PRESS RELEASE | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday 09 April 2025
MCR Pathways and South Lanarkshire Council have announced an expansion of its mentorship service to ensure young people, who have had the most unfair start in life, have someone to help them find their path.
The expansion to 11 further secondary schools builds on a six-year partnership, which has delivered 16,654 volunteer mentoring hours in currently supporting 863 young people across 9 schools to talk about the things that matter, build confidence, instil belief, awaken ambitions and expand their future horizons.
The impact it can deliver for these young people, many from care-experienced and wider challenging backgrounds, is truly immesurable in raising educational attainment, career aspiration, life-chances, and much more.
Research shows care-experienced young people who do not receive MCR Pathways mentorship support are 23% less likely to progress to college, university, or employment compared to those who do.
A young person receiving mentoring through the partnership reflects on how support received can help promote wellbeing and instil a mindset for future success:
“It has given me a place to de-stress and relax from troubles happening in my life. A better mindset leads to better work ethic for school and many other things. I feel like I have been improving ever since I started talking to my mentor.”
Requiring no prior experience, simply commitment, mentors, from all walks and stages in life, are supported by the partnership to dedicate an hour a week in supporting these young people across South Lanarkshire.
The charity has launched a call for greater numbers of adults, aged over eighteen, across the region, from all backgrounds, to consider dedicating an hour a week to mentor a young person.
Caroline Barret’s passion for mentoring at Lanark and Calderside Academies in helping three young people to realise their potential has led to a journey of self-improvement, highlighting a strong transactional link to mentoring connections:
“I am really proud to say that I am a Mentor with MCR Pathways. I’ve learned so much through the young people – it’s making me a much better, kinder person. I think many young people don’t often realise the potential they have and mentoring is about making an investment, letting them find their potential, which is truly limitless.”
Sharon McIntyre, Chief Executive Officer of MCR Pathways, expresses the importance of listening to the voice of young people to drive informed decision forward in meeting their specific support needs across South Lanarkshire and beyond:
“Our phenomenal team, partners and mentors continue to work together in realising our ambition of operating in every secondary school across South Lanarkshire.
“We want to do much more beyond that ambition. Challenging fiscal times requires significant adaptability, flexibility and agility, and we have listened to the voice of young people to develop a new strategy to evolve support models in the future.
“From our present services within South Lanarkshire secondary schools, to post-school mentoring and supporting young people back into school bridging the gap between schools and the community, we will ensure mentoring is available to all.”
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Editors Notes:
MCR Pathways started working in partnership with South Lanarkshire in 2019 to deliver mentorship services in Trinity High School, Stonelaw High School, Cathkin High School, Calderside Academy, St John Ogilvie High School and Hamilton Grammar. Holy Cross High School, Larkhall Academy and Lanark Grammar were added to the partnership portfolio in 2022.
New schools included within the expansion – Biggar High School, Lesmahagow High School, Carluke High School, Strathaven Academy, Calderglen High School, Sanderson High School, St Andrews and St Brides High School, Duncanrig High School, Uddingston Grammar, Rutherglen High School and Kear Campus.
The charity is running digital information sessions for those interested in mentoring across South Lanarkshire throughout April –
South Lanarkshire Council & MCR Pathways Information Session 15/4 at 10am
South Lanarkshire Council & MCR Pathways Information Session 17/4 at 12pm
South Lanarkshire Council & MCR Pathways Information Session 21/4 at 4pm
For further information, please contact Gary Seath – gary.seath@mcrpathways.org (Strategic Communications Lead).
About MCR Pathways:
When you’ve had the most unfair start in life, you can lose your way for the rest of your life. You need someone to help you find your path. MCR Pathways is committed to ensuring everyone has someone to help them find their way.
Through no fault of their own, care-experienced and young people facing challenges are affected by a significant gap in outcomes compared to their peers. They aren’t reaching their potential—but mentoring can change that.
The charity partners with schools, local authorities and businesses to train mentors from all walks of life to provide guidance, hope, and encouragement in building confidence, overcoming challenges, awakening ambition and much more.
Mentors provide simply one hour a week to mentoring a young person at a local school; a commitment that can achieve a truly immeasurable impact that lasts a lifetime, putting young people on a path of fulfillment, promise and hope.
