Parent Pathways Mackay

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Parent Pathways Mackay

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Parent Pathways, delivered by MRAEL with Australian Government support, is a free program helping unemployed parents and carers of children under six.

13/10/2026

Meet Mikayla Twist

Mikayla brings more than 14 years’ experience in the childcare sector, holding a Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care. Throughout her career, she has supported children and families throughout the Mackay region. Over that time, she has held roles including Senior Educator, Room Leader, and a Trainee Mentor. These experiences have given her a strong practical understanding of child development, family support, and the everyday challenges parents face.

As a Parent Pathways Mentor, Mikayla works one-on-one with parents to help them set goals, identify and overcome barriers, and connect them with education, training, and employment opportunities suited to their individual circumstances.

As a mother of two young children, she understands the everyday challenges and competing demands that families face. Her approach is practical, compassionate, and grounded in local knowledge.
Drawing on strong relationships and established networks across the Mackay region, she provides support that is accessible, relevant, and tailored to the unique needs of the families and communities she serves.

We’re so pleased to have Mikayla as part of the Parent Pathways team, supporting parents and carers to build confidence, recognise their strengths and take positive steps towards their future.

Delivered by MRAEL in partnership with the Australian Government, Parent Pathways is a FREE program supporting unemployed parents and carers of children under six to build vibrant futures. Services include career guidance, training, language and literacy programs, financial assistance, childcare support, and safe, discreet access to family and domestic violence supports.
Learn more: https://www.mrael.com.au/parent-pathways-program/

09/10/2026

When you're busy caring for everyone else, it's easy to put yourself at the bottom of the list.

This World Mental Health Day, we're encouraging parents to take a moment to check in with themselves.

Whether it's a walk, a catch-up with a friend or simply taking a break, small steps can make a big difference.
And if you need a little extra support, Parent Pathways offers flexible mentoring for parents and carers of young children.

With support available around your schedule and tailored to your goals, we're here to help you build confidence, wellbeing and a pathway that's right for you.

Connect with us today - https://bit.ly/4xFZqvy

Because parents need support too.

06/10/2026

Turning challenges into success takes determination, and Jessica has shown exactly what that looks like.

While balancing the responsibilities of motherhood and supporting her daughter’s ongoing health needs, including regular travel between Mackay and Brisbane, she remained focused on creating a brighter future for her family.

Despite the challenges, she successfully completed her First Aid and CPR certification and continued working towards her Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping through TAFE Queensland. With support from Parent Pathways, including an iPad to assist with her studies, she was able to stay connected to her coursework and continue making progress towards her goals.

Her Parent Pathways mentor, Abigail, was there throughout the journey, providing encouragement and support as Jessica worked towards achieving her ambitions.

Today, we’re celebrating an exciting achievement. Her dedication, resilience and hard work have paid off, with her securing her dream administrative role.

We’re incredibly proud to have been part of Jessicas journey and congratulate her on this well-deserved success. We wish her all the best as she begins her new career.🎉

29/09/2026

Stronger Than Her Circumstances: The journey to independence and success.

When Glenda joined Parent Pathways, she was rebuilding her life as a single mum after leaving a challenging situation to create a safer future for her children. Determined to gain new skills and improve her family's financial security, she enrolled in a Certificate III in Hospitality with support from Parent Pathways.

After completing her qualification, Glenda secured a role with a multi-national fast-food franchise and, through her hard work and dedication, was recently promoted to a management position. Balancing work and motherhood every step of the way, she has built her confidence, developed new skills, and taken significant steps toward long-term independence and stability.

Learn more about the Parent Pathways program: https://bit.ly/4tO3EhT

23/09/2026

It was great to connect with parents and carers at Whitsunday Plaza in Cannonvale today.
If we missed you, head to our website to:
💬 Chat with our team
📖 Learn about the program
✅ Check your eligibility
See if Parent Pathways could be right for you.
https://bit.ly/4xFZqvy

28/08/2026

Community is at the heart of everything we do 💛

It was wonderful to connect with the team at The Neighbourhood Hub and learn more about their Connect and Thrive Project, which is creating opportunities for culturally and linguistically diverse community members across Mackay.

