About Youth Leadership Week
In 2007 a number of state youth denominational Coordinators met with Scripture Union SA to discuss the possibility of starting a focused camp for emerging young leaders accessible to every denomination and Christian school. In 2008 the first YLW kicked off. Youth Leadership Week is now in its 7th year and has expanded its focus to include training for post-high school leadership. The core team all are involved in camp to coach on-camp mentors, as they mentor the emerging leaders in their cohort. See the 'Mentors' page for more info. This year's core team includes:
Hamilton McNicol
State Youth Projects Coordinator
'Wired Youth' Scripture Union SA
Hamilton led the youth group at Holy Trinity Church, Adelaide from 1998-2001. Since then, he has taught in England and Australia, completed a Bachelor of Theology, and worked with young people at risk in Romania and Australia. Hamilton has been the State Youth Projects Coordinator at Scripture Union SA since January, 2010.
Fiona Weckert
Children, Youth & Family Ministry Dep. Lutheran Church Australia
Fiona has worked in youth ministry for over 13 years, both in SA and QLD, spending time as a youth worker, a high school chaplain, and a Year in the Son Coordinator. During that time she gained a Masters of Counselling, a Cert IV in Training and Assessment and a Diploma of Management. Fiona has been working as the Director of Blueprint Ministries ) since October 2010.
Mike Stevens
State Youth and Young Adults Facilitator - Baptist Churches SA
Mike began his career as a High school teacher and taught at Kings grammar Baptist and in London. Mike has been involved in youth ministry at Clovercrest and Golden Grove Baptist churches, and more recently Crossway Baptist Church in Melbourne as the Lead Youth Pastor. In July 2014, Mike returned to Adelaide to take up the position of State Youth and Young Adults Facilitator.
Sam Chan
Pioneering Australian Born Asian Ministry - Red SA
Sam’s main passion is to minister to the growing Australian Born Asian (ABA) people group and point them to Jesus. He does this by supporting Asian churches to grow their ABA ministries. He has also worked across the youth work sector from at risk homeless youth, guardianship of the minister kids, indigenous youth and those who are high achievers.
James Bowden
State Youth Minister
Churches of Christ in SA & NT
James is the Adelaide born and bred State Youth Minister for Churches of Christ in SA. He is studying toward his masters degree and for a living gets to support youth ministers and leaders, organise youth camps and events and get alongside churches as they engage with youth in their community.
Mike Wardrop
Intergenerational Discipleship Development - Uniting Church SA
Mike has recently started in his role overseeing intergenerational discple-ship across SA for the Uniting Church. Prior to this he was the Youth & Young Adults Pastor at Journey Uniting Church. Mike is passionate about seeing people find their identitiy in Christ and grow and thrive in that relationship.
Matt Gray
Spiritual Formation
Tabor College SA
Matt lectures in church history at Tabor and is passionate about leadership development in the church. He also loves to help the right people to take that next level of tertiary study to equip them for being passionate, wise, and faithful leaders in the church.
Sandra Scott
State Exexcutive Officer
Christian Schools Australia
Having previously worked in Christian schooling, Sandra is now the State Executive Officer for Christian Schools Australia. In this role Sandra supports and resources Christian schools to keep faith and Jesus at the centre of all their education.
Peter Eckerman
SA Coorindator
Veta Youth
Peter currently oversees the highly successful Vetamorphus program in South Australia. Peter has been involved with youth work for decades and his passion for leadership development and discipleship hasn't diminished a fraction.