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2021 the year that 2020 is not.
I started 2021 curious about what was to come. I kept saying to people who asked about the fall out for community mental health, "it will come".
Now, come May, I can am not proud to say that my prediction was right. Being right means that we still have people falling through the multiple mental health system gaps; families with young people who could already be getting NDIS funded supports, Peers who have ended up in hospital, families desperately needing advocacy within the system to just get the appropriate supports, children stuck within an education system that expects teachers to teach and so much more, and generally, peers floundering amongst a community they still don't find totally supportive.
I am both proud and humbled to support these families. They have entrusted me with their journeys, some of which have never been shared before. They have trusted me to connect them to services we know can assist, engaged me in their inner most private worlds and trusted me as a valued peer. I thank them genuinely.
Over the January period I completed a training called Intentional Peer Support (IPS). It is hands down the best training I have ever attended. At A Path To Follow, we are now integrating this framework into our service. I am a Peer Worker with experience as a workforce manager, as a consumer and as a carer. All three perspectives are equally important in my support of families. You can read more about how we have adopted the Intentional Peer Support Framework to our model of service here.
I remain curious about the support of young people. We know they have been hard hit through the pandemic and yet, they appear to still represent the least of those people seeking help. Our Youth Peer Support program remains open for those young people, providing informal and flexible support by young adults with lived experience of life challenges.
I am also most excited about the start of our 2021 Sporting Peer Program at Ormond Junior Football Club. With essentially a season off, our participants have hit the ground running and are kicking goals; in life and football.
Finally, we are pleased to announce a couple of exciting initiatives: We welcome Aedan, our first employee at APTF as our Sporting Peer Program Peer Leader.
We are also piloting Art Therapy with some of our peers and their families, beginning on Saturday afternoons this month. We welcome Joanna, as our Art Therapist and are excited to have her onboard.
May you walk your journey with love in your hearts and with the right supports around you. Kirstie
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