Vision
A connected community where young people, their families & businesses are supported in their wellbeing journeys
Mission
A Path To Follow provides customised and flexible wellbeing mentoring and support to young people, their families and to small businesses.
We support young people through one-on-one mentoring partnerships and group mentoring programs in sporting and recreational settings.
We help families through tailored peer support.
We assist small businesses with mentoring and education.
A Path to Follow was established by Kirstie Edwards, inspired by her experiences with mental ill-health, both personally and professionally. Kirstie experienced depression as a young person and then again as a new parent. She says of her experiences:
‘My journey mirrors thousands of others. It includes stories of immense support, of immense love and encouragement to get better. But also of battles against stereotypes – those about depression, about medications, about what people living with mental illness can actually achieve, feel and experience in life.
Kirstie has a background in managing professionals in mental health, family services and allied health services for children, young people, adults and their families. Her experience includes supervising and leading clinicians in terms of varied service provision as well as risk to self, risk to others and family violence. Kirstie developed and led the implementation of her previous organisation’s Child Safe Legislation, consults for other agencies in this area and holds Child and Young Persons’ Safety Officer at Ormond JFC.
Kirstie has been outspoken and candid about her own journey. She would like to see a world where there is no stigma associated with mental ill health and seeking support for mental health challenges. She would like to see a world that prioritises prevention and early intervention for mental health; for young people, their families and business.
Kirstie’s journey with a A Path To Follow started small in 2010 as a volunteer initiative and launched A Path To Follow as a business in late 2019. Her very first volunteer event was a celebration to thank those around her for their support in her recovery from depression. With the support of family and friends $1000 was raised for SANE Australia.
Since that event, Kirstie has focused her passion to create change regarding youth mental health. This was borne from Kirstie’s personal desire to ensure her boys and others like them, with a predisposition to experience mental ill health, will grow up as part of a community where professional and personal support is readily available.
Kirstie was further impassioned when her middle son, at the age of 16 in 2017, lost two classmates to death by suicide within 12 months, experienced severe anxiety and depression himself and was hospitalised. Their experience of all aspects of the mental health system; acute, sub-acute and community programs, left their son further traumatised and set out for them a battle they are, as a whole family, still finding challenging today.
In 2014 Kirstie raised near $10,000 for the Early in Life Mental Health Services (ELMHS) at Monash Health. ELMHS is a service where young people who are experiencing emotional, behavioural or mental ill health can receive service. Unfortunately, like most public health services, ELMHS remains chronically underfunded. The key fundraising activity was a ‘Heal thru Art’ exhibition and art auction supported by local artists who donated their works. The money was used to provide necessary sensory equipment to support the recovery of young people receiving service from ELMHS.
Kirstie’s long-term goal has always been to establish a mental health peer mentoring service; motivated by the long wait lists for those very few mentor programs in the area, the current limitations of our mental health system and the unique needs of young people and their families when it comes to mental well-being support. It is well founded that prevention and early intervention provides the best chances of living our best lives. It is from here that our group mentoring program and business model were seeded. To see more information on A Path To Follow’s other services click here.
2018 saw Kirstie launch the APTF Mentor Program in partnership with Ormond Junior Football Club (OJFC). The 2018 Mentor Program pilot was a success, within its allocated resourcing; piloting mentoring opportunities for young people as young as 12 years within the existing structures of the club. In 2020 the program will also be launched at Cheltenham JFC Auskick program.
What People Say
“My son has been part of A Path To Follow’s Mentor Program through his involvement with Ormond Football Club… The program has been instrumental in increasing his confidence in talking to people in a group environment… The mentor program keeps kids engaged with their communities and provides a great opportunity for kids to learn some essential life skills whilst participating in an activity they love. He is excited to participate again next season!”
Parent-Group Mentor Program
“A path to follow has been incredibly helpful for me and my family. The constant ongoing support from Kirstie is tailored to our needs individually and as a family unit. It is great to know that there is someone I trust by our side to ensure all members of the family feel supported and stable on each step of the journey…”
Young Family Member-Family Peer Support
A Path To Follow 