RESOURCE: MCR Pathways Impact Report

22 June 2018

MCR Pathways impact report reveals exceptional results and rise in prospects for young people. 

 

The achievements of the young people supported by MCR Pathways have contributed to an exceptional year for the school mentoring charity, which published its annual impact report.

 During 2017/18, MCR Pathways has doubled the number of young people it supports each week to over 1300 across all 30 secondary schools within the Glasgow City Council area. It is also working on a national plan, having launched in Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire, which aims to reach 2,500 of the country’s most disadvantaged young people.

 The report shows that 79% of mentored, care-experienced young people are now returning to school after S4, a huge increase on the national baseline for care-experienced young people, which was 22% in the three years prior.

 The charity has also made a significant impact on bridging the attainment gap between care-experienced young people and the average for all young people in Scotland. Over three years, this includes a 40% increase in care-experienced, mentored young people attaining literacy and numeracy at level 4 or above.

 There is now no attainment gap in care-experienced young people achieving five or more subjects at level 4 or above, or one or more subjects at Level 5 and above. The improvement has been dramatic from 59% to 92% and from 52% to 92%, respectively, over the three years.

 Crucially, the report reveals that 86% of mentored care-experienced young people are leaving school and progressing to college, university or employment. This dramatic increase has been achieved against a national average baseline of 54% for care-experienced young people and is again closing the gap on the national average baseline for all young people of 90%.

 MCR Pathways founder Iain MacRitchie said:

“I am completely blown away by the results of our latest impact report and the astonishing progress that our young people have made over the last year.

 “To cite one example, taking a national baseline of 22% of care-experienced young people returning to school in S5 and achieving a 79% average across 15 schools supported by the MCR model is truly quite incredible. Our young people are engaging, achieving, attaining and going on to positive destinations in record numbers.

 “None of this would be possible without our fantastic schools, supportive partners, our dedicated volunteers, our own MCR staff and, most importantly, the brilliant young people we are lucky enough to be able to give that helping hand, which makes all the difference.

 “Glasgow City Council deserves immense credit for its commitment to this programme and it has set the benchmark for MCR Pathways, with our ambition and focus now to replicate this in other areas across Scotland.

 “Reaching and helping more young people can only be achieved with the support of our volunteers – but, as always, we promise that the experience will be every bit as transformational for them.”

 Maureen McKenna, Executive Director of Education, Glasgow City Council, said:

“The results and outcomes in last year’s impact report were so impressive, but the bar has been raised again with more and more of our young people achieving better results and positive destinations – employment, training, further and higher education.

 “Every young person in Glasgow has talent. This programme is identifying, nurturing and encouraging that talent in the young people whom might need an extra bit of support or nudge to believe in themselves – for a variety of different reasons.

 “Our schools do an amazing job and the MCR mentors and talent taster sessions complement this work beautifully.

 “Now that we have pathway co-ordinators and mentors in every secondary school in Glasgow I can only predict that next years’ report will raise the bar once again and be the best ever.”

 Annemarie O’Donnell, Chief Executive, Glasgow City Council, said:

“In 2017 I made a pledge on behalf of the council that will see 10% of our workforce becoming MCR mentors or be a part of Talent Taster sessions over the next few years.

 “I have now been a mentor for the last couple of months, so can say from experience how rewarding the programme is – for both the young person and the mentor. I am delighted to endorse the impact report and the evidence demonstrates that by embedding the programme into our schools’ core business, our young people are reaping the benefits.”

 For more information about the work of MCR Pathways including how to volunteer as a mentor, visit http://mcrpathways.org/