Working Capital 5 September 2012 - Joined up for Jobs

The magazine for Edinburgh’s Strategic Skills Pipeline
Working
Capital
Standard Life adopts
Edinburgh Guarantee
In March this year, Standard Life announced that they were taking
part in the Edinburgh Guarantee. See page 6.
Issue 5
September 2012

INTRODUCTION
NEWS
Editorial Group
This magazine is edited and published
by the Economic Development Unit,
the City of Edinburgh Council, and is
supported by the following editorial
group, representing the key partners
in Edinburgh’s Jobs Strategy.
Shona McAllister: Co-editor
Katie Turpie: Co-editor, The City of
Edinburgh Council www.edinburgh.gov.uk
Dughall Laing: Joined Up For Jobs
www.joinedupforjobs.org .uk
Carena Brogan and Jenny Ewing:
Capital City Partnership
www.capitalcitypartnership.org
Gillian Cousin: Midlothian Council
www.midlothian.gov.uk
Alan Christie: Edinburgh Partnership
European Programme www.edinburgh.gov.uk
Jimmy O’Connell: Edinburgh Chamber of
Commerce www.edinburghchamber.co.uk
Alastair Paul: Skills Development Scotland
www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk
Bruce Penman: Edinburgh College
John Scott: Jobcentre Plus
www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk
Brian Thompson: IES Hubs consortium
Get in touch
To amend or add to mail lists visit Join
our Network on:
www.joinedupforjobs.org.uk
To contribute or respond to Working
Capital magazine content:
Phone 0131 529 4256 or 07825 274 174
We strive to reflect the diverse views
of a voluntary partnership and while
every effort is made to ensure that
all information is accurate, no legal
responsibility is taken by the City of
Edinburgh Council for any errors,
omissions or misleading information.
All issues will be available as pdf
documents, downloadable from the
joined up for jobs website at:
www.joinedupforjobs.org.uk
Cover photo: Ten interns pose on the steps
of the Standard Life HQ.
Photo by Alan Laughlin
Contents
News: Updates from around the JUFJ network 3
Strategy: Justice Secretary launces new social enterprise 4
Feature: Standard Life adopts Edinburgh Guarantee 6
Developments: The Strategic Skills Pipeline explained 8
Developments : Midlothian SSP Projects 9
Challenge fund : LINKnet Employment and Education Mentoring Project 10
ESF Update: Making the Transition into Priority 5 – Intowork 11
Charting Progress: School leaver destinations 2010/11 Positive improvement for Edinburgh 12
Talking Point: Get Ahead of the Game 13
Toolkit: The latest products, services and tools to help employability
projects deliver their service 14
Find out more: A round up of the latest events, research and resources 15
Welcome to the latest issue of
Working Capital
Our key feature this issue focuses on
the enormously successful Edinburgh
Guarantee. The Edinburgh Guarantee
aims to ensure a positive destination for
every young person in Edinburgh and is
going from strength to strength. Read
about the Edinburgh Guarantee from
the perspective not only of employers
but from some of the young people who
have benefited from the programme, on
pages 6 and 7, and find out how you can
get involved.
At this crucial time for further education
in Edinburgh, we have the latest update on
the Colleges merger, on page 5, as we move
towards Vesting Day for The Edinburgh
College on 1 st October.
As the Edinburgh Guarantee gains
momentum and continues apace, and as
further education is evolving, we hope to
see continued improvements in our school
leavers’ destinations. The latest available
figures are highlighted on page 12, showing
significant improvements in this area.
Following from the exciting developments
highlighted in our last issue, this issue will
explain in more detail how to contact your
local IES Hub, and also looks at the future of
ESF P5 funding and how you as a provider
can influence the decision making process.
On 12 September, the Council launched
its new economic strategy at the newlyrefurbished
Assembly Rooms. Entitled
“A Strategy for Jobs”, the document
illustrates how the Council will create and
safeguard 20,000 new jobs over the next
five years. To succeed in this goal, we need
buy-in and support from of all our partners,
and I was delighted to hear of the high
levels of interest shown by businesses in
contributing to the strategy’s success.
The Council announced that it would take
on 50 new modern apprentices plus 80 new
Inspiring Young People placements with
private sector companies across the City
over the next year.
Do please pass on any comments or
feedback on the contents of this publication
to info@joinedupforjobs.org.uk.
