This was deemed an important move in the Press Service International (PSI) New Zealand young writer project which is now in its third year. This project now requires some further consolidation as these young writers have published a monthly article to Christian Today.
The Basil Sellers Young Writer awards last year determined by seven International Panellists selected four of the New Zealand young writers as winners. It was these four that were requested by me to establish this leadership group.
Daniel Jang – Wellington
Sam Burrows - Auckland
Casey Murray – Auckland
Sophia Sinclair – Christchurch
These four New Zealand 2013 young writer winners have fascinating backgrounds. Daniel Jang is an IT consultant and football enthusiast; Sam Burrows has been an Auckland youth pastor and recording artist and is now back teaching; Casey Murray is in corporate marketing; and Sophia Sinclair is the editor of New Zealand's CMS magazine.
NZ young writer Brad Mills speaking with Dr Mark Tronson
Brad Mills and Jeremy Suisted were coopted. Brad is with Rhema Media in Auckland who assisted in the distribution of air-fare scholarships for this conference. Jeremy Suisted from Cambridge Hamilton recently earned a $12,000 scholarship for his Hon. degree.
John Grocott the statistician for the annual Basil Sellers Young Writers Awards was in attendance and taking photographs of the proceedings as was Tony Dunkerley. Tony Dunkerley whose speciality is mentoring sponsored the dinner. Tony is a former assistant coach Australian Joey's Soccer, President Football Victoria, Commissioner for Junior Football, Under 21 Victorian Coach / Under age Australian / Victorian Teams.
NZ young writer Daniel Jang presented a Socceroos scarf by Tony Dunkerley
Tony has been on many of Well-Being Australia's Country Town Tour ministry trips to regional and rural Australia. A UK Multi-National Corporate Australian Managing Director, the Peter Pan grand-dad (Pa), this most spritely 70 year old spoke at the Melbourne young writer awards conference last September and again in Wellington at this New Zealand conference.
Fresh ideas
An interactive IT linking presences for each young writer was the major consensus idea from discussions. The brain storming centred around a situation whereby,
(1) Mechanisms whereby New Zealand young writers can better promote the collective and the individual Christian Today articles to their web presence on the Press Service International (PSI) site.
(2) A long term strategy for the New Zealand young writer program.
Tash McGill
Sam Burrows presented this on the Saturday morning at the New Zealand young writer conference where an extensive discussion took place and Tash McGill put up her hand to further develop such an interactive site.
In line with all this was an emphasis that other New Zealand Christian Media be encouraged to republish this young writer Gen Y material with appropriate acknowledgements to Christian Today.
New Zealand link-person
One issue raised during the New Zealand young writer Leadership Group dinner was any form of an on-going link person within the PSI New Zealand young writer team to the parent ministry, Well-Being Australia.
This question was much welcomed as only 10 days previously the Well-Being Australia national board had met and Russell Modlin who represents the young writers asked a very similar long term question, but relating to the wider picture.
Casey Murray
Out of that discussion the existing protocol was again reiterated with some additional data – the first was finding coordinators for both Weeks 1 and 5 of the young writer program (Russell Modlin co-ordinates Week 2, Laura Veloso Week 3 and Natalie Chu Week 4) and that New Zealand's Casey Murray had been ear-marked for such a "link role" into the future for which had been accepted.
Casey Murray has been invited to be one of the speakers at the 2014 Australian / New Zealand Basil Sellers Awards conference on the Gold Coast in September.
Dr Mark Tronson is a Baptist minister (retired) who served as the Australian cricket team chaplain for 17 years (2000 ret) and established Life After Cricket in 2001. He was recognised by the Olympic Ministry Medal in 2009 presented by Carl Lewis Olympian of the Century. He mentors young writers and has written 24 books, and enjoys writing. He is married to Delma, with four adult children and grand-children.
Mark Tronson's archive of articles can be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/mark-tronson.html