Language course boosts soldiers' morale
Captains Penni and Nigel Roden working together at the Salvation Army Red Shield Defence Services Townsville.
Preparing for life outside the Australian Army can be a daunting prospect for the average soldier. Many soldiers who go through one of the Soldier Recovery Centres are in this position, getting ready for civilian life after having spent time recuperating from injury or stress-related conditions suffered during army service.
Captain Penni Roden, of The Salvation Army, works with these soldiers at the small Soldier Recovery Centre unit in Townsville. She has been ministering with The Salvation Army’s Red Shield Defence Services for the past 10 years, and is currently serving in Townsville as a Senior Representative, helping to equip discharging soldiers for life outside the army.
“When soldiers are discharging, they need to find ways to see themselves differently, to see themselves as civilians, not just as soldiers,” says Captain Roden. “A number of the guys in the Soldier Recovery Centre have been soldiers their entire adult life, so many don’t know how to have another job or how to learn new skills to be able to work outside the army.”
As a way to empower the soldiers with skills and further engage and connect with them at the centre, Captain Roden has started to teach a basic six-week German language class. In her former career, she taught language in high school and could see the value of the soldiers learning language as a way of developing life skills.
“I wanted to teach the soldiers that they are able to do something new,” she says “I wanted to engage the soldiers in meaningful ways that would not only give them an introduction to German speaking but also to give them a basic introduction into learning. We are trying to give the soldiers skills they can combine with their existing skills to make them more employable in the civilian world.”
Captain Roden said there was a noticeable change in the soldiers' morale as the course commenced. The soldiers began to interact more as they practised their new German-speaking skills on each other. “The course helped to build their self-esteem and their ability to learn new skills,” Captain Roden said. “It enabled them to develop a healthy self-awareness and awareness of how they can interact in a professional community.
“What we are actually teaching the soldiers is that there is life beyond being a soldier if they do discharge. They are people of great value and significance and can contribute to the lives of the people around them. Our heart is to share God’s love and freedom with the Australian Defence Force through practical, faith-based service."
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