Councillor Tom Buchanan, Convener of
the Economic Development Committee
and Chair of Capital City Partnership
Cyrenians Home Care Academy
Celebrates Success
An event celebrating the success of the
graduates of the Home Care Academy
was held recently in the European Room
at the City Chambers. The sector based
work academy model being delivered by
Cyrenians Learning & Work engages with
employers from design through delivery, into
work placement and job.
This successful collaboration between
the Joined Up For Jobs partners, City of
Edinburgh Council, Jobcentre Plus, Capital
City Partnership and Cyrenians, together
with employers, enables unemployed
people to achieve skills and qualifications to
gain entry into sustainable employment in
Home Care.
Sandi McGeoch, Employer Engagement
Jumpstart get cooking
Connected’s latest Jumpstart participants
set themselves the task of preparing a meal
for a group of elderly people at the Jack
Kane Centre. With no budget, no ingredients
and no experience it was quite a challenge!
In a great example of partnership
working, Edinburgh Community Food
Initiative offered advice on food hygiene
and healthy eating, and also kindly donated
food. The group fundraised and approached
local businesses for donations, and
donations from Scotmid and Tesco as well
as fundraising by the Salvation Army Hostel
Officer at Cyrenians Learning & Work, said:
“People currently in hospital who could
successfully be cared for at home with a
re-ablement package may be held back
because there is a lack of Home Carers.
On the other hand, there are a lot of
unemployed people who are interested in
and will be good at this type of work. By
providing that bit in the middle: the training,
job shadowing and guaranteed interview,
both those requiring care and unemployed
people reap the benefits.”
For more information
Contact Cyrenians Learning & Work on
0131 475 2435 or visit www.cyrenians.
org.uk
Sue Bruce, Jim McGonigle and Jim Rafferty with the Home Care Academy graduates
ensured the group could deliver what they
wanted to.
With a lot of planning, determination and
motivation the group pulled together and
delivered an excellent meal for 20 hungry
people. The trainees cooked and baked a
great variety of food – bread, bruschettas,
kebabs, fajitas, pasta and apple crumble. It
was a fabulous day, with everyone working
together, encouraging each other, and with
the satisfaction of working hard to help others.
For more information
Contact Connected Learning and
Employability, 0131 557 7913
Access to Industry
– Access Cars
drives young
people to success
Eight young trainees recently
completed The Access to Industry
– Access Cars course. Fourteen
young people started the 2 week
preparation course. Core skills
were enhanced by students also
achieving 2 SQA qualifications.
From this group of 14, 8 students
were selected to progress onto Fast
Fit Training at GTG Training Limited,
covering Fast Fit mechanics elements
such as wheels and tyres, and
suspensions. There was a fantastic
100% completion rate from the
students. Trainers commented, “One of
the best groups we have had”.
All 8 completed the training and
continued their journey putting their
newly learned skills to use in a 2 week
work placement. All were assigned a
mentor and were given tasks in line
with their expertise.
Following placement, students
were interviewed by a well known
motor retailer for upcoming jobs or
apprenticeships, and are now awaiting
decisions.
This is the sixth Access Cars course
delivered by Access to Industry. The
course is funded through the Activities
Agreements Team in City Of Edinburgh
Council, targeted at excluded young
people. Overall the course has been
a huge success; all involved enjoyed
the whole experience with students
commenting, “The whole course was
amazing, wish it lasted longer”.
For more information
Contact Access to Industry, 0131
260 7921
2 WORKING CAPITAL SEPTEMBER 2012
SEPTEMBER 2012 WORKING CAPITAL
3

STRATEGY
STRATEGY
Youth Contract
The Youth Contract is a UK package of
support worth almost £1 billion to help
young unemployed people aged 16-24
to prepare for work and find a job.
Over three years from April 2012, the
Youth Contract will provide nearly half
a million new opportunities for young
people through Jobcentre Plus and the
Work Programme.
Jobcentre Plus will provide 250,000
work experience or sector based work
academy placements. A sector based
work academy comprises training, a work
placement and a guaranteed interview.
In addition, for those who have moved
on to the Work Programme, there is an
employer’s wage incentive worth up to
£2,275.
The Scottish Government has made
a commitment to offer a place in
learning or training for every 16-19 year
old through their Opportunities for All
initiative.
On Friday 15 June, Skills Development
Scotland and Jobcentre Plus joined
together to host a Youth Opportunities
event at The Hub in Edinburgh. Young
people attending the event were able
to visit a wide range of employers and
training providers, for example, the City
of Edinburgh Council promoting the
Edinburgh Guarantee; Get Ready for
Work providers and employers promoting
vacancies and apprenticeships.