Through practical workshops and mentoring, participants can build confidence in managing money, strengthen their employment readiness skills, and access valuable guidance from experienced local business owners.

At Parent Pathways, we know that every parent's journey is different. That's why we value partnerships that help people build confidence, develop new skills, and take positive steps towards their goals in a way that works for them.

Together, we're helping create stronger connections, greater opportunities, and more inclusive communities where everyone can thrive. 🌱

11/08/2026

Last week, our Australian Government initiatives, Parent Pathways and IntoJobs, delivered by MRAEL, joined the Mackay community at CASA Mackay's Together for Shelter event at Queens Park 💜

Together for Shelter brings local services together in one place, helping people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness connect with housing providers, health services, financial assistance, food, essential giveaways and other community support.

For Parent Pathways, it was important to contribute in a way that was practical, thoughtful and respectful. Alongside connecting with the community, we donated a swag to help support someone experiencing homelessness through CASA’s Together for Shelter initiative. Our team also carefully curated care kits for attendees doing it tough and those sleeping rough, including a toiletries bag with a toothbrush, manicure set, hairbrush and mirror, tissues and a power bank.

It was a beautiful morning filled with meaningful conversations, new connections and plenty of community spirit. We’re so grateful to have shared the day with local organisations, service providers and community members working together to ensure people across Mackay can access the support they need.

A heartfelt thank you to CASA for bringing everyone together for such an important cause. 💜

04/08/2026

Yesterday was such a beautiful morning celebrating National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day at Slade Point State School.

Our Parent Pathways Mackay team was proud to be part of a day filled with culture, connection, family and community. It was wonderful to see so many local services come together to celebrate and support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and families.

A big thank you to everyone who helped bring such a special event to life. 💛🖤❤️

31/07/2026

Meet Abigail Peatling, one of our new dedicated Parent Pathways Mentors 🌿

With a passion for supporting families and helping parents feel more confident in their next steps, Abigail brings a caring, practical and encouraging approach to her role.

Before joining Parent Pathways, Abigail worked in the childcare industry, supporting children’s development and working closely with families to understand and meet their unique needs. This experience helped shape her caring, practical and family-focused approach to mentoring.

As a Parent Pathways Mentor, Abigail’s role is all about support, connection and helping parents break through the barriers that may be standing between them and their goals. 💙

Day to day, she works alongside parents to navigate challenges, explore meaningful goals and find an approach that best suits their individual circumstances. Whether someone is thinking about study, training, employment or taking a personal step forward, Abigail is there to listen, encourage and help make the journey feel more manageable.

For Abigail, one of the most rewarding parts of her role is seeing parents begin to believe in themselves.

“I am most proud of the moments when parents realise just how capable they are. Seeing someone who may have lacked confidence take their first step into study, secure a job, or achieve a personal goal is incredibly rewarding.”

Abigail knows that life with little ones is not one-size-fits-all, so neither are the plans she helps create. Her approach is warm, respectful and tailored to each parent’s individual needs, their family commitments and what feels achievable for them. 🌱

She supports parents to explore employment and education pathways that align with their interests, strengths, family life and long-term goals. This may include looking at career options, connecting with training or education opportunities and providing encouragement along the way.

Her advice to parents and carers is simple, but powerful:

“Be kind to yourself. You’re already doing an amazing job.”

We’re so pleased to have Abigail as part of the Parent Pathways team, supporting parents and carers to build confidence, recognise their strengths and take positive steps towards their future. ✨

17/07/2026

A small milestone, but a very meaningful one 💙

Parent Pathways has reached 200 followers on Facebook🎉

We just wanted to say thank you for following along, giving us a thumbs-up, supporting our journey and helping us spread the word about the work we do with parents and carers in our community.

Every follow, like and share helps more people learn about Parent Pathways and the support available to them.

We’re grateful to have you with us. Here’s to continuing to grow, connect and support more families together. 🌱

Address

Suite 1. 5, The Hub, 12 Greenfield Boulevard, Mount Pleasant
Mackay, QLD
4740

Telephone

+611300293020

Website

https://www.mrael.com.au/parent-pathways-program/

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