In time for ANZAC Day, a group of unemployed people from Brisbane is capturing the memories of women at war – those left behind and those called into service – during World War I and II.

The documentary-style production is the result of one of Mission Australia’s Work for the Dole (WfD) programs – giving the 12 participants creative skills in video production, editing, marketing and team work.

Primarily focusing on women, The Chronicles of War documentary has captured the memories of 10 veterans to date, some in their late 90s.

Mission Australia’s Work for The Dole South-East Brisbane Coordinator, Nicola Emanuel, who developed the idea, has been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of the participants and the willingness of the war veterans.

“The veterans we’ve interviewed have been very open with their stories. We had one lady who was a nurse on the PNG front line tell us stories that have been too painful to tell her family,” Nicola said.

“These women have either seen war first hand or have lived with the uncertainty back home. For some, it was soul destroying but for others, it was empowering as they shifted into becoming the independent bread winners.

With the help of the Returned and Services League (RSL) at Coorparoo, the Gap Historical Society and word-of-mouth, interest in participating in the DVD has been strong.

On completion, the DVDs will be donated to local schools, RSLs, War Memorials, WfD participants and other not-for-profit organisations in South-East Brisbane.

“Many see it as their chance to officially record their memories for generations to come. We’re halfway through the 26-week program now and we’re certainly not short of willing participants,” Nicola said.

“Nor are we short of unemployed people keen to turn their hand at video production. I think a lot of people imagine Work for the Dole being about picking up litter in a fluorescent vest. We are intent on making our programs relevant for the workforce and valuable, both to the people participating and the community.”

The youngest WfD participant in the Chronicles of War group, David Williams, said the most rewarding part of the program was the appreciation he now had for war veterans.

“Although many of the veterans mention the social sacrifices they had to make, they also remember the sense of unity in the community when everyone had to pull together for support,” David said.

“That same sense of community is not so common these days, we are all too busy leading our own lives.”

‘Chronicles of War’ is one of 52 Work for the Dole programs run by Mission Australia in Queensland.

WfD programs are developed based on the skills and employment demand in the local area. For South-East Brisbane, more than 400 vacancies in office administration were available in November 2005.

The Chronicles of War program provides base skills in computer literacy and modern software and multimedia packages. In addition, participants build their interpersonal skills by working as a part of a team throughout the project.