Importing Oxygen from around the world! posted 08 05 06

Kingston Borough is placing host to an international team of youthworkers at present as Christian youthwork project Oxygen has recently welcomed five young people from five different countries and three continents to work with it projects amongst young people of the area.

Of the ten people working as full time volunteers with Oxygen at present over half were born outside the UK. They come from as far away as Australia and Uganda, but all of them have come to Kingston to work and make a difference to young people in Kingston Borough.

Through bringing together people of different cultures the international Oxygen team hope to bring an awareness and appreciation of the diversity and unity that young people share no matter what country that they are from.

More on international Oxygen

Wouter van Der Laan comes from Driebergen, Utrecht in the Netherlands and is coming to the UK to learn more about British youthwork as well as improve his English and understanding of British Culture. During his time with Oxygen, Wouter will be helping with a range of projects, including work on the Kingsnympton Estate and at the Green Fayre.

Sam Irwin, from Newcastle (near Sydney), Australia and will be spending four months working with Oxygen, in particular with projects that use music and film and those that happen on the Kingsnympton Estate. Sam is coming to the UK to gain a perspective on church and youthwork from a different culture, hoping to take ideas back with him to Australia when he goes.

Hye Mi Lee is Oxygen’s newest Korean worker who arrived in the UK just six months ago Hye Mi enjoys meeting with people and working with computers. During her time with Oxygen she will take on the work already started with Korean young people in the New Malden area.

Grace Aciro from Northern Uganda started with Oxygen in September 2005 after being introduced by a friend of her family and Oxygen supporter, Dick Waller. Grace has spent the last nine months working with young people from lots of different backgrounds in a partnership between St Peters Norbiton and Oxygen. Grace returns to Uganda in July with three of Oxygen’s other workers Nadine, Adam and Laura (See enclosed flyer) to undertake some youthwork back in her hometown.

Oxygen’s Kingsnympton Estate worker, Nadine Kreter was born in Austria before moving to the UK as a child. Since joining the Oxygen team in January 2006 Nadine has worked on the Kingsnympton Estate especially using her skills in art.

Introduction to Oxygen

Oxygen, Kingston YFC was established in 2001 by 20 churches across Kingston Borough who came together with the support of the local youth service and other youth work providers to establish a much needed work that aimed to serve and build relationships with its young people.

Posted by @ 12:24 8th May 2006