Mark - I have undergone significant growth as a person, I have developed more confidence in myself

Throughout my time with Flourish Australia as a supported employee within their community businesses, I have undergone significant growth as a person. One of the main ways I have grown is that I have developed more confidence in myself. I have also seen my colleagues at Flourish Australia’s community business at St Marys, develop greater confidence empowering them to move into mainstream employment.

I am part of a team with around four or five people. Our roles include mowing lawns, operating leaf blowers and doing the weeding in the gardens of private houses. I have also worked on the grounds of ambulance stations. Best of all, I have worked in the areas around dams like Cataract, Woronora and Nepean, which are really great spots!

Being a keen cricketer, I have played for several grade teams both in New South Wales and Western Australia. Cricket is a good way to be a part of the community. I guess you could say I am a medium pace bowler who likes to play fine-leg and mid-off in the field. I enjoy being part of a team in cricket just as much as I do working alongside my colleagues here. It has really helped me build the confidence I need.

Last season, I had a quadricep injury when I ran hard to take a second run. I just felt it go ‘pop!’ Fortunately, I have a good physiotherapist and I exercise my upper leg every day so that it is slowly on the mend. I want to show my resilience and get back to cricket next season.

I’ve been with the Rooty Hill RSL team since 2009, and this is their 60th season so I really want to play a few more seasons with them if I can.

Teams are about trust and when you come to trust people it gives you a sense of hope that you will be successful in the future. This is because you know you can rely on people to be there for you- and they can rely on you, too. Confidence is a sense of assurance that you can achieve what you aim for. It is something that grows from trust and hope.

I took my very first overseas trip in April 2024, a cruise stopping at Tauranga, Napier, Auckland and Bay of Islands in New Zealand. I got a quote from an agent, and it took me 18 months to pay it off, but it was great! Another sport I do is tenpin bowling. On the cruise, I met a mate from bowling and we are keeping in touch! Bowling has been pretty good to me because I have played interstate, including Tasmania.

I went ashore at three ports. Tauranga was beautiful! Locals showed me a walk that had spectacular views! Another great experience was being a part of the Question-and-Answer sessions. We spoke to the captain, and we learned all about how the place runs.

I have also done warehouse work in the past and that is one possibility I could pursue in the future. However, my hope is to get into open employment in retail where you are dealing with people! I know that it would be a big step, but I also know that the team at Flourish Australia have always backed me and will continue to do so on my recovery journey.