In 2023, we’re looking for your help to provide more young people with a mentor who’s there just for them. Being a mentor isn’t easy; it takes time and persistence, but it’s worth it. Not every young person has a trusted adult around them to turn to, but an hour a week is all it takes to have a lifetime of impact. Will you take on the challenge?
Throughout the year, we’ll be sharing real stories from our young people before, and after mentoring. It would be easy to stop reading. It would be even easier to have never started and to ignore the challenges our young people face. It’s easy to ignore that just an hour of your time a week could turn a young person’s life around.
But every day we hear from the young people we help and the positive impact mentoring has had on their life. We also hear from our mentors who tell us that despite the challenge, it’s worth it. These stories are why we’re so passionate about what we do, and why you should be too.
Our school-based mentoring programme supports young people to find, grow and use their talents. We help young people to build confidence, broaden aspirations and explore their future pathways. MCR’s Young Talent programme helps young people progress to positive post-school destinations.
Volunteer mentors spend one hour a week listening to and encouraging their young person. We need mentors from all walks of life. 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.
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 hampered 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 find, grow and use their talents.
Organisations that support volunteering see increased rates of staff wellbeing and job satisfaction. The skills developed through MCR mentoring benefit leaders at all levels of an organisation. We even have an ILM certified Leadership course.
Having the MCR Programme in your school has proven positive impacts on staying on rates (Scotland), wellbeing, attendance (England), attainment and positive destinations alongside the additional benefit of building a cohort of dedicated volunteers in the school community.
MCR Pathways
Mitchell Library,
Berkeley Street
Glasgow,
UK
G3 7DN
MCR Pathways is a SCIO regulated by OSCR,
Scottish Charity number SC045816
In 2022, we’re looking for mentors to #ShareAnHour so no young person feels alone.
