We were delighted to hear from Caitlin recently. Having achieved a degree in Theatre Studies from the University of Glasgow, Caitlin has progressed to a PDGE course in Edinburgh. All of which is paving an exciting path to realising her dream of becoming a secondary school drama teacher.
The spark that ignited that dream, and the role her mentoring experience with MCR Pathways played, is something we wanted to explore further, so we caught up with Caitlin to find out more.
Starting off with asking what the word ‘mentoring’ means to her, Caitlin said: “For me mentoring means support. Knowing that you have someone in your corner to listen and to guide you. I had support from my family however it’s different when you hear that someone else believes in you. It doesn’t feel like an obligated support, they’ve chosen to work alongside me and help in whichever ways feel natural to them.
“It’s more like having a friend that you can talk to about anything. Having a mentor was a level of support I was hesitant with at first. I didn’t exactly know what it meant or if it tagged me with a certain label. Being a teenager is a stressful and important part of anyone’s life and I struggled with the changes that adulthood was bringing me. In having a mentor I was able to frequently check in with my mental and physical health along with the educational aspects of my life.”
Moving on to important qualities a mentor should have, Caitlin said: “I think a perfect mentor depends on the pupil and connection. Ultimately a mentor should be friendly, supportive and understanding. All of the other personality traits are just a bonus.”
The power of connection can achieve incredible transformational change helping young people to build confidence, overcome unique challenges and re-imagine what the future may look like.
It’s very common paths to future success are seldom linear and this certainly proved the case for Caitlin: “My mentor was wonderful, she was a very creative woman with a bit of fiest and a love for the arts. In a way she made me think of how I would like to be in the future. She was more than supportive; she helped me shape my career. At the time, I really wanted to be an architect and she helped me get all the resources I needed when looking at the courses I could do.
“When I was 17 and leaving school I spent so much time stressing about what I wanted to be or what I wanted to do. My mentor opened my eyes to a world of opportunity outside school and her support allowed me to attend different courses that helped me get into art school.
“I was so scared of doing nothing with my life that I jumped straight into a university course that I didn’t quite have the mathematical skills for. However, my mentor was very supportive and encouraged me to try different things. My mentor let me know that it’s not always a mistake if something doesn’t go to plan. Sometimes it’s just experience. Now my life is different and I’ve chosen a different career path, however the knowledge she’s given me has stayed with me since.”
Reflecting on what her future looks like now, Caitlin continues: “My plans for the future are to become a drama teacher, buy my own house and potentially start a family.”
When asked what her words would be to a young person thinking about getting a mentor, Caitlin said: “Do it! It’s such a supportive and caring community that offers young people a range of different opportunities. I’ve attended short courses and built my CV, I’ve met artists and performed in Kelvingrove to a live audience. I’ve met so many amazing people, some of which I still speak to today. Without this support at such a critical stage in my development I’m unsure where I would be.”
Would you like to find out more about becoming a mentor to help a young person, like Caitlin, to find a path to a brighter future? https://mcrpathways.org/become-a-mentor/
