More court duty for ‘Captain Sal’ after funding boost
BY LERISSE SMITH
A six-minute presentation pitch to raise money for Portland Corps’ Regional Support Vehicle has proven to be a big winner.
Corps Officer Captain Peter Stamp and his team in south-west Victoria raised more than $14,000 for their converted city bus, affectionately known as Captain Sal, when they recently participated in the SharkPitch virtual live crowdfunding event.
Captain Sal provides vital practical and emotional support to people attending the 180-year-old Portland Courthouse every Tuesday morning, tackling the issue of inadequately protected outdoor areas as all court attendees must wait outside the courthouse on a hill along the main road.
“We were so excited to be given the opportunity to pitch at the event,” Peter explained.
“I think one of the greatest things it did for us was to be able to share the story of the people who access the courts on a Tuesday and give them a voice.
“So many people do a drive-by of the courthouse on Tuesdays just to see who’s there and who’s done something wrong while pointing their fingers. There’s this real stigma that if you are there, you have done something wrong. But actually, I think it’s less than half the people that are there that are actually going into the courthouse for a case. And, even then, you are not guilty until they have actually been through that system.”
With the courthouse being the oldest operating in Victoria, it has no exterior shelter or protection from the weather – and staring eyes from those who drive past the building. Peter remarked that everybody gets judged and lumped into the same space, and the situation is terrible.
“Being able to have six minutes to tell an audience, hey, this is their story, the situation they are in, and because we are there, we have an opportunity to make a difference in that space, was a really special thing to talk about it,” he commented.
“It was probably more powerful than the funding we raised as well.”
Pitching ideas
United Way Glenelg hosts the annual SharkPitch event, where local organisations pitch their ideas to a virtual audience for financial support.
The Master of Ceremonies engages viewers to pledge over $8000 per organisation, with Beyond Bank Australia matching donations to $6000. Originally held live at a local centre, SharkPitch transitioned online during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing a broader audience to participate in the event.
This year’s event included family, friends and participants from various Salvation Army centres. Earlier this year, at a corporate breakfast for the Red Shield Appeal, United Way Glenelg encouraged The Salvation Army Portland to apply for SharkPitch and were thrilled to be accepted.
Peter pitched to a livestreamed audience to raise funds for Captain Sal’s operational costs, such as fuel, vehicle maintenance and insurance. He said the money would help continue Captain Sal’s vital service to the courthouse over the past few years.
It was initially established after Salvation Army staff hearts broke when they realised people’s predicament at the courthouse. During COVID, the corps received a grant from a local smelter’s parent company to support people in need, leading to the creation of a regional support vehicle for food relief.
However, after the bus was temporarily taken off the road for repairs, the team rethought their approach and decided to use it for community development at the courthouse, addressing the challenges faced by those waiting outside.
Every Tuesday morning during court sessions, the Captain Sal Salvos team sets up two large, heated marquee gazebos. The bus offers a private office for confidential client-solicitor conversations, with tables, chairs, coffee and a welcoming environment.
A case worker and dedicated volunteers offer hot drinks and support, creating a respectful space that upholds attendees’ dignity. They also connect a speaker to the court’s PA system for clear announcements, which works better than the courthouse speaker!
Inadequate shelter
Peter said the courthouse’s lack of protected and private outdoor spaces often meant people were forced to wait outside for hours in cold, wet, and windy conditions without shelter.
Additionally, everyone driving by could see those seeking services at the court building, including potential crime victims or individuals obtaining an IVO, as well as those there to resolve personal matters or support family members.
“They all get stuck together with each other,” Peter said.
“So, you could have people that have restraining orders against each other, and the two people have to sit there together on the steps out the front, in the cold and the rain. We have had cases where mums have brought kids and babies along, and it’s been freezing cold and wet. And they are outside in the wet and rain, too, and everybody has to stay there because their names get announced so they can’t leave or even wait in their cars.
“We even had cases where somebody has gone to the toilet, which is just behind the courthouse, and their name got called. When they have come back, the court thought they had been a no-show and then have had to wait another few hours because they went to the toilet. So, it’s pretty rough.”
This is where the Captain Sal ministry has been a vital and necessary support service to the local community.
“It has just been incredible,” Peter remarked. “It has been absolutely amazing.”
New opportunities have also allowed the ministry team to engage with court services and legal aid. Earlier in the year, the Salvos team supported volunteers planting flowers at the Anzac Day memorial next door by offering hot drinks and bottled water.
“There’s all these amazing opportunities that present themselves that we just wouldn’t have thought of before,” Peter said.
“What we discovered was because we are set up in such a key location on the main street, people have been coming to us and accessing our services through that location who would normally not come to our main site.
“We are seeing people get better outcomes and doing a lot better during their court times than what they were before. And I don’t think we have seen any incidences of violence or altercations with security since we’ve been there in our time. It’s a really, really special space to be in.”
Support staff include David Bilson, a committed volunteer who has trained in chaplaincy and supports Captain Sal’s work despite attending another church. He helps set up and pack down and engages with people in that space.
The ministry team also accompanies individuals inside the courthouse and sits with them during their cases. David and the team’s Doorways case manager, Kaitlyn, have been instrumental in connecting with those who can benefit from case management, enhancing the Salvos’ support efforts.
Therapy dogs Another exciting new initiative of the Captain Sal ministry has also been a recent partnership with Portland Therapy Dogs.
A group of trained volunteers visit the courthouse with two dogs, helping to ease the nerves of people attending court. Many attendees arrive anxious, especially when facing charges, and the Salvos team’s presence, along with the therapy dogs, creates a calming environment.
“The dogs seem to settle people’s nerves,” Peter said. “And so, us being a calming presence and a safe presence in that space, and with the dogs, allows people to go into their court appointments a lot calmer and a lot more composed than if we weren’t there.
“We are waiting for permission to bring therapy dogs into the courthouse so that individuals can pat them during their appointments, which we believe would be very special and a wonderful addition to our support.”
Captain Sal, named by six-year-old William Kinsella of Heywood Consolidated School, plans to continue serving the community for a long time and expand its services.
Positive changes are also expected in the courthouse area, whether through constructing a new courthouse or adding a shelter that complements the space without compromising its heritage.
Overwhelmingly positive feedback from the community also motivates the ministry team to continue their community service, especially with the public providing ongoing great encouragement – especially thankful for the provision of hot drinks on cold days.
“The greatest impact has been bringing hope where it is needed most,” Peter reflected.
“And bringing hope and our services directly to people, engaging a new group that we wouldn’t have reached otherwise. The feedback from everybody’s been amazing. It is an incredible ministry. We had an opportunity recently to just sit on the steps and pray with a married couple going through a hard time – it was a really special moment.”