A team of fantastic mentor fundraisers, from Semefab in Fife, are lacing up their trainers to take on the iconic Edinburgh Kiltwalk in support of MCR Pathways later this year.
We spoke to Andrew Bell, Product Supervisor, member of the fundraising team and MCR Pathways Mentor from Semefab to talk about fundraising, mentorship and much more.
Semefab, a global silicon wafer foundry operation manufacturing microelectronics and Micro Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) in Glenrothes, Fife is an organisation truly engineered to ensure young people, who’ve had the most unfair start in life, have someone to find their path to realising their potential and thrive.
Looking ahead to the event on 14 September, Andrew confirms the team, which includes fellow mentors George Smith and Gillian Summerville pictured below, are getting the miles in and working behind the scenes to push the fundraising effort:
“All of the team are starting to get out on walks at the weekend, especially with the lovely weather we have been experiencing lately. We have also created our fundraising page and are in the preparation stages of making posters and speaking to our partners in the community, so we can spread the word and raise as much money as possible for this worthy cause.”
A route that will take in many iconic sites of Edinburgh, Andrew agrees the walk will provide moments to reflect on steps taken to support his mentee:
“We will most certainly have time to reflect while on our thirteen-mile walk. It will be interesting to think how far not only our mentees have come since we first started on the program, but how we have developed as individuals. We also hope that it will give us a chance to speak to other mentors while on the walk and find out more about their experiences of the program (we do like to chat and thirteen-miles is a long way!)
From fellow mentors as mentioned to further potential organisations and individuals out there; Andrew encourages others to consider taking on the Kiltwalk in support of MCR Pathways:
“Don’t think about it, do it! It is a great change to get outside and experience some fresh air, meet new people and help make a difference in the lives of many young people. At the very least if we can raise awareness of MCR Pathways it can bring not just money to the charity but hopefully bring more mentors into the team, as there are many young people still waiting to be matched.”
A commitment extending beyond fundraising, Semefab works in partnership with MCR Pathways to train and support mentors from the organisation to help young people, from care experienced and wider challenging backgrounds, build confidence, instil self-belief and awaken ambition at Glenwood High School.
Better still, the team had a wonderful opportunity to tell Graeme Dey MSP, Minister for Further and Higher Education and Veterans, all about their mentoring work, alongside young people benefiting from their support, when he visited Glenwood High School earlier this year.
Having reached his one-year mentor milestone recently together with George and Gillian, Andrew reflects on the journey so far and shares his top three qualities he feels mentors should bring to process:
“The MCR Pathways Team has been very helpful, particularly Melanie Reekie and the staff at Glenwood High, who have helped us settle into our new roles quickly. We are shocked as to how fast we have bonded with our mentees and our mentoring sessions are a highlight of the week.
“I would say Patience – as not all mentees will be quick to open-up and this takes time. Bonding with your mentee is not something that can be forced and you must allow the progression to happen on their time and terms. Empathy – having a mentor that can make a mentee feel more understood, less alone in their experiences can be such an empowering tool. When they see that you are not so dissimilar to them, they can find value in themselves. Encouragement – you should always set out to offer encouragement, whether it is to try something new, try a bit harder, try again, giving your mentee that extra bit of confidence will help them reach their potential.”
The partnership between MCR Pathways and Semefab went a step further recently to spark a STEM career aspirations for a group of young people receiving mentoring support:
“Recently we had four students who are under the MCR Pathways program come along to Semefab to see the kind of work we do. During this site visit they were able to see the various departments that make up the company. Often people do not realise the various roles required for an organisation to function effectively.
“The students were able to see first hand people working within these roles and what kind of tasks their job requires. The students were also taken into the heart of Semefab to our Cleanroom Fabrication Facility, where they were required to adhere to cleanroom protocols, donning cleanroom suits, face masks and safety glasses. Here they saw many of our tools manufacturing products and were even given a small introductory training session on how to handle silicon wafers (which are very delicate, so hands were very shaky).”
Andrew, alongside his Semefab colleagues, George and Gillian, work closely with MCR Pathways Coordinator, Melanie Reekie, based at Glenwood High School, in mentoring their young people, who said:
“We are incredibly grateful to Andrew, George and Gillian and the rest of the team at Semefab for the time and support they have given to our school and young people. Their dedication as mentors is truly inspiring, and their genuine passion for supporting both the programme and their mentees shines through in everything they do. Thank you for being such fantastic role models and partners!”
We wish Andrew, George and Gillian all the best with their fantastic fundraising efforts later this year through the Edinburgh Kiltwalk.
Donate in support of Andrew and the team’s Kiltwalk campaign: https://www.justgiving.com/team/semefab
For further information about getting involved in supporting MCR Pathways through the Kiltwalk, please visit: https://mcrpathways.org/kiltwalk/
Interested in finding out more about mentoring with MCR Pathways? Learn more: https://mcrpathways.org/become-a-mentor/
