MCR Pathways will provide its award-winning mentoring programme for young people in a further 17 secondary schools, launching in 4 new local authorities. This will ensure vulnerable young people from 103 schools both North and South of the border will be able to benefit from the life-changing programme.
MCR’s programme supports young people, who are care-experienced or would benefit from support, by matching them with a volunteer mentor. At the core of the MCR programme are weekly mentoring sessions between a young person and their mentor, who listens and provides encouragement.
The programme will be rolled out over the coming weeks to schools in new regions Dundee, Falkirk, Fife and Inverclyde. They join Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Clackmannanshire, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Highland, North Ayrshire, Perth & Kinross, Shetland, South Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire. MCR also began supporting its first English schools in late 2021, working with 9 schools in Hertfordshire.
Research has shown that MCR mentoring makes a statistically significant impact on young people’s rates of staying-on for 5th and 6th year, attainment, and progression to positive destinations.
Fay Gingell, CEO said: “We are absolutely delighted to be launching our mentoring programme in 4 further new areas. It’s incredibly rewarding to know that young people throughout the length and breadth of Scotland are now being given this opportunity.
“Our team is committed to helping every young person ensure their future is determined by their talent, not their circumstances. We are seeing across Scotland the transformational difference that positive relationships and role models can make to young people, not to mention the powerful impact it also has on the mentors.”
“We would be delighted to hear from local people who are interested in becoming a mentor in these regions. We are keen to move quickly to help the young people we have already identified that would really benefit from this life-changing support.”
“MCR Pathways work in partnership with each of the local authorities in which they operate and have the backing of the Scottish Government and The Hunter Foundation enabling them to continue their expansion in Scotland.”
Further information on the MCR Pathways programme and how to become a mentor is available at www.mcrpathways.org. Volunteers will be fully trained and supported throughout – they just need to give an hour per week to change a life.
