Meet MCR Pathways: The charity helping Herts teenagers reach their potential

Published by the The Comet

By Pearce Bates

MCR Pathways is a charity that aims to help young people to “unlock their potential”.

The organisation assigns a mentor to each young person. (Image: MCR Pathways)

The organisation achieves this by assigning a mentor to each young person, to help them “realise their skills and progress onto a positive destination”.

These mentors are encouraged to “be the bridge” between a young person’s talent and reaching their potential.

The charity delivers programmes in 86 schools across 17 areas of the United Kingdom, including Hertfordshire.

It was established in Glasgow in 2007, but only began a nationwide expansion in 2018.

The charity began delivering programmes in Hertfordshire in 2021, following the launch of the Young Herts Talent (YHT) partnership.

The YHT partnership has seen pupils matched with mentors in eleven secondary schools across the county.

The full list of schools is included below:

Stevenage

  • Marriotts;
  • The Thomas Alleyne;
  • The Nobel;
  • Barclay Academy;
  • Barnwell.

Hertford

  • Simon Balle.

Cheshunt

  • Goffs Academy;
  • Haileybury.

Tring

  • Tring School.

Watford

  • Future Academies.

Hemel Hempstead

  • Longdean School.

According to the YHT website: “Our mentors come from all walks of life.

“They support the young person they’re matched with through one-to-one mentoring sessions in school for one period a week.

“The YHT programme also offers Talent Tasters – bite-sized experiences of college, university and employment.”

The programme claims that benefits of this system include improved confidence and wellbeing, increased school attendance, improved educational performance, increased focus and fewer behavioural challenges.

MCR Pathways told the Comet: “MCR Pathways is a charity which believes that young people’s backgrounds or circumstances should not determine their future.

“We run a relationship-based mentoring programme that matches young people with volunteer mentors from all walks of life who help #BeTheBridge between a young person’s talent and reaching their potential.

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