Student on a mission

Media coverage - Fairfield City Champion, 8 November 2011

Caroline Esho, a Drug and Alcohol Community Development Worker at Mission Australia’s South West Youth Services (SWYS), is one of 35 young medical students from across Australia to attend the eighth Australian and New Zealand Adolescent Health Conference and the third International Association for Adult Health Asia Pacific Congress being in Sydney this week.

The Champion reported that medicine for the masses and inoculating education are the passions behind Caroline’s success.

The 24-year-old is completing her studies through the American Oceania University of Medicine while working for our SWYS service. SWYS comprises 12 individual programs that provide training and education for young people and work with youth who are exiting detention.

Ms Esho said she developed an interest in public health since discussing medical issues with many young people. "So many young people have the wrong information or no information about drugs, alcohol and sexual health, and strong public health campaigns can reach more people than one-on-one consultations," she told The Fairfield City Champion.

"And it's not that the schools aren't teaching them. The students just aren't engaging or don't feel comfortable talking about these issues with teachers or parents.  "Studying medicine through the American system has allowed me to focus a bit more on public health and the benefits of developing engaging and effective public health campaigns."

This week she is building on her Mission Australia experience with young people at the conference through workshops, presentations and panel discussions.