Local Placement Officer

A cadet’s relationship with the Officer Formation Stream

The cadet is supported by the Officer Formation Stream in the following ways:

Individualised Training Officer

Throughout the year, the cadet will engage in regular meetings with an Individualised Training Officer who is typically an OFS officer team member. The ITO coaches the cadet to integrate their learning and at the same time, keep them accountable to the process. They provide personal and pastoral support throughout their training period. The ITO will also work with the cadet on their preparation for platform ministry in the pre-arranged time schedule.

The ITO is also the point of contact for the Local Corps Placement and Area Officer.

Personal and Spiritual Formation Coordinator

The PSFC is responsible for supporting the cadet in all areas of personal and spiritual formation. The coordinator will provide resources and opportunities for the cadet to focus upon the development of self-knowledge and personal growth, the nurturing of the cadets relationship with God and the development of their capacity to be a reflective practitioner.

Education and Theological Formation Coordinator

The ETFC is responsible for supporting the cadet in all areas of educational and theological development. In consultation with the cadet and the Higher Education Stream, the ETFC will devise a study schedule that will ensure that the required core units of study are accomplished during the time of training.

Mission and Ministry Formation Coordinator

The MMFC is responsible for supporting the cadet in all areas of practical mission and ministry formation. In consultation with the cadet, the MMFC will work out what the practical training needs are and find suitable placements in corps and centres over the two years of training. These will include a variety of social placements as well as opportunities for specialling at other corps on a Sunday.

Learning Outcomes:

From their Corps Placement experience a cadet will be able to:

• Demonstrate ministry engagement within a specific Salvation Army congregational context.
• Through reflection, integrate their wider theological learning with their placement context.
• Demonstrate competence in the integration of worship, preaching and pastoral care in various ministry contexts.
• Articulate and evaluate models of Salvation Army leadership in a variety of contexts.
• Articulate their own understanding and theology regarding the operations of a Salvation Army corps.

The training corps

A significant aspect of the journey to officership is the placement in a training Corps. This experience will strengthen the cadet’s mission and ministry skills in the following ways:

• Engage in the life and ministry of a corps from the perspective of a Corps Officer.
• Gain an operational understanding of the role and responsibilities of a Corps Officer.
• Gain an operational understanding of a Salvation Army corps.
• Engage with a wide range of people associated with the mission and ministry of a corps.
• Engage in mission activities.
• Engage in the administrative and financial practices of a corps.
• Engage in other areas of mission and ministry that the Local Placement Officer considers appropriate to the cadet’s learning.
• Consider areas where further growth and development are required and act accordingly.
• Thoughtfully reflect upon the practice of ministry and articulate what they are learning.

Responsibilities — Cadet

Ultimately every cadet is responsible for their own learning and development, spiritual and personal growth. Although it is acknowledged that all cadets work under the coaching and guidance of the Local Placement Officer and under the administration of the Officer Formation Stream.

In broad terms, the cadet will:

• Actively engage in all aspects of the placement.
• Be proactive in achieving their learning goals.
• Submit their sermons, meeting leads or any other preparation for public ministry to their ITO in the pre-arranged time before its presentation.
• Demonstrate initiative when responding to events and tasks.
• Seek feedback on their performance, willingly receive it and respond appropriately.
• Live their lives in the way of Jesus: “In your relationships with one another, have the same mind-set as Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:5)

In more specific terms, the cadet will:

• Set out a weekly schedule in consultation with their ITO and Local Placement Officer. The schedule should help guide the time shared between Corps and OFS involvement.
• Arrange to meet with their Local Placement Officer on a weekly basis:
• To discuss matters relating to their personal engagement in ministry.
• To receive feedback regarding their ministry, work, and performance.
• To talk about their Individualised Formation Plan.
• Attend team meetings e.g. staff, management, planning, ministry, pastoral, Area Leadership Team, strategy meetings, etc.
• Take every opportunity to observe and engage with the various ministry activities of the corps.
• Take every opportunity to gain an overall understanding of the corps administrative, financial, personnel procedures e.g. financials, SAMIS, property maintenance, corps rolls and census records, mission strategies, management boards, pastoral care councils, etc.
• Seek every opportunity to engage with people involved in and associated with the mission and ministry of the corps, e.g. informal conversations, pastoral conversations, hospital visitation, small group discussions, public meetings, etc.
• Engage in the leadership of, and preaching in, gathered worship.
• Gain an understanding of the networking strategies involved in connecting with local and community groups.
• Gain an understanding of financial funding arrangements, grant applications, etc.
• Engage in fund-raising activities.
• Be mindful of other learning outcomes related to their broader officer training and proactively take the opportunity to enhance these outcomes.
• Where possible, be involved in the preparation and leadership of Special Events and Ceremonies (for example: weddings, funerals, enrolments, dedications, ANZAC day services)

Responsibilities — Local Placement Officer

In broad terms, the Local Placement Officer will:

• Be an on-the-field ministry practitioner experienced in corps mission and ministry.
• Act as coach, mentor, and guide to encourage the cadet toward ministry growth and development.
• Supervise the cadets’ day-to-day work performance.

