<<< size="4">Hey guys, here's a bit about what I've been up to lately.

From the Certificate 4 course I have now begun my next step of training which is a Diploma in Youth and Community work. The purpose of this training is to learn how to lead a group of youth workers and volunteers, where as C4 was more about how to be an effective group member. It's a bit daunting learning how to lead workers when I haven't had a tonne of time to be one myself, but I am quite interested in being a part of the bigger picture and many communities all over the world are asking for trained community workers to support them. In the Diploma course there are about five, one month long intensive training sessions throughout an eighteen month period. Between these training sessions students are placed in established centres to get hands on training in the field.

I was looking forward to the possibility of returning to Canada for my placement but the training staff suggested another opportunity and we agreed that the state of South Australia would be a good spot for the first part of my placement. So I'm currently living in the Barossa Valley of South Australia and learning how they are connecting with people in the local area. In mid September I'll return to Tasmania for a Diploma training session and then my next placement will be negotiated after that. The Barossa Valley is a beautiful wine region similar to the Okanagan in Canada, and Fusion has been loaned a forty acre vineyard property near Tanunda where the office and living space are located. There have been a lot of challenges throughout the past six months, but thankfully God brings about exciting opportunities and great people like those here in the Barossa and I am really thankful for his generosity.