A passion for youth wellbeing: Meet Dr Phillipa McKeering

Dr Phillipa “Pip” McKeering’s path to joining Inspiring Brighter Futures Foundation as Programs Delivery Coordinator began in a fitting way: as a volunteer mentor working directly with young people.

With a professional and academic background focused on youth wellbeing, Pip was looking for an opportunity to put her experience to practical use when she discovered the Foundation and its Onwards & Upwards school mentoring program.

“It was a little serendipitous. I didn’t want to go full-time into academia and I wanted to do some volunteering while I worked out what I wanted to do,” Pip said.

“I’m passionate about wellbeing programs as a preventative tool for students. I was looking to find somewhere in this space where I could volunteer and came across Inspiring Brighter Futures Foundation.”

Since then, Pip estimates she has been involved in around 10 Onwards & Upwards programs, giving her valuable first-hand experience of the Foundation’s approach, its facilitators and mentors, and most importantly, the young people it supports.

A career focused on youth wellbeing

Pip brings a complementary mix of practical and academic experience to her new role.

Her background includes working across Education Queensland settings and Flexi Schools, providing experience with young people from diverse backgrounds and circumstances.

Her doctoral research focused on school-based wellbeing programs, specifically the work of the UK-based Mindfulness in Schools Project (MiSP), an international not-for-profit organisation established by teachers to improve the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people.

Pip spent time in Singapore delivering the Mindfulness in Schools program, further developing her understanding of how structured wellbeing initiatives can be applied in different educational settings.

That experience has reinforced her belief in the importance of early, preventative approaches that equip young people with skills and support before challenges become overwhelming.

The value of flexibility and mentoring

Having experienced IBFF programs from the perspective of a mentor, Pip believes one of the Foundation’s strengths is the flexibility built into its approach.

“What I like about Inspiring Brighter Futures Foundation is that flexibility is built in,” she said.

“You can spend more time on certain themes if there’s engagement there, or come back to something later in the module. That can be particularly important when talking about role models in young people’s lives, because those role models aren’t always there or obvious.”

Pip also sees IBFF’s combination of group-based learning and individual mentoring as an important point of difference.

“A standout for me is the one-on-one mentoring. It provides students with an opportunity to build trust and open up to a mentor when they may feel reluctant to do so in a classroom in front of their peers.”

Helping IBFF reach more young people

As Programs Delivery Coordinator, Pip will oversee the coordination of the Foundation’s school programs and act as a key point of contact for schools and program facilitators.

Her role encompasses operational coordination and administrative support across the Foundation’s school and community programs, helping ensure the programs are ready for delivery through scheduling, participant administration, reporting and compliance coordination.

Just as importantly, Pip will help build awareness of the programs and support their expansion into more schools, while exploring opportunities to adapt them into other delivery formats where appropriate.

Her academic experience will also play an important role in the Foundation’s growing research partnership with Griffith University.

Pip will work closely with the two Griffith University PhD students undertaking research into youth wellbeing in collaboration with Inspiring Brighter Futures Foundation. As an external supervisor, she will support their research and help facilitate access to the data and schools required for their work.

For Pip, the new position brings together the different strands of her career – research, education, wellbeing and direct engagement with young people – while allowing her to help strengthen and expand programs she already knows well.

Having started with Inspiring Brighter Futures Foundation as a volunteer mentor, she now has the opportunity to help ensure many more young people can benefit from the same programs she has spent considerable time delivering.

Onwards & Upwards is the flagship self-development program of the Inspiring Brighter Futures Foundation, designed to support young people and adults in need.

The Foundation plans is holding over 80 programs in 2026 in Queensland, with its more than 600 active volunteer mentors focusing on its core groups of young people facing challenges, emerging student leaders, and job seekers.

To learn more or donate, visit:  www.inspiringbrighterfutures.com
ENDS media enquiries to Brenton Gibbs 0419 828440 [email protected].