In more specific terms, the Local Placement Officer will:

• Read and become familiar with the relevant documentation relating to the cadet’s Corps placement.
• Engage in an introduction session with the ITO.
• Conduct a welcome interview with the cadet on the day of their arrival and provide orientation to the corps.
• Clarify placement expectations and requirements.
• Provide an outline of ministry engagements and activities that the cadet will engage in.
• Discuss with the cadet what areas of ministry they need to be exposed to and provide opportunities for them to achieve their learning outcomes.
• Hold monthly coaching meetings with the cadet.
• Provide opportunities for the cadet to attend staff, team, planning, board, meetings, etc.
• Provide opportunities for the cadet to personally engage with people involved in the ministry of the corps, through informal conversations, intentional pastoral care conversations, hospital visitation, small group discussions, public meetings, etc.
• Provide opportunities for the cadet to engage in the leadership of, and preaching in, public worship meetings.
• Provide opportunities for the cadet to gain an overall understanding of the corps administrative and personnel procedures.
• Provide opportunities for the cadet to engage in fund-raising activities.
• Provide opportunities for the cadet to understand community networking strategies within the local community.
• Provide the cadet with adequate study time to complete OFS expectations and encourage the cadet in their personal and theological formation.
• On two occasions each year, the Local Placement Officer will complete a Review Report which will be forwarded to the Officer Formation Stream.

Coaching Meetings

The Welcome Coaching Meeting:

This will focus on the cadet’s Individualised Training goals. The cadet and the Local Placement Officer will work together as the cadet creates learning goals that are significant, concrete, measurable, and achievable. The cadet will then arrange monthly times and dates to meet with the Local Placement Officer for coaching purposes.

Monthly Coaching Meetings:

The focus for these monthly coaching meetings will be to address the practicalities and general management of the Corps training placement.

• To discuss matters specifically relating to the cadet’s personal engagement in ministry.
• To give feedback in regard to the cadet’s engagement in ministry and work performance.
• To assist the cadet in monitoring their Individualised Formation Plan.
• To provide the opportunity for the cadet to debrief on their practice of ministry.

At the conclusion of each coaching meeting, the cadet will articulate what they will respond to as a result of meeting with their Local Placement Officer coach.

Practical Ministry engagement

During a cadet’s training for officership, there is a wide range of mission and ministry experiences that they need to engage in as they prepare themselves for officer readiness. Many of these activities can be identified and fulfilled during their placements. However, it is understood that each corps setting is unique and will host different ministries to other settings; this may mean that it is not possible for a cadet to experience all requirements. This information is to be shared with the ITO and /or the M&MF Coordinator to consider what other options can be included.

The activities mentioned below indicate in very broad terms the type of ministry that a cadet can expect to be engaged in during their placements to gain a competent operational understanding.

They serve as an example and a guide, seeking to create the best learning outcomes for each cadet.

• The broad diversity that exists within corps ministry (including but not confined to ministry for children, youth, women, men, seniors, inter-cultural).
• Mission opportunities, evangelistic events, outreach ministries.
• Corps pastoral care program: records, visitation.
• Corps Pastoral Care Council: meetings, rolls, registers, follow-up, etc.
• Red Shield Appeal – planning, organisation, collecting, etc.
• Financial management, budget process.
• Regular fundraising activities: street collection, football gates, hotels.
• Corps statistics: SAMIS
• Corps-based community welfare, emergency relief.
• Corps Councils, Leadership Management Boards: function, membership, etc.
• Corps property management.
• Safeguarding practices.
• Corps discipleship program: recruitment, small groups, mercy seat counseling, etc.
• Public worship leadership.
• Preaching.
• Observation of and participation in Area Leadership Meetings

Other Key Experiences

Additional to the corps placement, there will a variety of other mission and ministry experiences to supplement the training program and give the broadest possible training experience. They include:

Social Placements

In the first year of formation, the cadet is given the opportunity to participate in two x one week long social placements. These placements will take place in June and November. The purpose of this placement is to introduce cadets to The Salvation Army Social and Community Service expressions. The placement will be arranged by the M&MF Coordinator in consultation with the cadet.

Sunday Corps Specialling

On two separate occasions every cadet will be asked to special at a Corps that is different to their regular Training Corps. This may be a rural or regional Corps for city based cadets or a city Corps for cadets who are already based in a regional/rural setting. On these occasions, cadets will preach and lead the worship service as a guest. The specialling placement is arranged by the M&MF Coordinator in consultation with the cadet and the Area Officer. Two dates have been set for 2026; but are yet to be confirmed by the host corps.

First Nations Immersion Week

The First Nations Immersion Week is an opportunity for cadets to learn about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and how it impacts the ministry in The Salvation Army. This Immersion Week experience is in collaboration with The Salvation Army’s cultural immersion team upholding the premise that all engagement with the First Nations people will be guided and informed by those who identify as First Nation. The group experience will be directed by the OFS team in partnership with selected members of the Cultural Immersion team. For 2026, on-going cadets will attend the week in late January, prior to Orientation.