CentreStage Gets behind MCR Pathways Manifesto
3 March 2026
We are thrilled to announce that CentreStage has officially signed a joint statement in support of MCR Pathways Manifesto.
It’s all about building collaborative power. Together, we’re asking policymakers to adopt a Trusted Adult Guarantee, ensuring every young person who needs one has a trusted adult volunteer mentor to find a path to a brighter future across Scotland.
“At CentreStage, we offer community-based mentoring, in partnership with MCR Pathways, to reach even greater numbers of young people who may benefit from a Trusted Adult mentor,” says CentreStage Founder, Fiona McKenzie OBE
Fiona continues: “That’s why we are proud to stand behind the charity’s Manifesto call for a national Trusted Adult Guarantee. For many young people – particularly those facing unique challenges within an educational setting – community-based support is the best option, delivered in a place where they are truly comfortable.”
“Having a Trusted Adult in their corner can be the key to stepping forward into opportunity. A national entitlement to a Trusted Adult would send a powerful message: that no young person in Scotland should have to navigate their future alone. It is a practical, meaningful step towards ensuring every young person has the confidence to fulfil their potential.”
At the heart of our Manifesto is a call to policymakers to adopt a Trusted Adult Guarantee. The Trusted Adult Guarantee will help young people to forge paths to brighter futures, positively impacting these crucial policy areas:
- Delivering The Promise in full by 2030
- Widening Access to Further and Higher Education
- Tackling Child Poverty
- Championing Volunteering
Read our Manifesto
Read our ManifestoAchieving our first milestone with CentreStage
Since launching our community-based mentoring service in Kilmarnock in June, we have reached an exciting milestone: our first four mentoring matches are now officially underway.
By moving beyond the traditional school day into a flexible, evening-based community model, we are reaching young people in East Ayrshire who benefit from support in a familiar, local setting. This approach is vital in areas where youth unemployment has traditionally been higher than the Scottish average, providing a bridge to confidence, improved attainment, and positive post-school destinations.
Katie Brown, Programme Manager for North Ayrshire, added: “Our partnership with CentreStage highlights what’s possible when organisations with aligned values come together around young people. At MCR Pathways, we believe in the power of community to create lasting change, and working alongside CentreStage shows that strong partnership working doesn’t just sound good, it creates real impact. When we bring our shared commitment together, young people feel seen, supported and believed in, and that’s where real change begins.”
Join us in taking action
At MCR Pathways, we believe real change is built on unity and leveraging the collective strength of our network and the ecosystem driving systemic change. Work with us to generate greater collaborative power behind our Manifesto.
Contact our policy team
Contact our policy teamWant to know more about becoming a volunteer mentor?
You don’t need to have any special qualifications or all of the answers; you just need an hour a week to listen and be in a young person’s corner.
To find out more about becoming a mentor and making a difference in your community, visit: mcrpathways.org/become-a-mentor
