employment
PERFECT
MATCH
Mat MacKenzie’s life was turned upside down in 2011 when
the then 26-year-old was diagnosed with Left Occipital
Ganglioglioma – a rare benign tumour on his brain.
H
e underwent surgery to
paced manner.
“He enrolled in a Certificate IV in
Mental Health and Alcohol and Other
Drugs as he wanted to move into
reduce the tumour but had when I’m not having a great day or an area where he was able to help
difficulty with short and long- when something isn’t going great people and had a goal of becoming a
term memory and concentration. He in my life. I didn’t want to lose that youth worker,” she said.
also had seizures, which could take connection,” said Mat.
days to recover from. Around the
He now continues to attend the
Mat is now seeing another
employment consultant at the site.
same time, his mother suffered two East Geelong branch as a voluntary And it’s already clear there’s another
strokes and became a wheelchair user. client, despite having moved out of fruitful relationship in the works.
In June 2015, Mat (pictured
above) started seeing employment
the area.
MatchWorks first assisted Mat into
“The whole office is quite
welcoming. They all give you a smile
consultant Kirra Beckley at hospitality employment, however and a wave. I just feel good coming
MatchWorks East Geelong. after three months the night-time here,” Mat said.
Kirra said that, while Mat had done a hours took a toll on his health and his Mat continues to actively job
great job caring for his mother, his own GP advised that this was no longer an search and hopes to fulfil his dream
health had been put on hold. As they option for him. He was placed on a of being a youth worker.
helped arrange an NDIS care plan for Disability Support Pension.
Mat’s mother, he was soon able to focus
more on himself and his own goals.
52
“Kirra can tell by looking at me
that allowed him to work in a self-
employment
Kirra said that, given Mat’s
health, he would need a suitable job
MatchWorks is a division of genU
Karingal St Laurence.
www.matchworks.com.au
linkonline.com.au