Onwards & Upwards to a Job Program

A four-week wellbeing mentoring program is providing people looking to get back into the workforce with a safe and supportive environment in which they can build their self-confidence, set appropriate goals and present themselves in the best possible way to a prospective employer.

The Onwards & Upwards to a Job program is a self-development program from the Inspiring Brighter Futures Foundation created to support young people and adults in need.

A structured group training program, which includes one-to-one mentoring sessions, is conducted over four weeks and delivered to individuals seeking work who have been unemployed for one year or more. The ages of participants range from 18 to 65 years.

Inspiring Brighter Futures is running 16 programs in Queensland up until August 2024 across Inala, Ipswich, Logan, Redlands, Woolloongabba, Townsville, Mt Isa, and Gold Coast.

A successful pilot program was conducted in the Wivenhoe region in May 2023 with 11 of the 13 long-term unemployed graduating from the program going on to work or further training. The participants, all unemployed for more than 12 months, were nominated by local Ipswich employment service providers. Two further programs have just been completed on the Gold Coast and Wivenoe with 25 participants successfully graduating from 30 people who commenced the programs.

Inspiring Brighter Futures Foundation founder and CEO John Godwin said the program has been designed to build the self-confidence, communication skills, and self-belief required to get people ready for employment.

“The program sessions are designed to identify and build on each person’s core values and sense of purpose,” Mr Godwin said.

“By boosting their self-confidence and building a proactive mindset we also work on their skills to prepare participants physically and mentally to enter the workforce.

“Individual mentoring sessions as well as guidance from guest speakers and industry experts is proving invaluable in assisting people to find meaningful employment and setting them up for success.”

Focus areas in the structured sessions include:

• Building self-confidence self-worth and motivation
• Providing a mental tool kit to tackle challenges and obstacles in life
• Setting achievable goals
• Developing a growth mindset
• Enhancing interpersonal communication skills
• Money management
• The importance of physical health and nutrition; and
• Managing personal mental health.

The program is run on three consecutive days (Monday to Wednesday) from 9am to 2pm over four weeks.

Onwards & Upwards to a Job Program, created by the Inspiring Brighter Futures Foundation, is assisted by Workforce Australia Local Jobs which is funded by the Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.

John Godwin said the Foundation is actively looking for more mentors and supporters to continue the successful programs across Queensland.

“Our expectations were exceeded for the inaugural program with participants gaining confidence, knowledge and the motivation to continue through to employment and engaging positively with employment providers,” Mr Godwin said.

An employment service provider has employed one of the graduates for a role as a trainer. One participant who was unemployed for 15 years, is now employed in her dream job as a forklift driver.

One Local Jobs Program leader said that this program has changed the way the department views re-engaging long-term unemployed people back into the workforce.

“It is great to see that what started in 2009 at yourtown with John Godwin has now evolved into one of the most beneficial interventions for disadvantaged and long-term unemployed people I have seen,” said John Perry, an Employment Facilitator for the Local Jobs Program in the Wivenhoe Region.

“It works at the heart of the issues confronting these people and results in them believing in their change.

“The real results come from the Inspiring Brighter Futures team and the mentors. They make the difference. It is good to see the Department go from asking “Why is this needed?” to “How many can you deliver?

“I was talking to an Ipswich Council officer, who is a mentor on the Ipswich program, and she says being a mentor is probably one of the most rewarding experiences of her life.”

Inspiring Brighter Futures Foundation is a non-profit organisation offering wellbeing mentoring programs to disadvantaged people. The foundation was established in 2009 by a group of educators and business people determined to help those in the community who need it most.

ENDS media enquiries to Brenton Gibbs 0419 828440 [email protected]