Uniting Communities

For Lucia, peace looks like art.

One of her paintings was inspired by a plant growing through a crack in a wall – something small, strong and quietly determined.

🗨️ “Things can grow anywhere,” Lucia says. “That’s how I see myself.”

After years of carrying difficult experiences, starting over, and working through anxiety and trauma, Lucia found support through Uniting Communities – and slowly began rebuilding confidence in everyday life.

Art became a place of calm. A way to express what was hard to put into words. A reason to leave the house, connect with others, and keep taking small steps forward.

Today, Lucia is finding peace, connection and confidence in her art – and encouraging others to believe that change is possible too.

🗨️ “I’m not just the things that happened to me,” she says. “I’m finding who I am now.”

🔗 Read Lucia’s full story: https://www.unitingcommunities.org/news/coming-into-bloom

45 years at Aldersgate is a pretty incredible milestone!

Rosa’s relationship with Aldersgate began long before her first official shift. Her mum worked here, and Rosa remembers coming in as a child to help in the kitchen. Years later, after working in accounting and starting a family, Rosa returned for a part-time role in the kitchen – and that small beginning became 45 years of care, commitment and community.

Over the years, Rosa has seen Aldersgate change in so many ways. Buildings have changed, services have evolved, teams have grown, and aged care itself has moved through many different seasons. But through it all, Rosa’s care for the people who call Aldersgate home has never changed.

She speaks with real warmth about the residents, the staff, the daily routines and the little details that help make Aldersgate feel like home. For Rosa, aged care has always been about seeing people first – their stories, their wisdom, their personalities and the value they continue to bring.

🥳 Congratulations Rosa on an amazing 45 years. Thank you for the heart, humour, honesty and dedication you’ve brought to Aldersgate every day!

In Australia, water is everywhere.

Beach days. Pool parties. School holiday swims. Backyard sprinklers. Someone casually saying, “Let’s go for a dip,” as if that’s not a whole new world when you haven’t grown up around water.

This Refugee Week, we’re celebrating A Million Stories by highlighting the ongoing work of our New and Emerging Communities Program, including water safety sessions for children and families from refugee and migrant backgrounds.

With support from Royal Life Saving South Australia, children are building confidence in the water, learning swimming skills and picking up practical first aid knowledge – including what to do if someone gets into trouble near a pool or body of water.

It’s safety. It’s confidence. It’s connection. And yes, it’s probably a few excellent splashes too.

Because belonging can look like many things – including goggles, floaties and feeling brave enough to jump in.

Some mornings, hope can feel very small.

For Angela, there was a time when waking up meant one thing, checking her daughter was still alive. Ruth was in crisis, and every day was about getting through the next hour, the next conversation, the next hard moment.

Through Streetlink’s family counselling, Angela found a place where she could speak honestly, without judgement. She had space to talk through the fear, the exhaustion, the heartbreak and the practical reality of supporting a young person in crisis.

She also learned new ways to respond. How to keep connection at the centre. How to focus on safety. How to meet Ruth where she was, without giving up hope for where she could be and slowly, things began to shift.

Trust grew and conversations changed as Ruth became more open. Small wins started to matter in big ways. Turning on the washing machine, starting driving lessons, taking steps towards work, and beginning to imagine a future.

Things aren’t perfect yet, but they are different.

Today, Angela no longer wakes up every morning afraid and Ruth is taking steps forward in her own time. Together they’re beginning to look beyond survival towards hope, independence and “a life worth living.”

🔗 Read Angela and Ruth’s full story: https://www.unitingcommunities.org/news/glitter-moments

Every morning, Amy lets the house know she’s awake with a very enthusiastic burst of raspberry noises. For Chanan and Steve, it’s become one of those small, familiar sounds that makes their home feel like home.

Through Uniting Communities’ Individualised Living Service, Amy lives with Chanan and Steve full-time – sharing meals, heading out for beach walks, watching movies, keeping everyday routines, and building a life shaped by choice, connection and trust.

