The Salvation Army is spreading the message that its work is about much more than handouts.

Beverly Daniels, the charity’s executive director for social services, said the Salvation Army transformed lives by helping people to set and accomplish goals through its Pathway of Hope programme.

Ms Daniels said: “We are not just handing out a bag of groceries. Our primary goal is to take you from where you are to where you potentially could be.”

The Pathway of Hope programme, which was started in January, was designed to help clients overcome poverty and become self-sufficient.

Ms Daniels said people who contributed to the Salvation Army often asked what was done to make sure people did not become dependent on the charity.

She said staff worked with clients from the emergency housing complex in Pembroke, North Street Corps and Food Bank, and the Harbour Light life skills centre.

Ms Daniels, speaking to the Hamilton Rotary Club at the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club in Paget, explained that the Pathway of Hope was a strength-based programme, which helped people to gain their independence.

She added: “It means that we look at our clients and the people we serve and we begin from a position of strength.”

Ms Daniels said: “We have not really impacted a life until we have had the opportunity to move that person from where they are to where they can possibly be.”

She said the charity helped people achieve their goals in finances, education. housing, and family life.

Ms Daniels added that other programmes in the Salvation Army would continue even as the organisation worked to get clients independent of the charity.

She added that the Salvation Army could not do its work without support from the public, including employers and landlords.