MCR Pathways has been running our relationship mentoring programme in Highlands and Islands secondary schools since 2021. We are delighted to say that across our eleven schools in the region, over 180 young people from S3 to S6 have been mentored by a supporting adult from the community over the past academic year.
The young people on our programme face challenges in life that mean they may find school more of a struggle than their peers, or need that extra bit of support and encouragement to find their path to a positive post school destination. That’s where our amazing volunteer mentors come in!
Our mentors come from all walks of life and do not need to have had prior experience of mentoring. A mentor spends just one hour per week, during term time, in a school local to their home or work.
We have a number of mentors from businesses and organisations who are members of the Inverness Chamber of Commerce. This is always a fantastic opportunity for young people to gain inspiration for local employment opportunities available and learn from others experiences. Our mentors regularly report back on how much they gain personally and as an employee – such as empathy, listening skills, and understanding next generation employees better.
MCR Pathways carefully matches each mentor and mentee; it’s all about being yourself and allowing a relationship to grow based on your shared hobbies, interests and personality. A mentoring meeting might be a chat, a board game, a kick about with a ball outside, a walk, a guitar jam, some baking, helping to fill out an application…it really varies.
John has just finished S6 at an Inverness secondary school. He started meeting his mentor Andrew in S3 and they have met an incredible 83 times. They recently reflected on their mentoring journey – and the learning definitely goes both ways!
John says, ‘When I first started meeting Andrew, I was finding school really hard. I couldn’t imagine myself ever sitting an exam and thought I would leave at the end of 4th year. I am now at the end of sixth year and just sat three Highers. Andrew helped me to stay on in school when I was struggling. He also helped me apply for work experience, create study plans, work on my driving theory and encouraged me to start a school speed-cubing club. ’
Mentor Andrew says ‘We are so proud of everything John has achieved through his own hard work. He now has a part-time job, is completing his Gold Duke of Edinburgh and has applied for a modern apprenticeship. I’d highly recommend being a mentor, watching John grow in confidence has been so rewarding, and it’s a lot of fun. John taught me how to solve a rubik’s cube in under 30 seconds, I had to keep up with him!’
MCR Pathways are looking for more adults to mentor for one hour per week from August 2025 onwards across high schools in Inverness, Nairn, Dingwall, Alness, Invergordon, Golspie, Wick, Lochaber and Stornoway. You can register at any time in the year.
If you are an individual who would like to know more about mentoring, please visit: https://mcrpathways.org/become-a-mentor/
To find out which schools we are in, please visit: https://mcrpathways.org/where-we-are/
If your business would like to know more about what it means for employees to volunteer as a mentor, we can provide short information sessions in person or virtually. Please get in touch: highland@mcrpathways.org
Watch this short clip to hear mentee Emily’s story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7y7HdVNbZU