The 2021 Eva Burrows Leadership Scholarship has been awarded to a worthy recipient, Major Erica Jones. Erica recently gave us an insight into the plans she has for the scholarship and what this will mean for her and for the community in which she lives, works and does life with in 2022.
Tell us about yourself and what is your current role?
My name is Erica and I am a Salvation Army Officer. I have been in ministry in a full-time capacity for 17years, including 2 years at college. I have held appointments in Western Australia, Victoria and the Northern Territory. I am married to Peter and we have four amazing children, Tia (22), Michellie (21), Rhys (19) and Maddie (9). My current role is Area Officer looking after the Northern Territory, an amazing appointment, one that has been both epically challenging and rewarding. I am about to transition to a new appointment in 2022, as Youth and Young Adults Secretary for SA/NT, moving to Adelaide.
What inspires you to apply for the Eva Burrows Leadership Scholarship?
I have seen and recommended this scholarship to many people, I thought about applying in the past, but honestly thought that there are much more worthy applicants than I out there. This year, I decided it was time to go for it. I love to study and am always trying to educate myself, so that my personal experience is backed up with knowledge and best practice. The last few years I have been focussing on Leadership Theory and Practice. I took 2021 off as a non-study period and reflected on what my next step should be. As I head into a new role, in an area that I am excited and passionate about, combined with the decision to embark on a complementary study direction, I decided it was worth applying.
What course will you be doing and why?
I am enrolling in a Masters of Design (Design Innovation) (Strategic Design). I have watched as The Salvation Army has started to utilise partnerships with organisations like Seed and Anecdote and watched as we tackle strategy and strategic direction. As boring as it might sound, Strategic Planning excites me and it is something that I am passionate about. I think we are very good at casting a vision but sometimes I’m not sure we are very good at working out how we are going to get there. In order to get where we want to go, we can not be afraid to really understand our current state, really understand who we are and where we are. Innovation means, change, experimentation, new ideas, combined with strategy creates a pathway to new ways of doing things. Creativity underpinned by strategic planning, practices and tools.
What are you hoping to see as a result of this training?
As I move into the area of Youth and Young Adults I hope to use the skills learned, to engage with the creativity that our young people are so ready to provide and use that to reinvigorate and invest in a vibrant and enthusiastic approach to a new way of doing things. We all know the saying, Culture eats strategy for breakfast, this is so true. I hope that using Design Innovation and Strategic Design in my ministry going forward, I will be able to hear the dreams of those I interact with, hear their stories, past experiences and hopes, and be able to use design methods to creating human-centred ministries, services and systems.
"There are so many stories to hear, youth, young adults, first nations people, the disenfranchised of society, those with limited resources and those who see themselves as outsiders, can we hear their stories and create a new way of doing things that is God honouring and Kingdom building?" - Major Erica Jones
Eva Burrows Australian Leadership Scholarship for Women
The Eva Burrows Australian Leadership Scholarship for Women will be awarded to a woman who has undertaken substantial paid or unpaid work in the delivery of the mission of The Salvation Army in the previous two years and is seeking support to develop their leadership capabilities. A scholarship of up to $25,000 AUD, for study at Eva Burrows College or another institution, will be granted to a woman who exhibits General Eva Burrows values of leadership and commitment to serving on the frontline.
For more details on the criteria and the application process for the Eva Burrows Australian Leadership Scholarship for Women click here.