Volunteer mentors urgently sought in South Lanarkshire to support local young people
National mentoring charity MCR Pathways has launched an urgent call for volunteer mentors in South Lanarkshire as part of National Mentoring Month, encouraging adults to give just one hour a week to support young people.
The charity is inviting adults from all walks of life to help young people build confidence, overcome challenges and reimagine what their future could look like. All mentors receive full training and ongoing support, enabling them to draw on their own life experiences and personal qualities to make a meaningful difference.
Young people like Claire have already experienced the benefits of mentoring. She said: “My mentor has a lot of life experience and has pushed me to try my best no matter the circumstances. Having a mentor is great for building confidence, having someone to talk to and helping to decide career paths and make choices.”
Last year, more than 84,000 volunteering hours were delivered by MCR Pathways to support 5,930 young people across Scotland. Research consistently shows that having one trusted adult who shows up consistently can be transformational for young people.
The charity’s most recent survey found that 99% of mentored young people who responded said their mentor was a great role model, 96% said mentoring improved their confidence, and 95% said it helped them with goal setting.
Signing up to become a mentor is quick and easy and takes place online via the charity’s website. Volunteers complete five simple steps and no academic, professional or special qualifications are required. Mentors must be over 21 years old and are subject to PVG and reference checks.
For many volunteers, mentoring has also proved to be personally rewarding. Frazer, a volunteer mentor, said: “The best thing about mentoring a young person is that it keeps you grounded and gives you the opportunity to step away from day-to-day life for an hour and focus on something truly rewarding.
“It’s also a great way to develop your communication skills, as you often need to explain things differently. Getting a young person’s perspective on the world is invaluable.”
Sharon McIntyre, Chief Executive Officer of MCR Pathways, said: “Mentoring has been shown to significantly improve school attendance, increase achievement, awaken ambition and open pathways to brighter futures after school.
“I warmly encourage anyone in South Lanarkshire who can bring kindness, good listening skills and a solution-focused approach to come forward and become a volunteer mentor.”
MCR Pathways award-winning mentoring service is looking for mentors to support pupils attending Biggar, Carluke, Lesmahagow and Holy Cross High Schools, as well as Strathaven and Larkhall Academies.
To find out more or sign up as a volunteer mentor, visit: www.mcrpathways.org/become-a-mentor
