MCR Pathways and East Renfrewshire Council are supporting young people, who have had an unfair start in life, to find their path, through the power of mentoring.
The partnership is training volunteer adult mentors, from all walks of life, careers and experiences, to dedicate an hour a week to support young people from care-experienced and wider challenging circumstances to see their potential. One-to-one mentoring sessions will help build confidence, instil self-belief and awaken ambition in supporting young people in their educational journey to a positive post-school destinations.
Sessions will be delivered from later this month during term-time in schools, including Barrhead High School, Eastwood High School, Mearns Castle High School, St Luke’s High School, St Ninian’s High School, Williamwood High School, Woodfarm High School.
Already operating across 61 schools in the West of Scotland, MCR Pathways delivered 39,455 volunteer mentor hours in supporting 3531 young people last year, consistently helping to find paths to futures filled with promise, hope and fulfilment.
In the charity’s latest end of year survey for care experienced young people, 95% of respondents said their mentor was a good role model, 85% said mentoring helped instill self-belief and 83% reported improved confidence and a better understanding of their talents and strengths.
The service has enhanced positive post-school destinations for care experienced young people, evidenced in the charity’s latest Impact Report for Scotland, which showed 82% of mentees progressed to college, university, or employment, compared to the national average of 61% last year.
Sharon McIntyre, MCR Pathways Chief Executive Officer, said: “We are delighted to partner with East Renfrewshire Council to enhance our reach across the West of Scotland to help greater numbers of young people to realise their amazing potential and create their own positive futures.
“A trusted adult mentor helps build confidence, provides a listening ear and life experience and understands your worries and dreams, helping you to move toward to realising the fulfilling future you want. Having someone who shows up, listens without judgment, and believes in you—through all of life’s ups and downs —can be the first step toward exciting change and new possibilities.”
Would you like to know more about becoming a volunteer mentor? https://mcrpathways.org/become-a-mentor/
