Less than a year ago, Portarlington single mum Bridgette was doing it tough.
A first time mother, Bridgette was fiercely dedicated to her daughter Mabel but faced many challenges that, collectively, seemed impossible to overcome.
“Financial struggles, mental health struggles, post-partum depression, health issues, everything,” she said.
“It’s tough for any parents, whether that’s plural or single. Nobody really prepares you for it; the physical and mental toll, the late nights that never end.
“Everything was so overwhelming at the time…but then Ashlea spotted me at a local cafe and overheard me having a chat with Mabel. She approached us, and the rest is history, as they say.”
Ashlea Ferguson is a mentor for Djerriwarrh Community & Education Services’ Parent Pathways program, a free, voluntary government service providing mentorship, personalised support and financial assistance to eligible parents of young children.
“The program is all about meeting parents where they’re at and supporting them, so they know they’ve got somebody they can call on,” Ashlea said.
“We create goals and then help achieve them using the funding we have. For instance, one of Bridgette’s goals was to be in stable employment.”
Since joining the program last November, Bridgette has secured a job at a local cafe.
With Ashlea’s support, she overcame a number of barriers to that goal, such as getting new prescription glasses, registering and maintaining her car so she can reliably commute to work and accessing food relief during off-peak periods when work hours are reduced.
Bridgette said she was “super grateful” for the help from Ashlea and Parent Pathways, which had “made life so much easier”.
“I definitely feel like I have support, not so isolated,” she said.
Visit servicesaustralia.gov.au/parent-pathways for more information.
