By CASEY NEILL
SOCCER is bringing young migrants together in Dandenong each Friday night.
The City of Greater Dandenong’s youth services team runs a friendly competition for 12 to 25-year-olds from different nationalities at the Pop-Up Park from 4pm to 7pm.
Matter Machar runs the sessions.
He was born in war-torn Southern Sudan and spent time in Ethiopia and Kenya before coming to Australia in 2002 on a scholarship.
He completed a Bachelor of Applied Science (Fisheries) in Tasmania before moving to Melbourne in 2005.
When Mr Machar found it difficult to find a job, he began volunteering with the City of Greater Dandenong’s youth services.
“I thought working with young people would be a good thing to get into,” he said.
He was offered a traineeship in youth work and protective care through LINK Employment and Training.
He was named Apprentice of the Year at the 2008 Australian Training Awards in Darwin after picking up the Victorian award, for the hard work and devotion he showed to his training.
Mr Machar also won the 2009 Greater Dandenong Chamber of Commerce Youth Enterprise Award.
He’s worked full-time for the City of Greater Dandenong youth services team since 2008.
He believes that his Sudanese background helps him to work with Dandenong’s youths.
“I think that because Dandenong is so multicultural, being Sudanese helps the kids relate to me and what I have gone through,” Mr Machar said.
“I want to work as a teacher, in vocational training – I just want to help people.
“I hope that in the future I can help Third World countries and their people get back on track.”
