School is out for summer and while the hallways are quiet, teachers and other school staff are still hard at work. One of our most important partnerships is the one we have with our schools. Everyday, our Pathways Coordinators work alongside their school colleagues in a joint effort to help young people find, grow and use their talents. And each week, our mentors come into the schools and provide another outstretched hand of support.
Relationships Make the Difference
“I think a big part of the success lies in the relationship between the school and the MCR team. We share the common goal in the interest of the young people. And we want to work very closely with the team. They want to work very closely with the school to make sure that the support we put in place for each young person is absolutely right for that individual.” Said St. Roch’s Headteacher Stephen Stone.
We spoke with staff from schools on opposite ends of the city about their experiences working with MCR. Again and again, we heard that mentors provide that essential extra support and individual attention that have allowed pupils from some of the most challenging backgrounds to thrive.
St Roch’s Secondary School
At St Roch’s secondary, Depute Head Tommy Donnelly told us about a particular young person who received enormous benefit from his mentor.
“I can think of one person in our school just now who’s in the senior phase who’s had a transformative difference due the impact of the MCR programme. Specifically with the interaction he’s had with his mentor. The young person, looking back 2-3 years ago, was at real risk of disengagement. But slowly, over time, due to the impact we’ve had with his mentor we’ve seen a shift in him. His overall demeanor and the way interacts has started to change as well. He’s more interested in his studies and he’s got aspirations now to move onto something positive post school. That was a clear indication, yet again, on the impact a mentor makes.”
Knightswood Secondary School
At Knightswood, we sat down with Depute Head Teacher John Hood and S5 Pupil Megan to talk about their experiences.
“It’s been significant the impact that we’ve seen in pupils. They’re attending better, behaving better, attaining better qualifications, and staying on at school longer. They’re getting the skills and the maturity to get that positive destination when they do decide to leave, usually between 5th and 6th year. They’ve actually been staying on for the full 6 years, which is incredible.” Explained John Hood.
Megan told us about her very personal experience.
“I really didn’t want to be here, I just hated school. I tried my hardest to push everyone who tried to help me away from me. Just leave me alone, just let me do what I was going to do. I tried my hardest to get everybody off my back basically.
The biggest difference is my behaviour. And my confidence. I wouldn’t been able to sit here and talk to you right now, had it been second year there’s no way I would have done it. I would have been like ‘no, see you later.”
Thank you to all the schools we work with – thank you for welcoming us into your family and for doing such a wonderful job supporting our city’s young people!
#SouthSideSignUp
When school opens in August we’re going to have more than 700 young people who still need mentors. Right now, we’re doing a strong push to help our newer Southside schools find the mentors they need. The Southside schools, like Castlemilk, St Margaret Mary’s, Kings Park, Holyrood and Shawlands, are filled with wonderful young people – can you join our #SouthSideSignup to support them?
We need your help to reach all young people like Megan in our schools – to help them enjoy and thrive in school. Can you or someone you know become a mentor?
