Mark Smith, winner of the Vodafone World of Difference competition
I left my job of 15 years, setting up fashion shows in Paris, London and New York for a job in my home county of Meath because . . .through the World of Difference programme I got the opportunity to work for a year with my chosen charity. I was project arts officer with Navan Resource Centre and RehabCare.
I thought I'd messed up the World of Difference interview when . . .I spilled a bottle of water on one of the judges, Ray D'Arcy, but luckily it didn't go against me.
Working in the fashion industry . . .was frenetic. I've a background in graphic design but because I was working with small labels I got pulled into everything, from lighting to music to photography.
I love working in fashion but the main thing I miss about Paris is . . .decent crème brûlée.
Working on arts projects with people who have disabilities . . .is a complete eye opener. You walk into a room and the warmth is almost overwhelming – people wanting to tell you their stories and make a connection, there is no falseness or hidden agendas. Over the year I've worked with people who are blind or have learning difficulties or Acquired Brain Injury and that warmth has been a common thread.
I don't know why art seems to be a key to unlock certain people . . .but it definitely is. There was one service user who was very withdrawn but who really opened up when we started a project that was painting the four seasons on the walls of a relaxation room. On the first day, he disappeared for hours to paint a robin on a tree but it was hidden away behind a door. After two weeks he had done a fox on some ferns and it was the first thing you saw when you walked into the room. He hadn't talked much in seven years but now he was telling staff all about it. That was really satisfying.
Community arts is not . . .just about making puppets and papier-mâché. I think the work we've done has shown people that it can compete with any other art.
One of my favourite projects . . .was creating giant kites which we flew over the hill of Tara (above). There was one participant who had a dislocated shoulder but it didn't stop him. He kept falling down and getting up again. It brought out the kid in him.
I still get calls . . .from my colleagues in fashion. Even though my World of Difference year is over I will continue doing what I am doing and have no plans to go back to fashion full-time. There is one designer friend, Sharon Wauchob (creative director for Ali Hewson's fashion label Edun), who I'd like to help out with shows in the future.
I think the death of the Celtic Tiger . . .has been good for community groups and given them more of a voice than they had before.
People should enter the World of Difference 2011 because . . .it's a way to do meaningful work and make a positive difference in your community. It's been a brilliant year.
For more information on Vodafone’s World of Difference programme, visit vodafone.ie/foundation/world-of-difference/. The closing date for applications is September 10th
In conversation with Roisin Ingle
