The Young Surrey Talent Programme

The Young Surrey Talent Programme is run in collaboration with MCR Pathways.

MCR Pathways was founded in 2007 to address the gap in life chances and
educational outcomes between young people who have experienced disadvantage,
for any number of reasons, and their peers.

The MCR Charity was established to support young people, including those who are
care-experienced or who have been recommended by their school as being able to
benefit from the programme, to help them realise their full potential through
education. This is enacted through our school-based mentoring programme –
matching young people with a fully trained volunteer mentor.

Mentors meet with their young person for one hour in school each week to provide a
regular opportunity for the young person to focus on their future, talk through any
concerns, or just share thoughts and experiences.

A mentor is simply an added source of support; someone there to listen, encourage,
and help young people to reach their potential. Together, we can help young people
get the best out of school, increase their confidence, boost their qualifications, gain
meaningful experiences, and increase their career options after school.

Our onsite Pathways Coordinator not only works with groups of Year 7 and Year 8
students but also works closely with MCR staff to ensure students are accurately
matched with a mentor from Year 9 onwards.

Mentoring has been shown to make a life-changing difference in:

Confidence & Relationships

●    Confidence, belief and self-esteem
●    Communication and relationship skills
●    Motivation, commitment and resilience

Education & Employment

●    School attendance and engagement
●    Attainment and staying on rates
●    Progression to college, university and employment
●    Better career options and life chances

Inspiring Young People

●    Health, wellbeing and self-worth
●    Becoming responsible and role models
●    Inspiring people and communities

Since launching in Hertfordshire in 2021, we have worked with schools to support hundreds of young people to realise their talent throughout the county. Evidence that the programme works is clear with increased attendance, wellbeing and reduced sanctions amongst young people engaged with the programme and we are excited to have launched the programme in Surrey in 2023.

Currently, MCR has a need for more mentors across Surrey. Every potential volunteer has something to give. If you or someone you know is able to give just one hour a week to support a young person please either visit www.mcrpathways.org to sign up or ask to speak to your school’s Pathways Coordinator who can provide further information.

We request potential volunteers don’t engage in mentoring at a school in which they have or will have a child enrolled. We suggest that mentors consider alternative schools for mentoring opportunities, such as those near your place of work or home.