Port Keats Aboriginal Community

During 1995 Mark was approached to lead youth programs on the remote aboriginal community of Port Keats. The local government had decided to create youth programs to combat the on going problem of destructive behavior by teens during their school holidays. 

Mark and his team established all day and evening programs for the entire Port Keats Community. The success of this three month project came down to the speed at which the team could learn the culture and how to operate successfully in it. The team was exposed to a community littered with substance abuse, sexual abuse, domestic violence and tribal fighting. On December 27th the team was evacuated under gunfire when a tribal war broke out. They returned 4 days later to continue their work.

Navajo Indian Exchange Program

In 1997 Interlocken was employed to lead an intercultural exchange program, taking 40 inner-city underprivileged students onto a Navajo Indian reservaion for three weeks. This program was lead by an Apache Indian, Mark Dobson and Andy Taylor (ex 60 Minutes journalist.) The task was particularly difficult with the massive variance in cultures.  However it was a massive success and later both Mark and Andy were offered positions as the first directors of the now famous Seeds for Peace – international peace  camp. Both declined.  

The program was initiated and finance by the Toll family of Toll Industries in the USA.