Gordon MacDougall Interim Head of Inclusion & Employability Good Morning ☺

Careers Scotland’s Strategic Priorities – Context & ‘Fit’ (Colleagues (pm) will be able to give operational detail) Emerging evidence from National Evaluations of Inclusiveness Projects & Supported Employment Projects The Way Forward

Careers Scotland Strategic Priorities Priority 1 Investing in Workforce of the Future Priority 2 Reducing economic inactivity among young people Priority 3 Improving productivity through personal career planning

Reducing economic inactivity among young people Targeting those still at school who face specific barriers or at risk of disengaging young people(16-19) who are unemployed - NEET

Why early intervention? Targeting support for young people prior to leaving school increases - confidence and motivation - career planning skills - ability to make a successful post-school transition Adds value through continuity and progression employability programmes/interventions e.g. WorkNet, Activate

Support for young people in transition Targeted support for school leavers who are NEET - increases the ability to get and keep a job - helps stop the “revolving door” syndrome - range of employability support including GRFW personal adviser service, WorkNet Key worker support for those who face most complex barriers Supported Employment option Adds value through a focus on employability

How will we know we’ve made a difference? More year olds in sustainable employment

Emerging evidence from Inclusiveness Projects The projects have delivered a more inclusive service for clients - The service is intensive when it needs to be and offers long term support where required The projects have delivered an employability service - most frequently identified assistance was in terms of accessing education, training and employment …..but one which recognises employability in its widest sense - the emotional and personal support offered by the key worker was frequently identified by clients as important sources of assistance

Emerging evidence from Inclusiveness Projects High degree of ownership and involvement of young people regarding their employability options (90% felt involved in decisions & planning) Inclusiveness approach works for clients -It provides a platform on which employability issues can be addressed and clients can make progress towards employability and employment - In addition to employment, training and education outcomes, soft skills such as confidence, self esteem, listening to instructions and working in groups improved The inclusiveness projects have had a very positive influence on local service provision and partnership working - Inter-agency information sharing and referral systems are improving and more effective transition process has been established

The Way Forward Final report available shortly & dissemination events being planned for March CS plans to integrate/mainstream our inclusiveness approach All CS staff have a role to play in inclusion - however retaining Key Worker role as a dedicated one offering in depth support to clients Focus on employability & working with young people who are able to engage with career planning activity – albeit at an early stage Key Workers part of multi-disciplinary teams Inclusion Coordinator role – take on a wider team role but also wider inclusion role locally and support to key workers

Supported Employment Beattie – absence of ‘intermediate’ employment options Develop small scale pilots to assist inclusiveness clients into work Supported Employment Adviser role Vocational profiling – job development – job analysis – job support – career support

Emerging evidence from Supported Employment Projects The pilots are showing that there is a demand for supported employment for young people facing a range of barriers Young people value and benefit from the supported employment experience in developing soft & vocational skills and better understanding of the world of work Evidence of client progression High degree of ownership through vocational profiling process resulting in placements which reflect young person’s wishes

The way forward Pilots funded for further year – till 2006 Further funding not envisaged An exit strategy will be developed which will allow mainstreaming options to be examined CS is keen to learn lessons and adopt proactive approaches learned

That’s all………………….thank you