the local indigenous community. This program celebrates the artistic talents of local participants, increases their opportunity for community connection, and empowers them to increase their skills and encourage them in selling their art.

Round 4 – 2021

Holdfast Hub Men’s Shed- Holdfast Baptist Church

Men’s Sheds are well-known and respected in offering an environment to combat social isolation and assist with life skills. Establishing their own Men’s Shed offers Holdfast Baptist Church the opportunity to partner with Baptist Care in our Family Mental Health Services and has also provided good connections with the Holdfast Council.

The SAFE Centre- Christies Beach Baptist Church

Christies Beach Baptist will work closely with the new Southern Pathways Centre and support people facing situations of domestic violence. The SAFE Centre will employ a trained worker, facilitate support groups and provide clear pathways of referral to relevant services.

Ingle Farm Community Support Centre- Ingle Farm Baptist Church

The CCP at Ingle Farm Baptist Church will allow them to extend their existing community support centre. The support centre currently offers food support and some additional one-on-one support primarily for people in situations of domestic violence, people who are homeless or people who are at risk of homelessness. The centre offers some financial counselling and domestic violence focused workshops.

Funding through the CCP will allow the support centre to extend their financial counselling support as well as their domestic violence focused workshops (Empowered Women) and establish a COACH Family mentoring program.

Kids Coach- Grange Baptist Church

Grange Baptist will run Kids Coach, a mentoring program where someone from the church community mentors a child through one of 2 local primary schools. Both schools have indicated a need for mentoring relationships within the schools and COACH provides appropriate modelling and support for members of Grange Baptist to fulfil this role.

Family Coach- Clovercrest Baptist Church

Clovercrest Baptist will run Family Coach, a mentoring program that allows someone from the church community to walk alongside and support a family from the local community with young children. Clovercrest have strong opportunities for referrals to Family COACH through their Pathway Community Centre as well as being able to work closely with Baptist Care’s Family Mental Health Services.

Collaborative Community Projects are informed by Asset-Based community development ideas and principles.

Further Reading and Resources

• The Church and Community Development
• Asset Based Community Development