Mark became a Schools Worker at the young age of 21 after graduating with a Bachelor of Social Work degree.
Being Schools Worker came with huge responsibilities which Mark has handled really well over the last 3 years.
On Wednesdays, Mark is in the Fusion Canberra office organising a number of important events, helping with the Community Education Program for high school aged youth when it is on, talking with our team leader and mentoring individual youth.
Mark leads all the Breakout Youth Adventure Daytrips. Nerf Guns
In the first part of the year, Mark is busy planning information nights for the annual youth development Pilgrimage to Uluru, promoting the trip through the schools and organising fund-raising for it.
After the Pilgrimage to Uluru, a celebratory reunion is organised to give an opportunity to those who went on the trip to tell their stories and how they were affected by going on this life changing experience.
With the help of leaders and peer leaders, Mark organises the Breakout Youth Adventure Daytrips on Wednesdays. This requires a lot of planning especially with the activities, booking, phoning, coming up with back-up plans etc.
For the Community Education Program for high school aged youth, Mark successfully ran a new stream called Basics of Sound Engineering this year.
Mark plays a game called 1 2 3 with a young person at a Breakout Youth Adventure Daytrip to the snow
On Thursdays, Mark does one-on-one support with students at UC High Kaleen, connecting with them through activities such as bike-riding.
Here they talk one-on-one about issues and problems and find a way forward.
He sees his role as mainly being a friend and makes sure first and foremost that the students are doing ok.
At lunchtime on Thursdays, Mark runs a Christian group called Mystic Monkeys with a volunteer from Life City Church.
Breakout Youth Adventure Daytrip – Beach Cricket
It is where they play games, eat food and talk about what it means to be a Christian. Mystic Monkeys is similar to JAM at Melrose High.
Mark emphasises that he does not run any of these activities alone and that he gets help from volunteers.
Fusion Canberra appreciates the generosity of our volunteers and sponsors because without them, these activities would not be able to continue.
To read more, please click on
A Week in the life of a Youth Worker : Fri and Sat.
If you would like to help us continue the position of Schools Worker (which includes the dual roles of School Chaplain and Student Welfare Worker) next year, please consider seriously giving us a donation or becoming a regular donor.
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