The little moments matter. Choosing what to watch. Asking for her iPad. Sitting on the beach while the waves roll in. Trying something new, in her own time and in her own way.

Amy is non-verbal, so being heard takes patience, creativity and people who know her well. With support from Chanan, Steve and her occupational therapist, Amy has developed new ways to communicate what she wants.

💬“It’s a small thing, but it means she has a voice,” Chanan says.

For Chanan and Steve, being ILO Hosts is more than a typical 9–5 role. It’s about walking alongside Amy in everyday life and celebrating the wins, the routines, the hard days and the joyful ones.

This is what support can look like when it’s built around real life.

🔗 Read Amy, Chanan and Steve’s full story here: https://www.unitingcommunities.org/news/a-different-kind-of-care

It was a privilege to join Reconciliation SA’s National Reconciliation Week Breakfast this morning – the largest event of its kind in Australia.

Our team was proud to represent Uniting Communities, and it was especially meaningful to stand alongside so many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff members from across our organisation.

We left the morning feeling proud of the work happening across South Australia, grateful for the leadership of First Nations peoples, and committed as ever to continuing the work of building culturally safe and respectful services.

Reconciliation South Australia

Today marks the beginning of National Reconciliation Week. 🖤💛❤️

This year’s theme is ‘All in’. It's a time to reflect on our shared history, strengthen relationships, and consider the role each of us can play in creating a more just and connected future for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities.

Across Uniting Communities, teams are marking the week in different ways – from attending local events and learning opportunities, to creating space for conversation, reflection and connection in their workplaces and communities.

Whether you’re joining an event, starting a conversation, or taking time to learn more, every action contributes to a stronger culture of respect, understanding and truth-telling.

How are you recognising Reconciliation Week? Check the events happening across South Australia. Remember, these events are open to everyone: www.reconciliation.org.au/calendar

26 May is National Sorry Day.

Today, we acknowledge the strength and resilience of Stolen Generations Survivors, and we reflect on the ongoing impacts of forced child removal on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, families and communities.

At Uniting Communities, this message connects to the work we do alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, families and communities every day. It reminds us of the importance of listening, learning, truth-telling and continuing to strengthen culturally safe and respectful services.

We recognise the knowledge, leadership and strength of First Nations peoples, and the work still required to support healing and lasting change.

As we lead into National Reconciliation Week, we encourage you to get involved with these community events: www.reconciliation.org.au/calendar 🖤💛♥️

Last week, more than 250 people attended our inaugural Health & Wellbeing Education Expo in Mount Gambier.

With 38 stallholders from across the Limestone Coast, the Expo brought together a wide range of health, wellbeing and community services, creating opportunities for people to connect, learn and access valuable support and information.

It was fantastic to see so many meaningful conversations, new connections and collaborations throughout the day.

A huge thank you to everyone who attended, hosted a stall, volunteered or helped spread the word.

Events like this highlight the importance of connection, collaboration and accessible support in building healthier communities. 💚

See highlights from the day 👇

As part of National Volunteer Week, yesterday we hosted a special morning tea to thank and celebrate the more than 350 volunteers who make UC what it is. 💚

Across Lifeline Adelaide, Family by Family, Bfriend, Goodwill South Australia, headspace Mount Gambier and many more programs, volunteers show up for people across our communities every day.

We were also honoured to welcome Blair Boyer MP, Minister for Health & Wellbeing, who visited the Lifeline Adelaide phone room and heard firsthand from Crisis Supporter Andy about what it means to answer the phone when someone has nowhere else to turn.

The Minister thanked volunteers for their essential contribution to the community and recognised the vital role they play in the health and wellbeing of South Australians.

He also congratulated Lifeline Crisis Supporter Keith Clark, recipient of the Joy Noble Medal, the highest honour for an individual volunteer in South Australia. 🏅

Thank you to Blair Boyer MP for joining us to celebrate National Volunteer Week. And to every UC volunteer, thank you for showing up for people when they need it most, often quietly and behind the scenes. You make our impact possible.