From volunteer mentor to team member: Melissa Nobrega’s journey with Inspiring Brighter Futures

For Melissa Nobrega, joining the Inspiring Brighter Futures Foundation team was a natural progression after several years volunteering as a mentor and witnessing firsthand the positive impact its programs have on participants.

Now working in Community Engagement Support, Melissa brings a wealth of experience in marketing, fundraising and not-for-profit management, including establishing her own charity overseas, which has grown to employ 67 staff.

Her involvement with the Foundation began in 2023 when she volunteered as a mentor in the Back to Work program at Southport.

Having experienced the challenges of returning to employment herself, Melissa found the opportunity to support others navigating similar circumstances particularly rewarding.

“It’s not simply about finding a job. You need to be in the right frame of mind to start applying for positions, attending interviews and getting back into a working routine,” she said.

“I particularly enjoyed working with people who wanted to start their own businesses. Having been through that process myself, it was rewarding to help them develop their goals and practical plans.”

Melissa subsequently became involved in the Foundation’s Onwards & Upwards school mentoring program, initially volunteering at Windaroo.

As the mother of two teenagers, she admits she was initially apprehensive about returning to a high school environment, but those concerns quickly disappeared.

Having now participated in six programs for the Foundation, Melissa says the experience has been equally rewarding for her and the participants.

“What I love about the Onwards & Upwards school program is seeing how students develop over the eight weeks. They leave with new skills, a different mindset, and practical goals they feel confident about achieving,” she said.

“I’ve learned just as much from the high school programs as the students have. I always take a notebook because I come away with something useful every week, whether it’s from the facilitator or the students themselves.”

Coming Onboard to Contribute

When an opportunity arose to join the Foundation’s staff in July 2026, Melissa was keen to contribute her professional experience to an organisation she had grown to admire.

In her Community Engagement Support role, she helps recruit, welcome and support volunteer mentors, overseeing onboarding, training, communications and compliance requirements.

She is also working to strengthen mentor recruitment in areas including Logan and Ipswich, while drawing on her marketing and fundraising experience to improve engagement with people interested in supporting the Foundation.

“There’s a real opportunity to build stronger relationships with people who already have an interest in the organisation,” she said.

“It’s about connecting people with opportunities where they can make a difference.”

Beyond the work itself, Melissa says the Foundation’s supportive culture and shared sense of purpose have made joining the team particularly rewarding.

“What I love about the Foundation is the way people treat each other. There’s a genuine sense of shared purpose, and everyone approaches their work with the same values and mindset,” she said.

“I believe that culture starts at the top. Founder John Godwin has a particular way of leading and supporting his team, and that flows through the organisation.”

Future Possibilities

Looking ahead, Melissa is excited by the Foundation’s potential to expand its programs into more schools and communities across Australia and potentially internationally.

Having established and grown her own charity, she understands both the challenges and opportunities involved in taking successful programs to a wider audience.

“I genuinely believe every child in Years 9 and 10 could benefit from the Onwards & Upwards program,” she said.

“It really can be life-changing. And it’s not just life-changing for the individual student. I believe it can also have a significant impact on their family.

“We see the progress students make over the eight weeks, but we don’t necessarily get to see the longer-term changes that might occur at home.

“That’s what excites me about being part of the Foundation. I want to help the organisation grow so that as many young people and families as possible can benefit from these programs.”

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