Help To Get Into Work - Fund To Improve And Align Support Services

16th June 2017

A new £2.5 million fund will improve the help delivered to people looking to access employment and training.

The Employability Innovation and Integration Fund will look to join up employment support with health and social care, justice and housing services, making sure people receive the level of support they need to find sustainable employment.

Bodies responsible for delivering community planning partnership priorities which include health boards and local authorities, are being invited to submit proposals for the Fund.

Employability Minister Jamie Hepburn said:

"Better integration and alignment of employability with other services is a vital part of our ambition to tackle labour market inequalities and help more people into work.

"This approach will improve the quality of service delivery, achieve better and more sustainable positive outcomes, and ultimately improve the well-being of individuals and communities.

"This £2.5 million fund provides an opportunity to test new approaches that will bring about real change to how local services integrate effectively with employability and skills services."

Mr Hepburn announced details on a visit to the new Edinburgh Wellbeing Works campus which is one of three to be rolled out by the Shaw Trust under the devolved employment programme Work First Scotland.

Austin Hardie, Executive of Operations and Enterprise from Shaw Trust said:

"Shaw Trust is pleased to welcome the Minister to the Wellbeing Works campus, and is delighted that he chose to make his announcement from the campus. Wellbeing Works, hosted by Forth Sector, forms part of our wider commitment to delivering Work First Scotland in partnership with the Scottish Government, helping disabled people secure meaningful long-term employment.

"The health and wellbeing services offered by the campus will also be opened up to the wider community free of charge, so that everyone in the local community has the opportunity to improve their wellbeing."

Information on the Employability Innovation and Integration Fund.

http://www.employabilityinscotland.com/policy-and-partnership/integration-and-alignment/

Funding of £2.5 million has been allocated from the 2017/18 and 2018/19 budgets and will operate until 31 March 2019.

Information on Scotland's new employability services.

http://www.employabilityinscotland.com/