A mentoring venture based at the University of Strathclyde is seeking volunteers with a background in Chemistry, to help inspire school pupils to pursue studies and careers in the subject.
The Intergenerational Mentoring Network is recruiting people with experience in Chemistry to support young people with the potential to take it into higher education and on to scientific professions.
The collaboration with the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) is to bring in mentors, who could be former scientists, researchers or teachers, and who can assist the pupils in planning their futures with confidence.
Educational inequality
The Network, which operates as a not-for-profit Community Interest Company (CIC), uses a research and development model to address educational inequality and to pioneer innovative practice that can impact the lives of children and young people. Network mentors have supported more than 1000 young people since the project began in 2010.
It is active in several areas of Glasgow, including Easterhouse, Scotstoun, Knightswood, Whiteinch and Pollokshields, as well as Kirkintilloch in East Dunbartonshire and Alloa in Clackmannanshire.
RSC has awarded the Network a grant of £10,000 from its Outreach Fund.
Access opportunities
Dr Alastair Wilson, a Senior Research Fellow in Strathclyde’s Institute of Education and a Director of the Intergenerational Mentoring Network, said: “There is a great need to open up Chemistry as a subject with numerous career options. The young people on our programme need support and encouragement to learn about and access these opportunities.
"People who come from working-class backgrounds are often told that if they just work hard and get grades, they’ll progress but it’s often more complicated than this. We aim to break down these barriers.
“Our mentoring programmes have become increasingly community-focused and not just based at schools, but it still very much has an educational focus.
“There will be school pupils who could be identified as being good at Chemistry but might not have the opportunities to pursue it and might not be aware of what they can do with their abilities; this is why we need mentors. Mentoring takes just a few days a month and our volunteers love what they do. But it goes beyond school; mentoring can be just as important at university, where things can be even more competitive.
“It’s also about friendships, which help to inspire confidence and which we have seen continuing beyond the mentoring period. We have had mentees returning to schools as mentors themselves.”
Anyone interested in volunteering to be a mentor, or in receiving more information about the Network, can contact Dr Wilson or Network Co-Director Dr Katie Hunter.
Case study: Mentor Susan Reilly and mentee Tristan McLellan
Susan Reilly became involved with the Intergenerational Mentoring Network after she retired following a career in finance and renewable energy. She was paired with her mentee, Tristan McLellan, and said: “I've always been interested in helping young people develop and launch their careers. I had benefited from the Scottish education system and thought it would be nice to give something back.
“I wanted to help someone visualise a career. I was really focused on helping bright, smart people close to applying for university, who had strong potential but maybe needed some help to launch into the next phase. It's important to help them do well rather than just OK.
“It was a very good fit with Tristan. He's very bright and motivated, but I don't think he realised just how smart he was and how much he could achieve. He’s told me he likes the course he’s taking and has made the right decision.
“The Network is a great programme to help young people who are focused on having a successful career. It’s looking for people who are good listeners and are interested in seeing other people thrive and succeed because it's not about the mentors, it’s about the mentees.”
Tristan was paired with Susan after being nominated by a teacher at his school. He is now preparing for his second year studying Electrical & Mechanical Engineering at Strathclyde.
Diverse career
He said: “The best thing was how much knowledge Susan gave me from her experience. She’s a great person, very easy to talk to, but she’s also had a diverse career and gave me a lot of ideas about studying. She’s very patient; she said we could look at courses and figure out what I’m good at, what I enjoy, and that was very helpful.
“When I said I was considering doing Engineering, we narrowed it down, as there are so many courses, and Susan went above and beyond for me. She did so much research and put me in touch with people she knew who could help me; I really can't thank her enough.
“When she was at university, she, like me at school, wasn’t sure what she wanted to do but she was always determined, always focused, and that resonated with me. I really admire that and I'm hoping to emulate her.
“I don’t think I would be doing my degree if it wasn't for Susan; she gave me the confidence to go for it. She told me about things like open days and scholarships and I’m now on a Robertson Trust scholarship. I was helped by having that one-to-one relationship with Susan, rather than with a careers advisor who has to deal with many different students, and that’s another reason why the programme is so good.”