Meet one of our newest NotEvenOnce presenters

As the demand for Teen Challenge’s Not Even Once program in schools increases, we have been training up new presenters. After training, new presenters are given the opportunity to test their new skills under the guidance of Teen Challenge director Tanya Cavanagh. One of the latest recruits is Ifeoma Obi. We caught up with her to find out more about her motivation for the role, and what else populates her day-to-day life.

Ifeoma Obi

NotEvenOnce presenter

How did you find out about Teen Challenge and the Not Even Once program?

Tanya gave a presentation at my church last year and something resonated with me, but I was in the middle of my PhD, so I did not follow it up. When Tanya presented again this year, I had just handed in my thesis, so I decided to get involved as I thought the time was right for me.

Do you have any experience with young people?

Back home in Nigeria, while at university, I was part of a Christian group that reached out to young people in cult groups and who engaged in other vices such as prostitution and drugs. We found that some of the young people adopted such lifestyles due to peer pressure. Many were not happy about their lifestyles but due to the threat of violence and other issues, it was hard for them to get out. We used the gospel to encourage them and support them to leave.

What motivated you to join Teen Challenge?

I have a passion for young people who are losing their way in life by reason of drugs or wrong decisions that can take them off course.

Tell us some more about yourself.

I moved here three years ago to commence my PhD at the Australian Maritime College, UTAS. My PhD thesis is on maritime liens, a legal and commercial aspect of shipping. I’m here with my husband and six-year-old son, and we love Tasmania. I see myself staying here.

What do you do to unwind?

I love cooking. When I cook, it relieves my tension, so that is one of the main ways I unwind. I also practice karate with my husband, who is a third dan black belt. I am a purple belt, working my way up.

How have you found the NotEvenOnce training and presentations so far?

The training starts with the basics, a bird's eye view of Teen Challenge, its background and why we focus on what we are focusing on. Teen Challenge works with people who are already addicted to drugs, and from that we see how hard it is to come out of drug use unscathed. So, we want to prevent drug use in the first place and provide the truth to young people as early as possible.

From the few presentations I have been part of, you can see the impact of all the information on the young people. Many of them are surprised at the impact that alcohol and other drugs have on their brain and health. This is information that is not readily available except when you search for it, and it is contrary to what they get from the media, the ads, which tell them it’s cool.

We cannot force them to make the right choices, but at least we try to arm them with the right information to help them make informed decisions about their life and future. It is all about creating awareness and giving them the tools to build resilience.

Regarding my experience as a presenter, it has been quite interesting, though I feel a bit nervous when presenting because I do not feel I am an expert on the subject matter yet. I do some casual lecturing at the university and it is easier to teach adults; you lecture, wrap up and tell them to go study. But teaching teenagers is a different ball game! 

What would you say to someone thinking about volunteering with Teen Challenge?

If you are passionate about helping young people, Teen Challenge is a great platform to do that. It gives a sense of fulfilment and achievement when you see the impact of the work they do. The environment is friendly and the people are like family. So, I encourage anyone that wants to join TCT to do so.