MAKING THE MOST OF OPPORTUNITIES
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Description: MAKING THE MOST OF OPPORTUNITIES
Author: De La Salle

He’s not what you would describe as your average 21 year old. While many school leavers go directly from high school to university or the workforce, at 17, Tom was instead intrigued by the world of volunteering.

During his final year at Oakhill College in Castle Hill New South Wales, Tom was given the opportunity to travel to the remote area of Balgo Hills in Western Australia as a volunteer to run leisure activities for the local Indigenous children during the summer break.

“Volunteering in Balgo was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I was excited by the idea of experiencing a new culture. When I went to Balgo, I fell in love with the place. The kids were great and the community was so welcoming. Balgo was so amazing that I returned and worked there as a volunteer Teacher’s Aide for another three months”, Tom said.

His positive volunteer experience in Balgo left quite an impression on Tom as well as the desire to engage in more volunteer opportunities. So in 2007 when the opportunity to travel to France to work with the De La Salle Brothers in Europe was presented to Tom, he jumped at the chance.

Tom said, “Volunteering in France for 10 months is something I’ll never forget. There I worked in a secondary school which catered for children from troubled backgrounds. It was a small school with just 40 students, but they had all been previously kicked out of their schools and this in a sense was their last chance at an education.

Working alongside the Brothers, helping children who fall into the “too hard” basket, reaffirmed my desire to work with kids, especially the marginalised. Naturally, there were days when I would feel frustrated. But then unexpectedly, a kid would finally get it, or smile, or do something good and the feeling of helping that kid achieve something made all the hard work worth it”, Tom said.

Last month, Tom journeyed to Balgo for a third time to run the annual two week Summer Program. Upon his return to Sydney he plans to study psychology. 

“Whatever it is that I end up doing, I see myself working with kids, especially those who are less fortunate. I believe that everyone deserves an equal chance and if I can help make that happen then that’s a good thing”, Tom said.