Ken Melia – Power of Mentoring

Ken Melia is active in his fifth program as a mentor for the Inspiring Brighter Futures Foundation and is seeing firsthand the difference it is making in the lives of young people. 

Ken’s professional life has seen him work in many well-known consumer-focused food and beverage companies where he excelled in developing brands. 

Now, he is turning his experience and knowledge toward helping mentor students in a wellbeing program for emerging leaders, arming them with practical skills to enable them to create better lives for themselves. 

“We meet kids who may not have had the opportunities my kids might have had,” says Ken. “I don’t just mean financial but having someone show them love, care, and attention, and being treated with compassion, and having someone around them who cares about them and has their back.”

Over eight weeks, participants in the Onwards & Upwards Wellbeing Program delivered to students and young people in public, flexi, and private schools, undertake a personal development and mentoring program that uncovers and embraces their values as individuals and takes a deep dive into their wellbeing, motivation, resilience, and accountability.

Attributes mentors work with students in developing include – their outlook on life, motivation to succeed, engagement with school, developing trusting relationships with adults, setting and achieving goals, and building positive relationships with peers and teachers.

Ken said, “We are demonstrating to young kids that there is a way to value-base their life which will serve them well into the future. 

“We are showing them from our collective experience that they will face challenges and they will require faith in the values to assist them get through the challenges that life will throw at them. 

“I have found that the kids I have encountered have never been asked to think about the topics we discuss with them and how fundamental these topics are for them to understand and appraise their lives.” 

Ken found inspiration from both his parents in the value of helping others. His father was a businessman in Ireland and the UK, active with Lions Club, and despite having six children made time to help people in need. This value in service has been passed on to the next generations. Ken’s siblings and his two own children have all taken up the opportunity to help others in various ways. 

“This program should be in every school. We have been teaching kids an analogue system and yet we live in a digital world. We’re giving them the wrong tools and are surprised when some of them go off track and we shouldn’t be.”

“It’s highly rewarding when you see like-minded people with no vested interests going out of their way and giving their valuable time to strangers. The hours I spend mentoring are the most rewarding hours of my week.”

The Inspiring Brighter Futures Foundation plans to hold over 80 programs in 2025, focusing on its core groups of young people facing challenges, emerging student leaders, and job seekers.  

The Foundation welcomes new mentors. To register your interest and to find out more please visit inspiringbrighterfutures.com
ENDS media enquiries to Brenton Gibbs 0419 828440 [email protected]