We are delighted to announce that Abby Lucas, Programme Manager, Highland and Western Isles, North Region will represent MCR Pathways UK at Iceland Innovation Week 2025.
Taking place in Reykjavík from May 12–16, the annual event brings together global innovators, entrepreneurs, and investors to explore transformative ideas across sectors such as education, social issues, sustainability, technology, and many more.
Abby will join leaders from over fifteen businesses and social enterprises from the Highlands and Islands, funded by the Northern Innovation Hub, a team within HIE (Highlands and Islands Enterprise) dedicated to supporting enterprises to develop, grow and build resilience to benefit local communities. The Northern Innovation Hub is funded from the UK Government as part of the Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal.
The event welcomed over 3500 delegates last year from over twenty countries, establishing a reputation for delivering bold, vibrant and thought provoking approaches to sharing innovative ideas, and promoting collaborative impact to solving many important issues in the spirit of social responsibility.
Attending the event underscores our shared commitment to expanding our cross sector learning on evidence based and emerging innovative practice across the international community.
For MCR Pathways, the power of relational practice is in itself truly transformational to any industry and Country.
Our focus of ensuring young people, who’ve had the most unfair start in life, have someone to help them find their path – is an international skills and education priority. The power of personalised relationship based mentoring across the Highlands and Western Islands is evidenced through the improvement in educational outcomes, enhancement of employability prospects for young people and critical support to local economies.
The experience presents an exciting new opportunity to showcase the social impact of MCR Pathways’ work to enhance awareness, foster potential international/regional Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), ethical business partnerships, and explore new funding opportunities.
With a diverse, engaging agenda in place, including keynote speeches, workshops, and networking sessions, the event provides an ideal platform to connect with potential partners and supporters in strengthening our mission to support young people from care-experienced backgrounds and those experiencing wider challenging circumstances.
This academic year has seen three hundred and sixteen young people participate in mentoring or group working sessions delivered across the Highlands and Western Isles.
Attending Iceland Innovation Week is about building on momentum gained to secure vital future business partnerships and philanthropy support, to maintain and grow mentorship programme relationships and group work sessions taking place in schools throughout Inverness, Dingwall, Alness, Invergordon, Golspie, Wick, Nairn, Lochaber, the Western Isles and beyond.
MCR Pathways secured investment as an ‘enterprising’ organisation from working collaboratively with Highland and Islands Enterprise to attend this event. Our partner, Skills Development Scotland (SDS) was also instrumental in that collaboration. SDS ensured we are connected to emerging HIE opportunities for learning and development across Sectors to serve the region.
Abby looks ahead to her experience in Iceland later this month:
“The learning journey will provide meaningful opportunities for fundraising and volunteering, enabling us to connect with Highland and Islands businesses and entrepreneurs who can provide advice, inspiration and co-create with us; providing opportunities to promote their expertise and experience to young people, to empower the next generation of young leaders.
“At a time of funding crises in the public sector, and the cost of living impacting on the lives of local young people, external fundraising has become crucial to sustain and grow our work. This journey will provide an opportunity to collaborate on fundraising and media initiatives, raise awareness and secure essential funds for the programme, whilst fostering lasting connections that positively impact young people and the wider community.”
Are you attending Iceland Innovation Week, and would like to speak to Abby?
Email – abby.lucas@mcrpathways.org
Find out more about Iceland Innovation Week 2025: https://www.innovationweek.is/