Throughout the day, presentations
were held; advising young people
about the variety of opportunities and
career options in Sports and Leisure,
Hospitality, Retail and Care.
Early feedback indicated that almost
90% of young people rated the event
as good or very good with some, so
far, going on to work with employers
and providers. Some young people
are participating in sector based work
academies whilst others have taken up
the opportunity of work experience with
a variety of employers. Young people
are also working with training providers,
for example, participating in the Saltire
Award with Edinburgh Volunteer Centre
or preparing for self-employment with
Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce.
For more information
http://dwp.gov.uk/youth-contract
Justice Secretary
launches new social
enterprise
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill
was on hand to formally launch All
Cleaned Up, a new industrial cleaning
and waste disposal social enterprise
that started trading from its premises
in Sandport Place, Leith in April.
Operating as a social firm, All Cleaned
Up has been set up by Apex Scotland, a
charity that supports ex-offenders and
young people at risk to overcome the
barriers they can face when trying to
get a job.
All Cleaned Up targets ex-offenders
leaving prison who have the relevant BICS
(British Institute of Cleaning Science)
qualifications and a COPC (Cleaning
Operatives Proficiency Certificate) and
employs them as technicians. The company
also offers placement opportunities for
individuals involved in the Work Programme
or those on a Community Payback Order
Mr MacAskill said: “All Cleaned Up is a
great initiative and I am delighted to see
Kenny MacAskill meets some of the employees from All Cleaned Up
it up and running. Here in Edinburgh it is
offering real opportunities for ex-offenders
to gain accredited qualifications and
valuable work experience, while making a
positive contribution to the environment in
their communities at the same time.”
Brian Robertson-Fern, All Cleaned Up’s
Operations Manager is delighted at how
well the business has done in the short
time it has been trading and is particularly
impressed with the performance of his
staff. Brian said “Like any new businesses,
we have had to prove to our customers that
the work we do is undertaken professionally
and to a high standard. My technicians
have shown a tremendous commitment
and enthusiasm to make this business a
success and I’m confident that the quality
of their work will continue to bring more
business into the company.”
For more information
www.allcleanedupscotland.co.uk
Edinburgh College Merger Update
Plans are advancing at pace to create
the new Edinburgh College formed
from the merger of Edinburgh’s Telford
College, Jewel & Esk College and
Stevenson College Edinburgh.
The business case for merger was agreed
by the Boards of each of the three Colleges
in April 2012 and work is now progressing
to complete the various processes in
preparation for Vesting Day on 1 October
2012 when the new Edinburgh College will
be established.
The new College will be a multi campus
teaching environment that will focus
firmly on ‘putting students first’ with a
commitment to enhancing high standards
of learning experiences and work
opportunities.
The College will accommodate more than
35,000 students – the biggest student body
in Edinburgh.
The College will deliver the broadest and
deepest curriculum which will underpin
the development and sustainability of the
Edinburgh and Lothians’ key economic
sectors, working hand in hand with industry.
While the selection process for the
Principal has yet to be completed,
Scottish Education Secretary Mike Russell
announced in June that Ian McKay has
been appointed as Regional Lead for
Edinburgh College.
Ian said: “We are working towards
creating a stronger and more ambitious
college for Edinburgh and the Lothians.
“Working together as one College will
provide more opportunities for students,
staff and the community, and reflects the
growing desire of the Scottish Government
for colleges to work together to deliver a
smarter, more economical model going
forward.”
Edinburgh College will consist of four
main campuses employing more than
1,500 staff; Granton (formerly Edinburgh’s
Telford College), Sighthill (formerly
Stevenson College Edinburgh) and Milton
Road and Midlothian (both formerly Jewel &
Esk College).
Seven key principles have been agreed to
underpin the vision for the College:
Putting students first; Investing in staff;
Accessibility and inclusion; An ethos of
ambition and innovation; Engagement with
employers; Diversification and growth of
income; and Exemplary governance.
Brian Lister, Interim Principal of
Edinburgh College, has been leading the
integration and is happy with the progress
being made ahead of Vesting Day.
He said: “Edinburgh is at the forefront of
the regionalisation of Scotland’s FE sector
and the creation of the new Edinburgh
College will play a hugely influential role in
advancing this drive and innovation.
