Mark Stevens Speaker | Creative & PHSCE & Lifestyle & New Speakers & Assemblies and Celebrations Events & Well-being & Music & Drugs/Alcohol & Mental Health & Online Safety & Conference

Mark Stevens

“Fame. Addiction. Redemption. A story every young person needs to hear.”

Speaker | Singer-Songwriter | Founder of Sound of Change.

From television fame and a rising music career to addiction and rock bottom, and now using music and lived experience to help young people change the direction of their lives. Mark Stevens shares a powerful story of transformation that resonates deeply with young audiences.

As a teenager Mark experienced early success in the entertainment industry, performing on the iconic Australian television series Neighbours and the popular talent show Young Talent Time, alongside future stars such as Dannii Minogue and Tina Arena. His career later brought him to the UK where he performed in theatre with legendary entertainer Danny La Rue, signed a record deal with BMG/RCA, and toured nationally on Radio 1 roadshows alongside artists including Take That, Chesney Hawkes, Sonia and East 17.

But behind the scenes, Mark’s life was spiralling out of control.

During his late teens he fell into addiction and destructive choices that eventually led him to rock bottom by the age of 26. Determined to change his life, Mark began the long journey of rebuilding his future and rediscovering the power of music, not as fame or performance, but as a tool to inspire change.

Today Mark is the founder of Sound of Change, an initiative using music, storytelling and multimedia presentations to help young people develop resilience, strengthen mental wellbeing and make positive life choices. With nearly 100 high schools already visited and more than 12,000 young people having heard his presentations, Mark is having a great impact in the north of England.

As a singer-songwriter and keyboard player, Mark uniquely combines live music with honest storytelling, creating powerful experiences that connect with young people in a way traditional talks often cannot.

Impact

Through Sound of Change, Mark now works in schools and communities across the UK and collaborates with organisations including the Leeds United Foundation.

Impact to date includes:

Delivering sessions to thousands of young people across the UK
Partnerships with schools, community organisations and youth programmes
Collaborations with Leeds United Foundation and Invictus Wellbeing through The Change Project

Mark’s sessions use music, multimedia and lived experience to create engaging and memorable learning environments for students.

Key Themes and Sessions

Mark delivers interactive sessions exploring topics that young people face today, including:

The Battle for the Mind
Helping young people understand how thoughts, influences and pressures shape their decisions and mental wellbeing.
Greatness is Formed, Not Found
Encouraging young people to recognise that identity, resilience and success are built through choices, perseverance and character.
Choices, Consequences & Direction
Exploring how small decisions can shape the direction of a life.
Music, Identity & Finding Your Voice
Using music and creativity to inspire confidence, expression and hope.

Today

Mark’s mission is simple:

To help young people realise that their past does not define their future, and that every life has the potential to change direction!

Through his powerful combination of lived experience, music and storytelling, Mark delivers sessions that inspire students to think differently about their choices, their identity and their future.

Testimonials from Teachers

“Mark came into Moor End Academy to deliver a session during a personal development day, and the pupils were enthralled throughout. The level of authenticity and honesty meant that the strong and pertinent messages Mark was delivering had a level of realism that our pupils really bought into. Despite the fact that so much of the narrative was about incredibly traumatic experiences, Mark was able to deliver this in an uplifting way; the emotional intelligence and compassion displayed allowed everyone to leave the session with a feeling of optimism - that no matter the hurdles or barriers we face, we can come through the other side as better versions of ourselves. Needless to say, the musical accompaniment was fantastic. We look forward to working with Mark again in the future, so that he can share his story and message with more of our young people and staff.”

– Natasha Carman, Principal, Moor End Academy

“Relatable, inspiring and grabbed our students attention with a very powerful cautionary yet uplifting story. A universal message of hope, humility and redemption.”

– Maria Hlabangana, Belle Vue Girls Academy

“Your sessions offer a rare combination of honesty, creativity and emotional intelligence. You challenge young people to think differently, and you do it in a way that feels both safe and empowering. That’s something we deeply value, and it’s been a pleasure having you involved.”

– Luke Irwin, Head of Department – Choices | Leeds United Foundation