From Despair to Hope
Andrew's Journey of Transformation
As a Freedom Builder you can support people like Andrew all the way through, supporting them to break free from addiction and live life in all its fullness.
Andrew Hawker
Since I've been involved with Street Connect my life has just changed so much - dramatically!
Andrew’s life was once full of pain. He started using drugs when he was just a boy. For over 20 years addiction controlled everything – it led him to prison, to poverty and to a deep sense of hopelessness. He felt completely lost.
Then in 2018, Andrew connected with Street Connect – and that’s when things began to change. He finally found real support: steady, genuine and full of compassion. People believed in him and slowly he began to believe in himself too. Through counselling and rehab, Andrew began to heal. It wasn’t easy but he kept going.
By 2021, he got an internship with Oxygen Projects. In 2023, he earned an NVQ3 in Health & Social Care. That was a huge milestone!
Today, Andrew works as a Senior Support Worker, walking alongside people facing the same struggles he once knew so well. His life is now full of purpose and hope. And there’s more joy still – He got married and he and his wife have a beautiful wee girl.
But when he first came to us, he felt life wasn’t worth living:
"I’m 35 and I’ve been using drugs since the age of 11, he told us. My dad was into drugs. While growing up I had lost touch with my dad for many years but as a young teenager I met up with him again and both me and my brother ended up using heroin with him. That was the first time we had tried it. I became a drug addict, living life for the drugs every day, in and out of prison. I lived in what was like a third world country to me, in poverty and addiction. I shared a flat with my brother and it was a nightmare as we were both in addiction."
It takes time for people to feel comfortable enough to ask for help. Andrew’s brother and lots of his friends were coming along to our Possil drop-in, so Andrew ended up hanging around there.
"One day in 2018 a support worker asked if I wanted to come in and get a cup of tea. It’s given me people who understand, who’ve had the same life I’m going through."
Over a few months, we talked through Andrew’s situation and provided 1-2-1 counselling to help him get ready for Teen Challenge’s residential rehab centre.
“Street Connect have been brilliant with me and I’ve been given the support I’ve needed to reduce my methadone [intake] and get prepared for rehab.”
Andrew made it to rehab but only managed to stay for 6 months; and when he came back to Glasgow, he ended up in a a homeless hostel. He really struggled there, but we had room in our move-on flats and Aftercare programme and welcomed him in. He stayed with us for 7 months and made strong progress – so much so, that we could refer him on to start the internship with Oxygen Projects mentioned above.
“I feel alive again – my life’s totally changed. I’m on fire – it’s brilliant.”
It took Andrew 3 years to be ready to move on to his internship. We are there for people, praying for them and supporting them throughout their recovery journey. What about you?
Can you stand with people like Andrew?
become a Freedom Builder
As we bring hope and transformation to people struggling with addiction across the UK, monthly giving is essential. Your support allows Street Connect to hold out a lifeline to people trapped in addiction.
Your investment helps us to work alongside our church partners to provide the street outreach and welcoming, non-judgmental drop-in cafes we run so we can meet new people in need AND it helps us provide the one-to one support, recovery groups, referrals to rehab and aftercare with life & job skills training that people need to help them recover.
Would you like to become a Freedom Builder?
Join in with monthly giving and help us build freedom today.
Together, we can pave the way to freedom and rebuild lives.
Your monthly giving makes a real difference
You help people who’ve chosen to trust us as they begin their journey of recovery. With God’s strength they are finding hope again.
The love and care we show often opens hearts to the Lord – it’s a gentle, powerful thing.
Please believe with us that recovery is possible. A new life is waiting for those who feel lost and broken.
Join us. Let’s walk this road together – with compassion, faith and hope – and help bring real change to our communities.
