Link October 2018 Volume 27 Issue 5 | Page 52

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