Business leaders sign up to support MCR Pathways

A school-based mentoring programme has appointed some of Scotland's 'sharpest minds' from the business, education and the third ­sector to help it expand.

Iain MacRitchie, founder, chairman and trustee of MCR Pathways. Picture: Malcolm Cochrane

Glasgow-based MCR Pathways has announced its new national advisory group, including Sandy Begbie, group organisation and culture integration director Standard Life Aberdeen; Wheatley Group chief executive Martin Armstrong; and Lena Wilson, non-executive director at Royal Bank of Scotland, Intertek and Scottish Power Renewables.

The charity supports young people in or on the edges of the care system through weekly one-to-one mentoring.

The advisory group will help the charity reach 2,000 disadvantaged young people and operate in ten local authorities in the next two years.

Founder Iain MacRitchie said: “We’ve been able to attract the support of some of the very sharpest minds in Scotland but, more than that, we’ve enlisted people who absolutely buy in to the MCR model and who are as committed as we are to the expansion of the work we do across Scotland. We all want to live in a Scotland where every ­disadvantaged young person is defined by his or her potential and talent and never their circumstances. ”

Begbie added: “It is vital we give all young people the best opportunity to fulfil their potential. They have so much to offer and contribute to our society here in Scotland.”