Mentoring Matters
Mentor a young person and #BeTheBridge between potential & opportunities. Volunteers from all walks of life are helping young people to transform their education outcomes. All it takes is 1 hour a week.
Watch our film to hear from young people and mentors!
What We Do
MCR Pathways is a national charity. Our vision is that every care-experienced young person, or those who have experienced disadvantage, gets the same education outcomes, career opportunities and life chances as every other young person.
Our school-based Mentoring and Talent Taster experiences support young people to find, grow and use their talents. MCR’s Young Scottish Talent programme helps young people progress onto positive post-school destinations.
Your Mentor Journey
1. Register
2. Info Session
3. Interview
4. Training
5. Matching
6. Meetings
Volunteer mentors spend one hour a week listening to and encouraging their young person. The only qualification you need to be a mentor is the desire to help and be there. Our mentors help the young person they are matched with, to realise their full potential and be empowered with the confidence and belief to make it happen.
Why Mentoring Matters
Positive Destinations
MCR mentoring transforms lives. Scotcen, the Scottish arm of Britain’s leading independent social research institute NatCen, found that 81.6% of mentored care-experienced young people leave school to a positive destination (full-time employment, further education, or higher education) compared to 59.8% of care-experienced non-mentored school leavers.
There’s amazing potential in our young people, potential that’s often buried because of difficult life experiences. Mentors bridge talent with opportunity. By spending just one hour a week listening and being there for your young person you will empower them to unlock their potential.
I don’t think words could describe or if you 100% know the impact you’ve had on me, I definitely I don’t think you do. I prayed that every other kid that is like me gets a chance to meet someone like you, even if it’s not a mentor, just a day with Chrissy is like the best thing.
Sylvia
Young Person
Glasgow
Daniel, straight away, was an absolute pleasure to work with. He’s genuinely gone through tough things in his life, but it’s not stopped him from being a happy, resilient and upbeat person. We are talking about more stuff and it feels like the conversation is going into new places - and there’s trust there between us that the conversation can go there. That’s where the satisfaction comes from.
Ross Armstrong
Mentor
Edinburgh
With my mentor, Charlie, I can truly be myself. Charlie has been beside me the whole way. He shared how he got through tough times in his life. He’s helped me focus. He’s helped me think I could go to college, which is something I've never believed before.
Jack
Young Person
Aberdeenshire
As time goes on, she trusts me more and trust has opened up between us. We chat about life, and decisions and everything in between, which is great. It's the relationship that matters, so making an hour is week is not a chore. The challenge is really being the best you can be for someone else, instead of for yourself.
Ali MacLachlan
Mentor
Aberdeen
Before I met my mentor, I was a wee bit quiet, never really had any pals and just stuck to myself. But then I met Gulio and he was there pushing me, giving me ideas and just making me better. The biggest change I've seen in myself is my confidence. I just get to be me, pretty much, instead of a wee shell of a person
Bryan
Young Person
Glasgow
My mentee bounces up to reception where we meet and seems excited to see me. I can’t wait to see how the relationship grows and I already know that once my young person leaves school, I want to be able to begin the process again.
Lee-Ann
Mentor
North Ayrshire
Featured News
Other Ways To Help
Talent Tasters
Talent Tasters are a chance for young people to try out a job, college, or university in engaging, bite-sized opportunities. Short, hands-on and inspiring, Talent Tasters help unlock young people’s aspirations.
Become A Partner
Our committed partners help us deliver our programme and reach more young people. Our partners include organisations of all sizes, from local businesses to national corporations to Local Authorities.
Volunteer
There are many ways to get involved at MCR Pathways. We are delighted to have volunteers supporting almost every department in our team. Contact us if you’d like to get involved!
