We are delighted to announce that Kieran Foy, who mentors at Hyndland Secondary School in Glasgow, has been nominated for the prestigious Mentor of the Year award at the UK Social Mobility Awards.
The UK Social Mobility awards were established to promote and recognise action which will increase social mobility within Britain’s organisations and institutions. The awards are granted to individuals and organisations who are making strides to ensure that social mobility is made a priority within the work that they do.
Kieran Foy has been a mentor with MCR Pathways for three years now, and in this time his commitment to his young person has been unwavering. Kieran has consistently gone above and beyond to support his mentee, helping to prepare him for life beyond school through a range of different activities, from exploring online job searching platforms to encouraging him to meet with his school’s careers advisor.
Derek Montgomery, Pathways Co-ordinator at Hyndland Secondary, praised Kieran’s dedication to his mentoring role: “Kieran’s attendance at mentoring meetings, and his positive attitude, have always been 100%. He’s very proactive, even moving work appointments round and changing times to suit his mentee’s timetable,” Derek said. “I would describe Kieran as a caring, reliable and supportive individual who would go out of his way to create a pathway for any young person to reach their goal.”
Kieran’s proactive approach towards mentoring has had a real impact on his mentee, helping him to develop the confidence to pursue new opportunities. “My mentee has become more open and willing to express their thoughts and ambitions for the future,” Kieran shared. “A prime example was nominating himself for extracurricular programmes that would support his further education. I think at such a young age, developing the confidence to put yourself forward for new opportunities with a view to future success is extremely commendable and shows a huge level of bravery.”
Kieran’s employer, SecuriGroup, are equally proud of his incredible achievement. Russel Kerr, Chief Executive of SecuriGroup, said: “Kieran has demonstrated outstanding dedication and commitment in his role as a mentor at MCR Pathways. His ability to connect with and inspire care-experienced individuals is truly commendable. We are thrilled to see him recognised as Mentor of the Year, as it reflects not only his hard work but also the positive impact he has made in the lives of those he supports.”
When asked how it feels to be nominated, in true Kieran style he was quick to put the focus back on the programme and the impact of mentoring relationships. “I feel extremely privileged to have been nominated,” Kieran said, “but the most important element isn’t about me. This is a real reflection of how vastly important mentoring relationships can be, and the incredible work MCR Pathways does.”
Kieran encourages anyone who is considering becoming a mentor to “quite simply do it – don’t hesitate.” Adding, “you don’t need to feel like you have all of the answers to put yourself forward, the most important thing you can do is be there. Having a willingness to simply listen can make a profound difference in the life of a young person, and I have no doubt that you will find that it makes a positive difference for your own life too.”
Everyone at MCR Pathways extends their congratulations to Kieran on this well-deserved nomination, as well as their heartfelt gratitude for his enduring commitment to mentorship. Kieran embodies the very best of the MCR Pathways community and values, and wish him the very best when the winners of the UK Social Mobility awards are announced on the 2nd October.
If Kieran’s encouragement has inspired you to transform a life through mentoring, you can sign up at https://mcrpathways.org/become-a-mentor/.
