How Alejandro Found His Calling in RTC Youth Work
- Youth Guidance Outreach Services
- May 29
- 2 min read
Alejandro never planned to become a youth worker.
At one point, he was considering a mid-career switch into physiotherapy because of his background and interest in sports. But during a period where he was doing part-time driving work, he had two unexpected encounters that changed the direction of his life.
The first was with an elderly passenger who turned out to be a social worker in his seventies, still actively serving in prisons. The next day, Alejandro picked up another passenger who was also working in social services.
“To me, it felt like messengers sent from above,” he recalls.
Today, Alejandro serves as RTC Team Manager at YGOS, supporting youths in the Reformative Training Centre (RTC) through the organisation’s case management services. He works closely with young people between the ages of 18 to 23 as they prepare to reintegrate into society after incarceration.
It is work that many people rarely get to see up close.
Before Alejandro even meets a youth for the first time, he already receives a written report detailing the offences they committed. Many involve drugs, violence, rioting, or underage sex. But despite everything written on paper, Alejandro says he intentionally chooses not to let that define the person in front of him.
“When I meet them, I go in with a clean piece of paper,” he says.
For him, the first step is building trust and understanding who the youth really is beyond the offence.
“Ultimately, youths are still youths,” he says. “The only difference is that they’ve been incarcerated before.”
According to Alejandro, the real challenge often begins after release.
Inside RTC, life is highly structured. Every part of the day follows a fixed routine. But when youths return home or transition back into the community, they suddenly have to manage freedom, choices, responsibilities, and relationships on their own again.
For some, that adjustment can be overwhelming.
“They struggle with freedom,” Alejandro explains. “They don’t know how to regulate themselves yet.”
That is where YGOS’ RTC work continues beyond incarceration. Alejandro and the team journey alongside youths and their families through the reintegration process, helping them rebuild stability, and confidence again.
But reintegration is also about whether society is willing to accept them back.
Alejandro believes many youths genuinely want to change, but often face stigma and judgment from the people around them. Despite this, he has seen many positive stories over the years, youths who learned from their mistakes, completed the programme, found work, restored relationships, and are now leading stable lives again.
“People can change,” he says simply.
At the heart of #BeyondtheOffence is a reminder that rehabilitation is not just about punishment. It is about giving people the opportunity to start again.
To support YGOS’ RTC work and help youths rebuild their lives beyond incarceration, support our giving campaign, “Breaking the Cycle, Rebuilding Young Lives”.
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