“The new College is focused sharply on
improving the options for students looking
for vocational and educational courses and
will make it easier than ever for students
to progress onto employment or higher
education.”
Other key developments that have been
completed in the progress to creating the
new college include the creation of a new
logo and the appointment of John Martin as
President of the Edinburgh College Student
Association – who will provide a collective
voice for the students of the new College
going forward.
Munster Jobcentre and GEBA visitors with
Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce and
Castle Rock Edinvar Housing Association
Germany applauds
Edinburgh approach
Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce
recently hosted a study visit from
the Chief Executive of Munster Job
Centre, Ralph Bierstedt, and their
partner organisation GEBA. The
purpose of the visit was to gain an
insight into the Edinburgh labour
market and our approach to dealing
with unemployment.
GEBA run the Ida Project, Move &
Work, which supports 20 unemployed
young people to develop their English
language skills and to gain experience
of working in a foreign country. In
support of this, the Edinburgh Chamber
sources 3 month work placements with
Edinburgh organisations. Delegates
came to see the project in operation and
also to gain an understanding of the
Scottish labour market and employability
strategy.
The group met one of the students
at Castlerock Edinvar who is working in
the HR department, and also on their
travels visited the Get On Mobile unit.
Our German visitors were very interested
by the Get On Mobile Unit and thought
it was a great idea to bring access to a
range of information into communities.
They felt the idea was years ahead of the
Germany delivery model.
There are lots of future opportunities to
work with our German partners in similar
ways, and we will welcome two more
groups of young people in the next year.
For more information
Contact Jeananne Henderson,
Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce,
0131 221 2978 jeananne.henderson@
edinburghchamber.co.uk
4 WORKING CAPITAL SEPTEMBER 2012
SEPTEMBER 2012 WORKING CAPITAL
5

FEATURE
FEATURE
Scott Linton, Standard life Edinburgh Guarantee Apprentice
Standard Life
adopts Edinburgh
Guarantee
In March this year, Standard Life
announced that they were taking part
in the Edinburgh Guarantee.
They created a central budget to fund 20
internships this year: the first 10 finished in
September and a further 10 started in late
August.
“The co-ordinated approach is fairly
unique in the UK, and we quickly saw
that we could contribute by offering paid
internships at our Edinburgh Headquarters,”
says Nicolle Hamilton, Organisational
Development Consultant. “The internships
would provide young people with valuable
work experience and skills for their CV, and
we’d also benefit from having their fresh
perspectives.”
As well as completing their six-month
placement and an SVQ in Business
Administration, interns also take part in
skills development sessions which includes
communicating, problem solving, planning
and organising and managing their money.
At the end of the programme, Standard Life
will offer the interns help with creating a great
CV and developing interview skills plus a
certificate of achievement.
Three of the interns now have permanent
jobs which they applied for through the
internal vacancy bulletin and two others
have had their contracts extended. Requests
have also been coming in from managers in
the business for more young people which
shows the value that they have brought to the
company.
Standard Life has also taken the
partnership with the City of Edinburgh
Council to a more strategic level, with
Customer Services Manager Mark Smith
lending his expertise on a secondment.
He will explore new opportunities to get
more businesses involved in the Edinburgh
Guarantee.
On 1st August, the Council’s Chief
Executive, Sue Bruce, paid a visit to Standard
Life House to meet the eight people currently
working as interns in Standard Life. She also
met with Sandy Begbie, group operations
officer, to talk about the success of the
Guarantee scheme and their plans for the
future. Commenting on her visit, Sue Bruce
said, ‘This truly is great news and the kind
of result we’ve been aiming for. I would like
to thank Standard Life for supporting the
Edinburgh Guarantee and would encourage
other city employers to work with us and
help us all give our young people the
opportunities they deserve.’
Scott Linton Case Study
I started my internship with Standard
Life in March 2012 and was fortunate
enough to secure a full time permanent
position as Administrative Support
before my internship came to an end.
Before joining Standard Life, I was
playing football for Cowdenbeath FC,
something I had wanted to do all my life.
At school, I didn’t concentrate as much
as I should have and didn’t have a fall
back plan if football didn’t work out, I just
didn’t prepare for it.
However, I decided I needed to
become more financially secure and
tried everything I could to find work but
had no luck. I asked everyone I could if
there were any jobs available and luckily
was told about the Edinburgh Guarantee
opportunities at Standard Life.
