Ethan Zappelli believes his tough upbringing will stand him in good stead for his future plans in politics. Photo Michele Tydd.
Among the crowd in Parliament House this year for the release of the Federal Budget was one of the Illawarra’s most remarkable teenagers.
At 17, Ethan Zappelli, an aspiring politician who is studying for his HSC, is a role model not just for what he has done but for how he has done it.
Despite a history of family breakdown and homelessness, Ethan pushed on.
Since leaving home at 15, he has been living in youth refuge accommodation to escape family troubles.
“I’ve experienced some pretty horrible times since leaving home, but if you’re willing to make the most of the support and help available, you can really thrive,” he said.
Ethan’s first major change was to switch schools in Year 10.
“I’m at Five Islands Secondary College now and it’s been one of the best decisions in my life,” said Ethan.
The school’s aims include delivering tailored and nurturing education for students who are struggling in the conventional education system.
“Five Islands has a good learning and social environment because the kids come from all over the region and they all have similar experiences, which creates a sense of mutual respect,” said Ethan.
Early this year the school nominated him for a place on Wollongong City Council’s first youth forum, which comprises a panel of 12 kids aged from 12 to 17.
One of Ethan’s platforms was the significance of quality-of-life change, regardless of how small that change is.
“It’s something I believe in and it can be something as simple as a teacher calling you out of class for a 60-minute discussion about what is going on in your life,” Ethan said.
“That happened to me and it made a world of difference in changing how I felt about the future.
“Southern Youth and Family Services has been great too, finding me crisis accommodation, and I’m now in a more permanent arrangement where I have the privacy of my own room within a communal setting.”
Ethan draws a small welfare allowance each month to cover his living costs.
At the end of this year Ethan turns 18 and he is aiming for a university scholarship to study a double degree in politics, philosophy and economics.
He believes his background will be an advantage in later life because it has given him a deep understanding of the type of services needed for people struggling to cope.
Teacher Neil Kusi-Appauh agreed, adding that Ethan was driven by the need to make a difference.
“He has determination and drive coupled by an understanding of the real-world which goes beyond his years,” said Mr Kusi-Appauh.
“His socialisation is such that he has had to be an adult well before most young people.”
To relax, Ethan enjoys basketball and online chess.
Another recent positive in his life was a Facebook message from his mother to say how proud she was of him.
“My hope is we can one day renew our relationship,” said Ethan.
