Hugo’s* early life was marked by hardship, but today, he transforms that pain into purpose—changing the lives of young people who walk a path he knows all too well.
“My childhood wasn’t easy,” Hugo reflects. “But I’ve learned to use my past as fuel to help others find their way.”
Hugo grew up in a home overshadowed by violence and addiction. His mother struggled with alcoholism and when Hugo was still very young, he and his sister fled with their father. But their escape didn’t lead to stability. His father’s long criminal record made it nearly impossible to build a secure life. At times, they were homeless.
“I remember one night, we had nowhere to go,” Hugo recalls. “We ended up sleeping in someone’s laundry. It was cold and we just huddled together – me, my sister, and Dad – trying to stay warm.”
Despite the chaos, Hugo never stopped loving his parents. “They were broken in their own ways,” he says. “But they were still my mum and dad.”
Just as he began to reconnect with his mother, tragedy struck – she passed away suddenly. The loss sent Hugo, then a teenager, into a downward spiral. He began drinking, staying out late and getting into trouble with the law.
“I was angry, lost and hurting,” he admits. “But the day I saw how much pain I was causing my family – that was the turning point. I knew I had to change.”
Hugo found that change at Dunlea, an alcohol and other drugs (AOD) counselling program run by Youth Off The Streets.
“The moment I walked through those doors, I felt something shift,” he says. “I had felt like I was failing at life. Youth Off The Streets helped me change my life for the better.”
With the support of AOD counsellors, youth workers and teachers, Hugo completed his HSC and participated in programs that helped him rebuild his confidence and character.
Through it all, one realisation stood out:
“I knew I wanted to give back. I wanted to be the person I needed when I was younger.”
Following his graduation and certification, Hugo became one of Youth Off The Streets’ most dedicated and beloved youth workers, a testament to how our organisation’s wraparound support can change the course of young people’s lives. Furthermore, his lived experience gave him a unique ability to connect with young people facing similar struggles.
“When I sit down with a kid who’s hurting, I can say, ‘I’ve been there. I get it.’ And that makes all the difference.”
*Name/s and images have been changed to protect the privacy of the young person.
