The MCR family is filled with so many wonderful people – from our magnificent mentors, pioneering partners, superb staff, and YES, our fabulous young people. Wheatley Group, one of our earliest partners, not only supports its staff to mentor but has also supported the MCR Central team. Through their support, we’ve been able to grow our Talent Taster team and give young people the opportunities they deserve to find, grow and use their talents.
Now sadly we say goodbye to Nicola Crown, as she’s going back to Wheatley Group to follow a new challenge. But, once you’re in the MCR family you never really leave. Nicola has signed up to become a mentor and will continue making a huge difference to our young people! Thank you Wheatley Group and Nicola for all the amazing work you’re doing for the young people in Glasgow!
Nicola’s MCR Experience
I’VE just returned from an amazing, thought-provoking opportunity to see first-hand the real difference that MCR Pathways mentors make to the lives of young people in Glasgow.
I was seconded to work with MCR Pathways, a schools-based mentor programme in Glasgow supporting young people to realise their potential through education.
Wheatley supports MCR Pathways by not only giving staff the opportunity to mentor a young person to find, grow and use their talents – it also provides staff to work in its talent taster team. I am privileged to have been part of that team.
Part of my role was to create opportunities for organisations to showcase the different job roles they have. Young people got the chance to experience these jobs for two or three hours – and learn what qualifications they’d need to land that job. Sometimes these talent tasters sparked more interest in the role from the young person, other times they helped the young person decide it wasn’t for them.
I experienced some amazing talent tasters during my time – everything from being a graphic designer to being a paramedic at Glasgow Caledonian University. A visit to Clyde One to meet George Bowie was a real highlight. (Did you know Clyde One has its own swimming pool? No, me neither…) Beforehand, the young people were joking about maybe meeting George himself and getting a shout out on the GBX. Seeing them all star-struck when he actually walked into the room was just brilliant!
#GiveAnHour
During my time at MCR Pathways, I got to hear first-hand about the difference a mentor makes to these young people’s lives. Who’d have thought that 50 minutes a week from a mentor could change a young person’s world?
I’m not sure I did. But now, after listening to the young people speak so highly of their mentors, I’ve totally changed my opinion. So much so I’ve signed up to be a mentor. Now I’m waiting to be matched up with a young person.
I also realised it’s fundamental for our future that every young person gets the same opportunities in life.
Remember what it was like when you were 15 years old? Think about how much difference a mentor could have made to your opportunities in life.
Now it’s your chance. What are you waiting for?
