Glasgow South West – Employability Framework & Structures Mary-Theresa Smith Head of Employability Glasgow South W

1. Glasgow South West – Employability Framework & Structures Mary-Theresa Smith Head of Employability Glasgow South West Regeneration Agency 12 June 2008

2. ‘…the combination of factors and processes which enable people to progress towards or get into employment, to stay in employment and to move on in the workplace.’ (Scottish Executive, ‘Workforce Plus, an Employability Framework for Scotland, 2006) What is Employability? • It recognises the client’s individual employability pathway – • from thinking about employment • taking the first steps towards building confidence • developing skills, gaining experience • securing employment • sustaining a job • career progression and lifelong learning

3. Why was a framework needed? • Agencies not working to a common understanding of employability or consistent in their approach to promoting employment • A complex and confusing landscape of employability services • A wide range of funding streams and providers – offering short term funding for services – minimising opportunity for longer term client support • Services often perceived as inflexible and target driven • Lack of a co-ordinated employer engagement approach - too many agencies targeting the same employers • Fall in unemployment and growth in jobs - recognition of the need to target sections of the community not traditionally seen as sources of recruitment

4. The Local Context – What are the key challenges? • A total of 116,580 residents of whom 74,297 (63.7%) are of working age • A total of 10,895 working age residents in receipt of either Incapacity Benefit or Severe Disablement Allowance (IBSDA), • 4% of population has a learning disability • 12% of population has a physical disability • A total of 2,760 residents identified as Lone Parents • A total of 2,715 residents within the South West in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance (JSA) - almost 4% of the total working age population • The figure for young people not in education, training or employment (More Choices, More Chances) group for the South West is 20%

5. Glasgow South West – our response • Develop a framework and structure to clearly define employability across • South West Glasgow to maximise local input and promote effective collaborative working • Strategic Employability Group More Choices, More Chances Implementation Group Practitioners’ Forum

6. Employability Structures • Strategic Employability Group • Determines and approves a common strategy that informs the three groups, identifying local targets, aligning city wide and local priorities and demonstrating added value in the provision of local employability services. Reports to CHCP and 2 CPP Boards • GSWRA, Community Planning, CHCP, Careers Scotland, Job Centre Plus, Voluntary Sector, NHS • Employability Implementation Group • Tactical implementation of priorities identified and agreed at Strategic level • GSWRA, Community Planning, CHCP, Careers Scotland, Job Centre Plus, Glasgow Homelessness Network, Mental Health Partnership, CEiS, Cardonald College, Tomorrows’ People, Health at Work, NHS, GCVS • Practitioners’ Forum • Implementing employability agenda at the frontline with clients – increasing local networking, sharing best practice, promoting joint working • GSWRA, Job Centre Plus, Careers Scotland, CHCP Learning Disability, Glasgow Homelessness Partnership, Cardonald College, GCVS, CEiS, Wise Group, Reed in Partnership, Working Links, Addaction, Remploy, Apex, Community Casework Team, Flourish House, Carers Centres, Work Development Team (Mental Health), CHCP Health Improvement, Shaw Trust, Village Story Telling Centre

7. Our Priorities • Support local people to access employment • Support residents to sustain their employment and employers to develop their workforce • Support residents to benefit from local economic and job market changes created through significant developments including Silverburn and the South Glasgow Hospital • Reduce the number of young people not in education, employment or training in South West Glasgow • Undertake joint initiatives to develop appropriate learning opportunities to maximise the number of people ready to access employment • Support access to quality affordable childcare

8. Current Developments • Glasgow’s successful development of a “City Strategy” in response to Govts paper on welfare reform – GLASGOW WORKS • Vision of a vibrant local economy where employment rates are high, where employers can find the skills and aptitudes they need and where work is the route out of poverty • Two year pilot – aimed at co-ordinating and aligning multi-agency activity to improve efficiency and effectiveness • Additional focus on early stages of engagement and “positive activity” – and on aftercare to support individuals to sustain employment and career progression • Three stage bidding process – contract available for the delivery of employability services in each of the 5 CHCP areas • Focus on partnership working • Prioritising key target groups – including IB Claimants, Lone Parents, Young People, BME, JSA 6 mths + • Maximising existing resources – showing added value • 21 month contract • Outcome based funding – need to meet key milestones • Decision due – next week

9. Questions?