MSP Visits Young Person to discuss MCR Manifesto at Inverness High School
30 April 2026
MCR Pathways warmly welcomed Emma Roddick MSP to Inverness High School on 30 March, where she met with a mentored young person.
This visit followed the launch of our manifesto, which calls on the next Scottish Government to commit to a Trusted Adult Guarantee for all young people in Scotland who need one.
The young person had previously taken part in our Child Poverty Consultation, which informed the Scottish Government’s Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan: Bringing Hope, Brighter Futures.
MCR Pathways was invited to be one of only three partners directly involved in developing the plan. As a Lived Experience Partner, young people engaged in the MCR Pathways programme were supported to co-design and participate in a series of roundtable discussions alongside their mentors and other partners.
During the consultation, she strongly advocated for universal provision for young people, emphasising that no one should be left without support. She described it as “vital” that the Scottish Government takes this approach forward.
She spoke with Ms Roddick about the issues most affecting young people in Inverness, and what she hopes to see achieved in the next Parliament. When asked what one action she would want from the next First Minister, she said: “Create more opportunities for young people.”
Trusted Adult Guarantee
A Trusted Adult is a consistent, reliable presence in a young person’s life, playing a vital role within their wider support network. They believe in the young person’s ability to realise their potential and to make informed decisions about their future.
At MCR Pathways, we believe every young person deserves access to a Trusted Adult, someone who will support and guide them on their journey to adulthood.
Throughout all our consultation work with young people in the last year, a prevailing theme was how much they valued the relationships they currently or previously had with their mentors and Pathway Coordinators.
When asked by Ms Roddick why access to a trusted adult was so important, the young person responded “you know you always have someone”. This simple response clearly shows just how important the need for a Trusted Adult Guarantee is for Scotland’s young people, which is why MCR Pathways is advocating for the establishment of a Trusted Adult Guarantee in the next parliamentary term.
MCR Pathway’s Programme in the Highlands
MCR Pathways has been supporting young people in the Highlands since 2021.
So far this academic year, we have supported 256 young people access the support of a trusted adult mentor for a total of 2676 mentoring hours. A further 106 young people are being supported through group work or directly by a pathways coordinator.
Our team highlighted the transformative work MCR Pathways has been doing across the Highlands and Islands since its 2021 launch, and expressed hopes for future expansion following the Scottish Government’s announcement on 12 March of an additional £1 million investment.
They also highlighted recent successes in widening our mentoring provision into community and further education settings elsewhere in Scotland, which they are keen to replicate in the Highlands.
Young Person Voice
Ms Roddick was keen to hear from the young person on what she would like to see happen in Inverness through the next parliament, who voiced her desire to ensure the voices of young people were involved in the much needed discussion surrounding rebuilding communities for the future.
The young person advocated for greater opportunities for young people living in the Highlands and Islands, ensuring more young people can stay within their communities as opposed to traveling to the central belt to pursue aspirational pathways.
The importance of meaningfully including young people in the decision making process across local, regional and national levels was another important topic raised by the young person, who stressed that the voices of young people are just as valuable as adults when sharing lived experience.
Programme Manager for the Highlands and Island, Abby Lucas said: “MCR Pathways and Inverness High School are incredibly proud of Charlee for the vital input she provided to bring the MCR Pathways manifesto to life. Charlee represented the 245 other young people in the Highlands and Islands who are currently being mentored by a trusted adult in our region today, and the many more who will in the future. Emma Roddick’s visit gave Charlee the chance to feel connected to local politics, to ask questions and share what she thinks matters to ensure all young people in Inverness and our other local towns and rural areas can seek progress and access real opportunity.”
We’re asking policymakers to adopt a Trusted Adult Guarantee.
We believe that every young person deserves a Trusted Adult Guarantee: someone who sparks confidence, fuels ambitions, and walks beside them on a journey to a brighter future. That’s why we’re advocating for this through our first-ever manifesto.
To find out more about our policy and influencing work, visit: https://mcrpathways.org/policy-and-influencing/
Want 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, visit mcrpathways.org/become-a-mentor
