Stepping up for his girls

Dave travelled the country earning good money working on some of New Zealand’s biggest roading projects.

The hours were punishing and he saw less of his two daughters than he liked, but he enjoyed the lifestyle.

Then, late last year, his partner’s deteriorating health forced him to choose between his job and bringing up two little girls.

Either he take on the role of sole parent, along with a hefty drop in income, or the girls would be taken into care.

‘All that was in my mind was the girls, so it wasn’t a hard decision,’ Dave says.

Dave sold his car in preparation for the steep fall in income and he and his daughters, aged six and three, entered a residential parenting programme run by The Salvation Army in Hutt City.

The six-month intensive parenting programme accommodates seven families at one time, living in their own apartments. It has a live-in support worker.

Participating families have usually been under immense stress. Some are at risk of having their children taken into care, while others are escaping overcrowded housing or domestic violence. Some are homeless.

While on the programme, Dave undertook a comprehensive parenting course focused on parent-child relationships and parenting skills. He also learnt how to efficiently manage a household and prepare economical yet nutritious meals.

Dave was taught budgeting skills and took part in another course called the Positive Lifestyle Programme (PLP).

PLP was designed by The Salvation Army and is a series of modules from a trained facilitator that address areas of a person’s life that may be holding them back from leading independent and fulfilling lives.

Dave took part in one-on-one sessions aimed at building his self-esteem, developed goal-setting, problem-solving and anger management skills, and learnt to deal with challenges such as grief, depression and stress.

The residential programme’s coordinator Toga Tofilau says The Salvation Army has helped many families remain intact and carve out healthy and independent futures for themselves.

Meanwhile, Dave and his daughters have completed the programme and are looking for accommodation, with the assistance of The Salvation Army.

He doubts his family would have remained together otherwise. ‘The girls are happier now I’m with them, and that’s actually made me happier,’ Dave says.

Having finished his education in third form, Dave is now keen to go back to the text books and is considering his career options.

Thanks to the ongoing generosity of our supporters, The Salvation Army can help people like Dave make positive change.

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