A SCHEME that mentors care experienced school pupils could expand to support every young person in Glasgow.

Glasgow City Council's Chief Executive Annemarie O'Donnell has announced a commitment to have at least 10 per cent of the council workforce taking part in its mentoring project.

But the founder of the project, MCR Pathways, Iain MacRitchie, went one step further, saying he would like to grow the scheme to support any pupil who might need it.

Mr MacRitchie said: "The education system is good, there's no question of that, teachers are very committed, but what they are is time restricted.

"So they look at groups and any individual who cannot necessarily stay the course, if you miss a little bit, you drop off, you're disciplined, you're missing more than people maybe understand or realise.

"Everyone who needs it, who needs that additional support, doesn't fit within the education system, the way the education system is set up.

"So while our immediate target is to recruit 1000 mentors, we want everybody who needs one to get one."

Mr MacRitchie spoke at the official announcement of the authority's pledge to encourage around 1800 council employees to taking up a mentoring roll with MCR Pathways.

Mentors become personal advisors and trusted confidantes to Glasgow's most vulnerable and care experienced children and young people.

In the 10 years since the scheme was founded, it has been established in 15 city secondary schools and supports hundreds of young people.

Analysis of the programme in 2015/16 showed the return to school rate for S5 mentored young people across six schools was 87 per cent.

This compared to non-mentored care experienced young people at 31 per cent.

In 2015, 73 per cent of mentored school leavers went onto further or higher education and employment compared to the national average of 51 per cent.

The aim of the MCR model is to raise attainment and aspiration in young people who do not have a steady adult influence in their lives.

Mentors, who are fully trained by MCR, commit to meet their mentee at least one hour a week over two years to offer guidance and support.

The target is to have 1000 active mentors in place across Glasgow’s secondary schools by December 2018.

Council staff who sign up to take part in the MCR scheme will be given paid leave for volunteering.

Liam Murray became involved with MCR when he was in first year at St Andrew's RC Secondary, in Carntyne, and was paired with mentor Donna Cunningham in his third year.

On starting secondary, Liam's literacy skills were at primary three level and his schooling had been interrupted from moving between foster placements and homeless accommodation.

Last year Donna had the privilege of attending Liam's university graduation and will attend the 23-year-old's wedding.

With a degree under his belt and a full time job, Liam is an MCR Pathway success story - and has recently become a mentor.

He said: "I would be nowhere near any of that without this, nowhere near it.

"I 100 per cent credit this for turning things around for me. I can recognise how much I have changed and how it put me on a path to finding talents I didn't know I had.

"I've had strong help from my mum but with everything else she had going on, her challenges, it helped to have a person there for me every week who did not need to be there."

Donna, who works in senior management at St Andrew's, added: "It is not about solving young people's problems, it is about empowering them to find their own solutions to their problems.

"Along the way there was a lot of tough love and some very good heart-to-hearts and he was never allowed to use his situation as an excuse.

"The other beautiful thing about Liam's success is that he broke the mould for his family and his two young sisters now studying, one at Glasgow Caledonian and one an HND.

"I look at Liam now and I am so, so proud of him."

Iain added: “Glasgow has just radically redefined what being a corporate parent means.

"It is simply now about being a parent committed to helping all its care experienced and vulnerable young people on an individual basis to find, grow and use their talents.

"Through the MCR mentoring and talent taster programmes we will bridge potential with opportunity and policy with actions and results. The city’s young people will be defined by their talents and not their circumstances.”

Can you help a young person realise their full potential and be defined by their talent not their circumstances or postcode?

The Herald and Evening Times are supporting the Young Glasgow Talent campaign by MCR Pathways to recruit mentors and organisations for its schools based mentoring and talent taster programme.

The charity supports disadvantaged young people and especially those in or on the edges of the care system to realise their full potential through education.

Founded in 2007 and developed in one school over five years, the programme now supports over 500 young people aged between 12 to 18 in fifteen Glasgow schools, with a citywide expansion plan and national ambition.

More disadvantaged young Glaswegians are signing up for mentors to help them overcome barriers and inequality to be all they can be. One hour a week and a willingness to put a young person first are all you need. You'll make and experience a life-changing difference in helping a young person to find, grow and use their talents.

MCR Pathways will provide all the training and support you need. For more information or to register, please go to www.youngglasgowtalent.org, email info@mcrpathways.org or call us on 0141 221 6642. 

MCR Pathways is a pioneering partnership of the MCR Foundation and Glasgow City Council and actively supported by an increasing number of Glasgow’s key organisations including Wheatley Group, Glasgow Life, The Herald, Glasgow Kelvin College, SECC, University of Strathclyde, Santander and Glasgow Chamber of Commerce. All are committed to closing the attainment gap and a radical improvement in the outcomes for the young people. The MCR Pathways’ vision is that disadvantaged young people will have the same educational outcomes, career opportunities and life chances as any other young person.