I was nervous about starting the
internship and adapting to a working
environment, something I had never
experienced before but I am a hard
worker and knew I just needed a chance
to prove I could be an asset within the
company.
Since I have secured a permanent
position, I have been supporting the
Corporate Client Relationship Managers;
updating spreadsheets, collating
information, helping produce reports that
are sent to senior members and a variety
of other tasks, all of which I have really
enjoyed.
If I hadn’t been given a chance at
Standard Life, I would probably still
be looking for a job today. I think the
Edinburgh Guarantee is great because
there are a lot of young people who are
willing to work hard but have just not
been given a chance in the working
world. I am grateful to Standard Life for
giving me that chance.
The Edinburgh
Guarantee
The Edinburgh Guarantee is a vision
that all young people move into a
positive destination after leaving
school. When The Edinburgh Guarantee
began, Edinburgh was ranked 32nd out
of 32 local authorities in Scotland for
this measure. It was clear something
needed to be done, not just for the sake
of the school leavers but for the city’s
long term economic and social future.
The City of Edinburgh Council took the
initiative, working in partnership with
The Future’s Bright
Following successful completion of its
inaugural, six month Bright Futures
programme, four former apprentices
were taken on as permanent members
of the Bright Purple team.
Headquartered in Edinburgh, with offices
in London, Singapore and Lithuania, Bright
Purple is a global IT and financial services
recruitment company.
Angela Constance MSP was so impressed
the public, private and third sector and
engaging with the biggest employers across
the city. Since the start of the initiative
621 additional opportunities have been
delivered for the benefit of young Edinburgh
school leavers. The Council has worked with
hundreds of employers, 30 of which have
offered up either jobs or placements, and
they are talking to more than 25 others
about what they can do.
Internally, the Council is committed
to offering 100 additional Modern
Apprenticeships and is also delivering the
Inspiring Young People programme which
offers training and work placements to
young people.
Now ranked 20th out of the 32 local
Angela Constance MSP and Alex Salmond, First Minister, meet Bright Purple’s young employees.
with the young people’s achievements
that she arranged to visit and hear first
hand about the programme from those
involved. It was a surprise to all on the
day that she brought Alex Salmond with
her. Ms Constance and the First Minister
met with the apprentices and discussed
their experience of completing the SVQ
accredited modern apprenticeship.
“It was a real pleasure to meet Alex
authorities, The Edinburgh Guarantee will
continue to keep the agenda high profile,
engaging with partners across the city to show
just what is possible. The Council will continue
to take a leading role, keeping up the pace
and making sure that every young person
gets the choice of training, employment or
education when they leave school.
For more information
To find out more about Edinburgh
Guarantee or to be added to the
mailing list for the E-Newsletter,
please email edinburghguarantee@
edinburgh.gov.uk
Find Edinburgh Guarantee on
Twitter: @edinguarantee
Salmond and share our experiences
from this six month apprenticeship,” said
18 year old Lewis O’Connor, one of the
apprentices to be offered a full time role
at Bright Purple. “Their interest shows
the quality and commitment of the Bright
Futures programme, which has made a real
difference to all of us who participated in it.”
The Edinburgh Guarantee is about
providing young people with that all
important first chance, and these young
people have well and truly seized it - not
only impressing their new employer but
senior politicians too.
6 WORKING CAPITAL SEPTEMBER 2012
SEPTEMBER 2012 WORKING CAPITAL
7

This map is reproduced from Ordnance Survey material with permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown Copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Licence Number 100023420. City of Edinburgh Council 2008. Produced by PSP, Corporate Services ref adhoc.
Legend
Neighbourhood Partnership Boundaries
DEVELOPMENTS
DEVELOPMENTS
Your local
IES Hubs
The Integrated Employability Service is
designed to support the employability
needs of all Edinburgh residents from
a number of Employability Hubs in key
areas of the City of Edinburgh. The
Hubs are a new approach to developing
and delivering shared services in local
communities.
The core service is designed to support
people from 0-12 months unemployed,
and will also provide support for clients
who may be long-term unemployed
before they become eligible for the Work
Programme. There is also an element of
support available through the Challenge
Fund for young people aged 16-19
who are currently not in employment,
education or training.
As well as general employability
support, the Hubs offer links to employers,
local training providers and support with
short term transitional childcare funding.
