Mark has a extensive qualification, skills and experience in research and evaluation, and in producing reports and conference papers. His qualifications and skills include:
Undergraduate and post-graduate qualifications in science, health, psychology and education.
Undergraduate and post-graduate qualifications in research methods and statistics including qualifications in multivariate of analysis variance, factor analysis, survey design and linear regression.
The ability to follow a brief and work with clients and audiences to ensure needs are met.
The ability to produce educational material that is clear and easy to follow,
The use of plain English and high quality proofreading.
Experience in both the government and non-government sectors.
Experience on the both the front line (such as designing and delivering services and programs) and ‘behind the scenes’ in management.
Experience in a wide variety of education, health, police, consultancy, etc. health education, drug education, heath promotion, curriculum design, training, education and health education.
The ability to quickly build rapport with a wide variety of potential interviewees and a high conversion rate (potential to actual).
High quality public speaking skills and presentation skills.
Here are a few detailed examples of some of Mark’s achievements
Client: The legal needs of prisoners
Role: Research Officer & Interviewer.
Report: ‘Taking justice into custody: the legal needs of prisoners’, Anne Grunseit, Suzie Forell & Emily McCarron, 2008.
Client: National Centre in HIV Social Research, The University of NSW.
Role: Research Officer, Interviewer & Author.
Report: The availability and nature of hepatitis C anti-viral therapy services in NSW
Paper: Digiusto E, McPherson M, Ang, J (2007) ‘The nature of services available to patients undertaking hepatitis C anti-viral therapy in NSW’ presented at the National Hepatitis C Health Promotion Conference, Melbourne, June, 2007.
Client: National Centre in HIV Social Research, The University of NSW.
Role: Research Officer, Interviewer & Author.
Project: The nature, incidence, barriers and opportunities for treatment for hepatitis and depression for dependent drug users.
Paper: Digiusto E, McPherson M and Leist T (2006) ‘Hepatitis related prevention and treatment activity in the context of methadone treatment in NSW’, presented at the 5th Australasian Viral Hepatitis Conference, Sydney, February, 2006.
Client: City of Sydney.
Role: Consultant, Researcher & Author.
Project: A strategic approach to address alcohol problems in the City of Sydney.
Report: McPherson M (2005) ‘A preliminary report to help guide the development of the City of Sydney Drug and Alcohol Strategy’. (132 pp, 47,00 words)
Client: NSW Health.
Role: Consultant, Researcher & Author.
Project: An evaluation of an education program for parents
Report: McPherson, M (2004) ‘Evaluation of an education program for parents in drug treatment.’
Client: Australian National Council on Drugs.
Role: Consultant, Researcher & Author.
Project: ‘Harm Reduction and the Expectations on Police. Is there a dilemma?’
Journal Article in “Of Substance – the National Magazine on Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs”, McPherson M, 2004.
Client: 5th International Conference on DRUGS & YOUNG PEOPLE, Australia, 2006.
Role: Design and delivery of a presentation
Presentation: ’Using the Real Life Rehearsals role-play technique to help teenagers develop strategies and skills to resist temptations and pressures to drink’.
Client: National Local Government Drug and Alcohol Advisory Committee, 2005, Melbourne
Role: Design and delivery of a presentation
Title: ‘Thirteen suggestions for how local government can increase its contribution to The National Drug Strategy Australia’s integrated framework 2004-2009′.
Client: 16th International Conference on the Reduction of Drug Related Harm, 2005, Belfast, Ireland.
Role: Speaker & presenter.
Title: ‘The Real Life Rehearsals behaviour-rehearsal technique: an advanced role-play strategy for the skilled trainer.’
Title: ‘Recommendations for a better working relationship between Police and Health’.
Client: Australian Police Journal
Role: Author.
Article: ‘Police contribution to illicit drug harm minimisation.’ Australian Police Journal September 2004, Vol 58, No 3.
Client: Australian National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund.
Role: Consultant, researcher& author.
Report: ‘The role of police in preventing and minimising illicit drug use and its harms’ Dr Catherine Spooner, Mark McPherson, and Prof Wayne Hall
Client: New Zealand Government
Role: Researcher & Author.
Report: ‘Controls on the physical availability of alcohol. A report prepared for NZ Police in relation to a proposed alcohol-free zone’ 2003 by Spooner C, McPherson M.
Client: NSW Police and National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW.
Role: Researcher & Author:
Report: In what ways do police contribute to the prevention and management of alcohol-related problems in NSW? An overview. Spooner C, McPherson M. (NDARC Technical Report No. 123). Sydney: National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, 2001.
Client: National Winter School In The Sun (National Drug education Conference), 1991, Brisbane.
Role: Researcher, Author & Presenter.
Paper: ’10 mistakes that are causing the failure of school-based drug education’.
Client: National Drug Educators Workshop, 1990, Melbourne.
Role: Researcher, Author & Presenter.
Paper: ‘Pooling Your Wisdom – Behaviour Rehearsals made easy.’
Client: National Drug Education Seminar, 1990, Melbourne.
Role: Researcher, Author & Presenter.
Paper: ‘A model for the production of drug education programs’.
Client: World Tobacco and Health Conference, 1990, Perth.
Role: Researcher, Author & Presenter.
Paper: ‘Using quantitative and qualitative research to produce a skills-based teaching package aimed a reducing passive smoking’ presented at World Tobacco and Health Conference, 1990, Perth.
Client: Office of Public Management
Role: Researcher, Author & Presenter.
Paper: ’An evaluation of an alcohol education program’ by Mark McPherson and Martin Palin. The Office of Public Management used this project as an example of a quality evaluation project and a paper was presented at their annual conference in 1990.
Client: Drug Education Journal of Australia
Article: ‘How to give your drug education program the best chance of success: A needs assessment procedure’. McPherson, M. & Palin, M. Drug Education Journal of Australia, Vol 3, No 3, 1989.
Client: National Drug Educators Workshop, 1989, Adelaide.
Presentation 1: Conducting Behaviour Rehearsals.
Presentation 2: Getting Drunk, Getting Stoned, Getting Home Safely. Can it be done? Presented at National Drug Educators Workshop,
Client: NSW TAFE.
Article: Guiding principles for the development of drug education curricula. Wheller R, McPherson M. Sydney: NSW TAFE in-house publication series, 1988.
Client: National Drug Educator’s Workshop, 1988, Perth.
Paper: Are we wasting the taxpayer’s money? Presented at National Drug Educator’s Workshop, 1988, Perth.
Client: National Drug Educator’s Workshop, 1987, Canberra.
Paper: Guiding principles for the development of drug education curricula. Mark McPherson and Roger Wheller. National Drug Educator’s Workshop, 1987, Canberra.
Case Studies Mark’s experience producing Education Programs & Teaching Packages.