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"We speak perfect teenager": Australian Salesian Past Pupil, 'Dobbo',
MELBOURNE: 5th October '04 -- Dr Michael Cargreg, Australia's leading adolescent psychologist, has nothing but words of praise for Mark Dobson, known internationally as simply 'Dobbo'. Of Dobbo's first book, 'Rise Above', Cargreg said: 'a much-needed book for teenagers in today's society; there is just nothing out there like it for them'. Dobbo has since written three more, all for the 14-21 age group - and now has launched a TV program called In8 TV to screen weekly on a Melbourne channel. It mirrors the concept of 'innate ability' that Dobbo has worked with since starting out as a 14 year-old youth leader and while still at school at St. Joseph's College, Ferntree Gully, Melbourne, conducted by the Salesians.
Dobbo's 14 further years of youth leadership read like a Who's Who of Planet Earth. He has worked and taught in many countries, always with youth, though the corporate world too has found his approach refreshing and inspiring. But as one who speaks 'perfect teenager' still, at 28 years of age, it's the youth of the world that find him most fascinating.
After five seasons at the Interlocken International Centre for Experiential Education (USA), recognised as world leader in teaching through activity, Dobbo was appointed Assistant Director there, following his success with the Leaders in Training Program. In 2001 he worked with a leadership team of four to establish New York City's first University for teenagers. Bard University in Brooklyn is at the cutting edge of education as the first fully-funded government university for teenagers. Mark's role was to create a culture without violence, with a strong focus on socialising through study: a tough task in New York City. The success of the University (according to the New York Times) is testimony to his and his team's work. In 2001, during the first week of this project, the Twin Towers fell. Mark was the head facilitator of 250 students from 38 nationalities who saw them fall just as he did.
Dobbo has worked in the remote Australian Aboriginal community of Port Keats, and has led America's largest ever internal cultural exchange program, taking 40 inner city Afro-american students for 3 weeks to a Navajo Indian Reservation. Back in Australia he founded Innate Youth, an exciting young company which works in schools to bring Australian youth the belief that they can succeed. He is also an International speaker and Coach to AFL (Aus Football League) athletes, Australian swimmers, Australian Women Cricketers. Four times a year he runs a life skills residential camping program for teenagers called Camp Aspire.
Whatever Dobbo does for young people, it is fun. As has been said of Camp Aspire: 'You've never learnt like this before. You feel you've been at a rock concernt for four days'. For more, see www.dobbo.com.au
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