Mark Bernhardt joined Origin\u2019s Health, Safety and Environment team in 2012 and before long started participating in the Origin Energy Foundation\u2019s volunteering program. \u201cMy manager encouraged me to get involved because volunteering was something I was pretty passionate about,\u201d said Mark. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n“If you had told me when I left school in year 10, that I\u2019d have a degree under my belt and be in a pretty responsible position, I would never have believed you and that\u2019s one of the messages that I try to communicate to the kids that I mentor” <\/p>\n Mark Bernhardt, Origin employee <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
Mark participated in several volunteering opportunities, but\nit was the Beacon Foundation\u2019s \u2018MyRoad\u2019 program where he really felt he could\nmake a difference. The program provides young people in school, often\ndisengaged and in disadvantaged areas, the opportunity to connect with\nvolunteer mentors from different areas and learn about the world of work and\npotential career paths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf you had told me when I left school in year 10, that I\u2019d\nhave a degree under my belt and be in a pretty responsible position, I would\nnever have believed you and that\u2019s one of the messages that I try to\ncommunicate to the kids that I mentor,\u201d said Mark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After participating in a session with Mark, one student\nremarked, \u201cThe most important thing I learnt from my mentor was to persevere\nand to maintain hope and focus when entering the workforce or doing anything in\nlife.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mark has volunteered nearly 80 hours with the MyRoad online\nmentoring program, reaching more than 150 students across 28 schools. To help prepare,\nhe completed several training courses, including a course for specialist\nmentoring at the Goodooga Central School, where 94 per cent of the students\nidentify as Aboriginal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n“The most important thing I learnt from my mentor was to persevere and to maintain hope and focus when entering the workforce or doing anything in life. “<\/p>\nMyRoad program student<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy job is pretty\nserious; the volunteering gives some balance and variety. It\u2019s a really good\nfeeling to know that you are potentially making a difference to a kid that may\notherwise not have the opportunity to speak to someone about a future career.\nIt\u2019s hard to put words around the value that brings,\u201d Mark said. \u201cEven if they\u2019ve\njust taken one thing away from the session that helps them to be more\nsuccessful when they leave school, I feel like I have made a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n