Showing up matters: Tim and Megan McIlwain on the power of mentoring

For husband-and-wife team Tim and Megan McIlwain, mentoring is about something deceptively simple: showing up.

Both recently volunteered as mentors in Inspiring Brighter Futures Foundation’s Onwards & Upwards mentoring program at Hemmant Flexible School, bringing their professional and life experience into a space where consistency, encouragement and listening can make a genuine difference. Megan was also joined by three staff members from her business, Blok Design Co.

Megan says the experience was rewarding not only for the students, but for the mentors themselves.

“Each of our mentors, including myself, felt that we ourselves got a lot out of it as well as some great engagement with the students,” she said. “It was humbling, and the kids responded really well.”

For some young people, having an adult consistently turn up, listen and take an interest in their future can be powerful. Megan saw that first-hand as students became more comfortable with their mentors and began thinking differently about what they could achieve.

“Turning up each week, we were able to make strides with their life goals and put them in a position where they began to believe they could achieve those goals,” she said.

With a background as a special education teacher, Megan welcomed the opportunity to draw on experience she had gained two decades earlier. She believes there is enormous value in giving a young person dedicated time and attention.

“There’s great benefit of one mentor showing up each week for a couple of hours – just for that student.”

Tim has also seen the benefits mentoring can deliver to the people who volunteer. Five members of his executive management team at his family company, Queensland-based civil contractor, McIlwain, have participated in mentoring, and he says the experience strengthens morale, connection and teamwork while providing an opportunity to give back to young people and the wider community.

The McIlwain family’s connection with Inspiring Brighter Futures extends beyond Tim and Megan. Four of their five sons have previously participated in the Foundation’s Lads to Leaders program.

But perhaps the strongest evidence of mentoring’s impact comes from the students themselves. Tim and Megan saw young people come out of their shells, engage more and recognise that someone was in their corner. One student even said mentoring was the reason she came to school on Fridays.

Their experience is also a reminder that mentoring doesn’t always require having the perfect answer. Sometimes the greatest contribution is simply being there.

“Being present and listening is so powerful, and often more useful than just filling out a booklet.”