Young Person's Guarantee Mentors

We have 9 mentors with a vast array of experience to support the young people on the Young Person's Guarantee programme. Please find below information on each mentor. 
Brian Grout
Brian is a retired academic, consultant and project manager with extensive experience in designing and delivering specialist courses in Personal Development and Learning Needs. He has worked with a wide range of young people from diverse cultural backgrounds and experiences. Currently a volunteer with a foodbank in Argyll & Bute and has previously been a volunteer in organisations dealing with mental health and environmental issues.
David Cosgrove
David has an extensive background in working with young people using creative methods to develop workshops, theatre shows and education packs in close collaboration with young people ranging from 15 to 25 years.  He continues this as a freelance scriptwriter for community and youth theatre projects.  David has previously worked as a social worker specialising in working with young offenders and Intermediate Treatment Groupwork.   
Fiona Blunsden
Fiona is a self-employed Cognitive Behavioural Therapist and Specialist Mental Health Mentor, with a background working for NHS Highland and also in several Learning Centres supporting people to achieve their goals and their potential.  
Fiona's approach is that two heads can often be better than one, and that working together can make the journey easier sometimes.  
She loves the outdoors and arty things, owns (rather than plays) a very dusty cello, dislikes horror films but really likes watching comedians. ​
Maggie Clunie
Maggie has a long background in education including pastoral care with young people from varied family backgrounds. She demonstrates compassion and empathy but with the experience to introduce structure and support to a young person.  Previously she has been a Listening volunteer and recruiter for the Samaritans.  Recently she has undertaken the responsibility of becoming a foster carer. 
Ronnie Gourlay
Ronnie has held a variety of posts within education and children’s services and, more recently, in the third sector.  He worked as a Guidance teacher in one of the most deprived areas of Scotland for a number of years.  Most recently he has worked with MCR Pathways, a Scottish based charitable organisation that seeks to support young people who are care experienced – either currently or in the past - or who are on the edges of the care system.  He has had a life long interest in sport and its benefits for people and society particularly rugby, athletics, and golf, the last of which he still participates in, despite ever declining returns. He has enjoyed watching his two sons grow up and embrace the challenges, sporting and otherwise, that life has set for them.  
Russell Humphries
Russell has a background in working with young people in care, families were siblings needed extra support and has set up Family Therapy Centre for abused children.  He demonstrates experience of safeguarding practice and provided day care for young children, many on Child Protection Register, and has undertaken specialist work with families. 
Lisa Carr
After leaving a career in Fashion Buying Lisa moved into the 3rd sector and has worked with a number of charities and community arts organisations. Her work has been mainly centered around supporting young people facing barriers to employment by developing various creative projects and social enterprises. The young people that she has supported over the years have had the opportunity to experience real employability skills, whilst exploring creativity and ultimately moving on to positive destinations. She believes that everyone has a talent and that creativity is a strong tool to pull on an individual's strengths. She is currently setting up her own charity Face - FulfilAchieveCreateEmploy where she will be supporting adults with additional support needs - and currently delivers such a project in partnership with Centre 81 Garelochhead. 
Gayle Barrett
Gayle has many years experience working with people, starting as a hairdresser in her  community later becoming a tutor at the local college and having her own business.
Gayle is a qualified Master Practitioner of NLP, Master NLP Coach, Master in Time line Therapy and Master in Hypnotherapy as well as holding other professional qualifications.
Gayle particularly enjoys  the coaching side of her business where she can help people to unlock their own potential and achieve personal goals, overcome barriers and help them with their personal development