Who we are

Lend a hand to Hugo is a Tasmanian based, registered not-for-profit organisation, creating and advocating inclusive environments for people of all abilities. We work to ease the mental and financial strains having a child with a disability can place on families. Lend a hand to Hugo raises funds to purchase educational aids and programs for children affected by Autism and assists families through subsidising the cost of their child’s therapy. Lend a hand to Hugo’s funding scheme aims to bridge the gaps in funding for families experiencing financial strains.

 

As a charity, Lend a hand to Hugo asserts three key messages.

• The Importance of acceptance and inclusion.

• That everyone is different, and that different is okay.

• To enable, not label people with disabilities, or as we like to say – people with different abilities.

 

Charity objective
To ease the mental and financial strains disability can place on a family, to create inclusive environments and educate people on the importance of acceptance and inclusion.

 

Our story

In 2014, 14 year old student Luke Williams Founded Lend a hand to Hugo following the diagnosis of his nephew, Hugo, with autism. Autism specialists advised Hugo would need 20 hours of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) therapy per week in order to see any significant change in his speech, communication and relationship building.

 

Due to the high costs of the therapy, Hugo’s family were only able to provide eight hours of therapy per week. With minimal subsidies available for Hugo’s required therapy, the initial objective of Lend a hand to Hugo was to raise funds to assist Hugo’s family to be able to increase the number of hours of therapy they could afford. In doing so, Lend a Hand to Hugo also raised awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorder, which affects one in every 100 individuals.

 

Using sport a vehicle, Lend a Hand to Hugo began to generate significant community and media attention. Before too long the charity was able to branch out and assist additional families around Tasmania.

 

Since assisting our first additional family in early 2016, Lend a hand to Hugo has been able to financial benefit thirteen separate families, as well as twenty additional families through our All Abilities Cricket Program.

 

The charity has also worked to better the mental wellbeing of the wider Tasmanian community by promoting messages of inclusiveness, acceptance and understanding.

 

Fundraising

Since Lend a Hand to Hugo’s establishment in 2014, the charity has raised over $40,000, with just $2,000 of that total coming from corporate sponsorships or donations.

 

The charities hard working volunteers have facilitated events, installed donation boxes throughout stalls and café’s in southern Tasmania and sold merchandise which has allowed the charity to financial aid thirteen seperate families. Lend a Hand to Hugo would not be where is it today without the generosity of the public.

 

Sport as a vehicle for change

Through primarily driving our messages through different sports, Lend a hand to Hugo has been lucky enough to gain the support of many Tasmanian and Australian athletes, with some volunteering as Lend a Hand to Hugo ambassadors.

 

We have selected figures such as Ben Brown (North Melbourne Kangaroos), Grant Birchall (Hawthorn Hawks), Mackenzie Willis (Gold Coast Suns), Georgia Redmayne (Tasmanian Roar and Hobart Hurricanes) and Tom Rogers (Tasmanian Tigers and Hobart Hurricanes) to be the sporting leaders of our campaign.

 

Our ambassadors embody the inclusive key values of our charity and promote the message that it is okay to be different. We have also initiated an ambassador program through the Cricket Tasmania Premier League, where several ambassadors from each club both demonstrate and educate the Lend a hand to Hugo values. The objective of our ambassador program is to grow acceptance, but also ensure that people with disabilities and other struggles are treated equally in society.

 

The charity has also successfully run three Lend a hand to Hugo All Star Bash cricket matches, bringing together some of Tasmania’s greatest cricketers, to play a match of Twenty-20 cricket at the TCA ground, in order to further spread the message and raise funds.

 

In 2017, Lend a hand to Hugo have been proud to launch our ‘MILO in2CRICKET All Abilities Cricket Program’ where children with a disability or other social/motor difficulties have their chance to play cricket in an environment tailored to meet their needs. This fully inclusive model is backed by our ambassadors, with the goal being able to provide equally opportunities, helping the children grow into mainstream programs. 

 

Educating Tasmania

Over the past two years, Lend a hand to Hugo Founder Luke Williams has visited various school groups, sporting clubs/teams and social groups to deliver the Lend a hand to Hugo workshop. Juggling schooling and sporting commitments, Luke has presented to over 1500 students and adults.

 

This program is designed to break down stigmas around autism and deliver Lend a hand to Hugo’s key messages. During these workshops, the charity puts emphasis on extinguishing derogatory language to better the mental wellbeing of those who may relate to a certain phrase or term. The sessions are not only tailored at autism and disability, but based around removing unnecessary stigmas; helping children and adults to open up about what is happening in their lives.

 

It is understood there is no medical reason for depression, however stereotypes, bullying, discrimination and the use of derogatory language can have a determined effect on self-esteem and mental health. 

 

The charity believes teachers hold the necessary skills to educate these messages, however, it is vital that schools and groups are visited by an outside source, and as teachers control classrooms with over 25 children, it is a challenge for the message to be effectively delivered. With recent College graduates running this program, students tend to be receptive to the workshop, particularly when our sporting ambassadors such as Tasmanian’s Ben Brown (North Melbourne), Grant Birchall (Hawthorn) and Mackenzie Willis (Gold Coast Suns) are in attendance. 

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