Relocation & Expat Coach

Change - Community Outreach!

The regular blog followers will be aware that Mark Wilson - a 19-year old student from Canterbury Christchurch University has been developing the   programme.  Since launching this programme in 2009, Mark has now set Change up as a Charity.  To do this Marks has been working with the Charity Commission in the UK.  To read more about the current programme Download 2010 E-PROGRAM DOCUMENT.

Dreams do come true!

Over the past few weeks I've seen dreams come true:

• Mark Wilson has now set up his own charity! 
  After a period of research, excitements and challenges, Mark has now received his first donation into the charity!  This period for Mark has been a journey of experiences, learnings, and achievements!
• Allan Cameron has published his book - Emma! 
  As Allan says 'On a Sunday morning, sometime in 1972, I sat down at my desk in the prep hall ...'.  After after a life of learnings and experiences, Allan has realised his dream by seeing his own creativity captured in a book that has been publshed!
• Audrey Mbuyazi has now recorded her first album! 
  As Audrey says 'For many years, this Zimbabwean-born singer-songwriter, now resident in South Africa, has yearned to record an original album.  Now, Audrey is seeing her dream become a reality ...'  Audrey is preparing for her concert at Pirates in Greenside today.
• Maxine Harrison has again been recognised by Condé Nast Traveler as one of the world's Top Villa Specialists.  
  Maxine originally received this award in 2006 and every year since.  To achieve this award Maxine not only sources some of the worlds most interesting villas, she also vists them all, and provides a personal service that sees her clients return year after year.  After 20+ years in this industry, Maxine is still one of the specialists who has a passion for travel and providing a personal service to allow people to achieve their own dreams ...  

'To accomplish great things,
we must not only act, but also dream;
not only plan, but also believe.'
Anatole France

We have all had dreams, and you will know from following my story on this blog, that my dreams are coming true!  Yes we are one step closer to making our move ... but more on that later.  Today it's about others achievements and your dreams.

I've met the four people I've seen achieve their dreams ....  For each of them it hasn't been an easy path to achievement and yes they still have steps to take.  As they have trod the path of their dreams, step-by-step there have been challenges, great learnings, little dreams have been achieved, milestone reached, but for each the dream has stayed alive as they've taken each step to achieve it.  Mark I met through my membership to the Rotary Club of Ashford, EarlyBirds (UK); Allan is a school friend from my days at boarding school in South Africa, Audrey I met in the UK through my IT career as we were both trained as Oracle 'consultants'; and Maxine I met in the UK at a networking event when a friend introduced us as we had the same country of birth!  Who do you know that's achieved their dream?

As Anais Nin says 'Dreams are necessary to life.'  We all dream ... we've all had dreams.  Take a few moments now and capture your own dreams ... if you had no responsibilites in life what would you really like to be doing now?  If there were no restrictions where would you be living?  What are you dreams?

Dreams pass into the reality of action.
From the actions stems the dream again;
and this interdependence produces
the highest form of living.
Anais Nin

 Ask yourself, 'how important are these dreams to me?'  'What will happen if I do not live my dreams?'  'What will happen if I do live my dreams?'

How would it feel if you were to convert your dreams/aspirations to achievable goals?
How would you feel to achieve your dreams/aspirations? 

Take this opportunity to work with someone who will not judge the reasons you want to make your move, who will not guide you down a specific path, who will motivate you to make the right decision!  You have this opportunity to work with a qualified and accredited coach who has done it!  Sign up to coaching with Barbara on http://nyasa.coachinginteractive.com - select 'click here for a free session - My Life' or email her to talk about converting your dreams to reality!

Find Barbara's biog on http://www.internationalcoachinginstitute.org/coach_referral_service/display_detail.php?trf=91

Press Release - Making a “Change” with Royal Encouragement

For the last several months a 19 year-old student from Ashford has been developing a HIV/AIDS Education and Community development program to work with villagers in Africa.  Mark Wilson was inspired to develop “Change” – ‘Community Outreach’ after he returned from a working holiday in Kenya earlier this year (2009).  An Education Studies degree student at Canterbury Christchurch University, Mark has been advised by Barbara Dalpra, the founder of The Nyasa Partnership Ltd and esteemed South African based HIV/AIDS Academic Dr Allister Butler.

The program which works directly with underserved and hard-to-reach populations, organises events and activities that unite communities. Running workshops in schools that increase awareness, understanding and support of certain important issues like HIV/AIDS. Split into two initiatives. Firstly, “Change”- ‘HIV/AIDS Education’ works to reduce the discrimination associated with the illness by increasing awareness and guidance through education in schools. Secondly, “Change” – ‘Reaching Out’ aims to celebrate life, enhance the power of positive thinking and action, and to encourage communities to think of themselves as strong worthy individuals.

Mark is planning to travel to potential communities where the program could deploy in early 2010 soon; he said "I will meet with local and religious leaders, villagers, schools and local AID services to discuss the program further.  This will give me and our team an insight into what changes are needed to the program before it is piloted."

Rotary International - a humanitarian service organisation with 1.2 million members in 33,000 clubs worldwide.  During 2006-2008, Mark served as President of the Interact Club of Ashford North (school).  Since 2006 Mark has spoken at many conferences and written frequently for the RI publications.  He has recently agreed to re-write for their national magazine and international online news feed, which is to be published later this year. 

The outreach program which has received letters of support and encouragement from the likes of HRH Prince Harry and his charity ‘Sentebale’, Nic Careem, creator of the Nelson Mandela Global Tribute and former Prime Minister Tony Blair is funded solely as an international development initiative.

If you are interested in having contact with the organisation or maybe willing to collaborate with the program feel free to email “Change” at mark@markswilson.com or find out more information at http://www.markswilson.com.

Change - Community Outreach

Mark Wilson - a 19 year-old student from Canterbury Christchurch University - has been developng the   programme.  It's a programme designed to work with villagers in Africa which Mark was inspired to develop after his experiences of a working holiday in Kenya earlier in 2009. 

Mark's experiences started in 2006 when he was elected President of The Interact Club of Ashford North - a Rotary International programme.   Over the years since his election Mark has presented at a number of RI conferences, written articles for many publications and newspapers, and has, since starting to develop the Change programme received letters of support and enouragement from HRH Prince Harry and his charity ‘Sentebale’, Nic Careem, creator of the Nelson Mandela Global Tribute, and former Prime Minister Tony Blair. 

Community Outreach programmes like 'Change' work directly with communities - these include underserved and hard-to-reach populations.  Change organises events and activies that unite  communiities to increase the awareness , understanding, and support of  important issues.  In this programme, Mark is supported by Dr Allister Butler and myself. 

Read more about how Mark's experiences led him to start this programme, and find out more information about the actual programme -  Download Change The Program Document - Community Outreach.  To keep up-to-date with the information about the programme, subscribe to Mark's blog or to this page.

Want to make a success of your goals?

Take this opportunity to work with someone who will not judge the reasons you want to make your move, who will not guide you down a specific path, who will motivate you to make the right decision!  You have this opportunity to work with a qualified and accredited coach who has done it!  Sign up to coaching with Barbara on http://nyasa.coachinginteractive.com - select 'click here for a free session - My Life'.