SCOTLAND’S Year of Young People will be brought to life this week when the first National Conference of a pioneering schools-based mentoring programme is hosted by the people it was set up to help.

MCR Pathways, which supports those in the care system, is handing the reigns over to its young people to tell their stories at the conference at Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall on Thursday afternoon.

The charity currently supports around 1000 young people but has stated its current ambition is to reach 1000 more.

To achieve that, MCR Pathways needs more mentors to register and train to meet care experienced young people in their own schools for an hour a week and for a minimum of a year.

Currently supporting young people aged between 12 and 18 in every secondary school in Glasgow, MCR Pathways recently launched in Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire and has plans to extend its reach in other Scottish local authorities this year.

Iain MacRitchie, founder of MCR Pathways, said: “For our first National Conference we’re coming together to find solutions and help us support more young people, but we always need to hear from them first to understand our starting point.

“Some of us have rosy memories of our time at school but for others high school represents some of our darkest times with uncertainty, feeling powerless and being treated like children yet being asked to make adult decisions.

"It’s fitting that in the Year of Young People we are empowering those young people to let us see the world as they see it.

“With committed mentors, supportive partners and driven staff, we can all make a world of difference to help these fantastic young people realise their full potential.

"We are rightly proud that we have helped 1000 young people so far, however we need to support another 1000 and we need more mentors to help us do that.

"It’s as life changing for mentors as it is for mentees - so my message to anyone reading this is to join the MCR movement today and help transform the education outcomes, career opportunities and life chances of Scotland’s most disadvantaged young people.”

MCR Pathways delivers its mentoring and talent development programme by providing young people with weekly one-to-one adult time and support.

Working in conjunction with schools, the programme supports young people with volunteer mentors who listen and provide encouragement, which can be transformational for both mentor and mentee.

The charity’s vision is that every care experienced and disadvantaged young person in Glasgow, and soon Scotland, gets the same education outcomes, career opportunities and life chances as every other young person.

Independent research revealed the number of young people enrolled in the programme progressing from school to university, college or a job increased from 48.8 per cent to 81 per cent over three years.

New figures from MCR’s annual Impact Report are expected in the next two weeks.

The first National Conference for MCR Pathways, which celebrated its 10th anniversary last year, will be followed by a Civic Reception.

The event will feature a full schedule of discussions and workshops, with contributions from key speakers, honoured guests, and Young Glasgow Talent Ambassadors.

Find out more about the MCR Pathways programme and the conference at www.mcrpathways.org