Launceston man walks 24 hours to fund youth hub after own recovery
Ashley Smith, sober more than a year, walks 24 hours to raise funds for Breaking the Cycle Tassie.
Ashley Smith was homeless, in jail, and drinking in parks just years ago. He decided his life had to change.
He built Breaking the Cycle Tassie, a program keeping vulnerable young people off the streets and out of trouble. It gets no government funding.
On Friday 30 October, he walks 24 hours with friend Kane Tsesmelis. They want to raise money for a community hub in Invermay.
The hub will have fitness programs, music rooms and youth support services. Ashley Smith has already raised $3500.
He aims to double it to fit out the remaining rooms. When Tsesmelis met Smith at a crisis shelter, he knew Smith had a heart of gold.
Relapses put a strain on their friendship, but Tsesmelis later admitted he was wrong about that. Smith now works with high-risk youth, showing them his own story of change.
Why it mattersCommunity programs led by people with lived experience of homelessness and addiction reach young people that formal services often miss.
AustraliaTasmania's at-risk youth now have a locally run hub offering support from someone who has walked their same path.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 5 h ago
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