MCR Pathways expresses sincere gratitude to Jackie Baillie MSP for Dumbarton for lodging a motion of support highlighting the impact of our schools-based mentoring service across Scotland.
It follows a recent visit Jackie Baillie MSP made to Hermitage Academy, Helensburgh, alongside colleague Paul O’Kane MSP, to learn about our work in ensuring young people, who have experienced the most unfair start in life, have someone to find their path, through the power of mentoring.
We greatly appreciate the impact of our early intervention model was highlighted by Jackie Baillie MSP. Moreover, the wider societal impacts mentoring can deliver, such as developing a skilled young workforce, helping communities thrive by feeding into Best Start, Brighter Futures programmes, enhancing wellbeing, delivering The Promise for care-experienced young people and, overall, contributing to a fairer, more equal society.
MCR Pathways supported 6354 young people from care experienced and wider challenging situations, across Scotland last year. Of that number, 3531 (56%) are supported in the West of Scotland, witnessing a 15% increase in young people being mentored in 61 schools, compared to the previous year.
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.
Our latest end of year survey for care experienced young people evidenced that 95% said a mentor was a good role model, 85% said mentoring helped instill self-belief and 83% said it both improved their confidence and helped them understand their talents and strengths.
We warmly invite further MSPs to get behind our call for greater numbers of adults, aged over eighteen, and from all backgrounds, to come forward to dedicate an hour a week to mentor young people that require help to find their path towards a future of hope, fulfillment and promise.
Please contact our Engagement and Policy Team to find out more about supporting our work
