Become a Mentor and Change a Life

MCR Pathways is a school-based mentoring programme supporting care-experienced young people and those facing disadvantage to realise their full potential through education.

Its vision is that every young person in England gets the same education outcomes, career opportunities and life  chances as every other young person. The programme is now launching in Hertfordshire and is looking for local volunteer mentors.

MCR recruits, trains, matches and supports amazing volunteer mentors to inspire disadvantaged young  people, in a growing number of secondary schools, to achieve fantastic outcomes: 87.8% of care-experienced pupils achieve at least one qualification at Level 5, compared to 66.8% with their non-mentored counterparts and 81.6% of care-experienced pupils went to university, college or a job compared to 56.3% of non-mentored pupils.

What Young People Say

I opened the results and I thought that can’t be right but it was! If it wasn’t for my Dad and my mentor, I wouldn’t  have been confident in myself enough to try my hardest.

They believed in me when no one else did. Gave me confidence I never thought I would have. My mentor helped me  strive for my best and to stick in at school.

Being a Mentor

Volunteer mentors come from every walk of life. Every young person is unique and MCP Pathways are looking for a diverse range of mentors to be matched. Every job and profession is represented.

No prior experience is needed, just the ability to listen and consistently be there.

What Mentors Say

When you build a good, solid, trusting relationship, you’ll see your young person blossom and a brighter future open  up for them and believe me, there’s no better feeling!

You can’t underestimate how important it is for young people to have someone there for them, someone they can  depend on, who listens. It’s an hour of your time, it will be the best hour of your week.

Liam’s Story

‘Things were awful in every sense, home wise and school wise. I was completely disillusioned by school so I just sat  back and let it all pass by. I had no idea what my future would hold.’

Liam was matched with a mentor who supported and encouraged him. Liam’s confidence and belief grew and he went on to achieve his grades in school and on to university. He graduated with a 2:1 honours degree.

He now has a graduate job and has become a mentor himself to inspire a young person to be defined by their talent
and not their circumstances.

‘Being able to give back what I got, to have the ability to change someone’s life for the better and allow them to find  their potential and confidence, is just an incredible feeling that words can’t describe.’

Become a Mentor

Join the community of committed volunteer mentors who spend one hour a week during school hours. Putting a young person first is the only qualification you need, we will provide all training and support.

As well as playing a vital role in transforming the life of a young person, you will build up much sought after active  listening, relationship building and coaching skills.

Can your organisation help? Become a Partner who encourages and supports staff to become MCR mentors.  Pioneering Partners go even further and engage directly with the young people to provide Talent Tasters, experiences and opportunities.

Find out more and register to be a mentor: www.mcrpathways.org/England or email info@mcrpathways.org.