The Hub services are run by a
consortium of organisations, comprising
Stevenson College Edinburgh, Community
Renewal, Volunteer Centre Edinburgh and
Forth Sector. You can refer via the Get On
Gateway, via Caselink, or by dropping into
any Hub.
North Edinburgh – Community Renewal
11 Pennywell Court, Muirhouse Shopping
Centre, Edinburgh EH4 4TZ. 0131 3328773
East Edinburgh – Community Renewal
Haywired, 3 Hay Avenue, Craigmillar,
Edinburgh EH16 4RH. 0131 629 9858
Leith – Community Renewal work from
multiple venues across Leith providing a
mix of 1-1 support and workclubs. For full
details, contact the North or East Hub.
South and South West Edinburgh – WEACT,
Gate 55, 55 Sighthill Road, Edinburgh EH11
4PB. 0131 477 2800. WEACT work from
multiple venues across South and South
West Edinburgh, providing a mix of 1-1
support and workclubs. There are plans to
open a new office in Gilmerton shortly.
City Centre – WEACT deliver services from
multiple venues across the City Centre. For
full details of South, South West and City
Centre Hubs, contact Gate 55.
The
Strategic
Skills
Pipeline
explained
Recent funding changes have ensured
a more streamlined, integrated
employability service for service
users, as well as more effective use
of restricted resources. Consequently,
projects are now working together as
a Strategic Skills Pipeline, in five clear
stages.
Stage 1
Get On (Gateway to Services)
Neighbourhood Partnerships
(integrated service points for clients,
employers and professionals)
Stages 2-4
Integrated Employability
Services
(Complementing National Services)
Almond NP
Western Edinburgh NP
Pentlands NP
South West NP
Forth NP
Inverleith NP
Stage 5
0 0.5 1 2
South Central NP
In-work support and up-skilling
Miles
Leith NP
City Centre NP Craigentinny/Duddingston NP
Liberton/Gilmerton NP
Portobello/Craigmillar NP
±
Stage 1: Engagement
Proactive early engagement with potential
clients including marketing, outreach, initial
guidance and signposting to services. As
well as connecting at point of service with
individual organisations, customers engage
through the Get On Gateway. Points of entry
are:
• Get On Mobile Unit
• Get On Information Points
• IES Hubs and Pipeline projects
In development:
• Get On Contact Centre
• Online self referral
Stage 2: Barrier Removal
In-depth one-to-one support to address
issues and overcome barriers to
employment through the implementation of
individual action plans. This could include
volunteering or help with literacy difficulties,
health issues, confidence building and other
types of specialist support.
Stage 3: Vocational/Employability
Further support to develop employability
skills and identify and access appropriate
vocational or accredited training. This could
include CV building, ICT skills development,
sector specific training/qualifications, job
tasters, work experience etc. It may also
include developing skills to source, apply
for and secure employment or further
development opportunities.
Stage 4: Job Matching
Pre-employment support for job-ready
individuals. This could include training
and mentoring, job search skills, interview
coaching, help with online job applications,
job matching etc. It may also include
support to enter apprenticeships. Employer
Engagement and Community Benefit activity
are key elements of the Job Strategy which
underpin stage 4 of the Pipeline.
Stage 5: Upskilling/Aftercare
Support for those in work to sustain
employment. This could include upskilling
low-skilled and low-waged workers,
business start up training and support,
management training for those underrepresented
at managerial levels etc.
Stage 5 may also include help to manage
a change in financial circumstances,
supported employment for vulnerable
individuals or support to sustain other
relevant outcomes.
Get On Mobile Unit
changes hands
In August 2012, operational management
of the Get On Mobile Unit passed to
the Integrated Employability Services
consortium. A visible and recognisable
Gateway access point for the local
Employability Hubs, the bus will continue
to visit a variety of locations across the
city, as a key element of the IES contract.
The City of Edinburgh Council will
retain ownership of the mobile unit as
well as responsibility for maintenance
and servicing.
For more information
Contact Donna Layden (WEACT)
0131 477 2800 or Lucy Holroyd
(Community Renewal) 0131 629 9858
New Business Gateway
office in Edinburgh
From Monday 1st October, Business
Gateway will be giving practical
advice to businesses from a new
Edinburgh office, based in the Council
headquarters at Waverley Court on East
Market Street. This replaces the current
office at Haymarket Terrace.
Anyone looking for support can visit
the office to get information or set up an
appointment with a professionally trained
adviser. The office will link with other
Council business services such as building
standards, environmental services, licensing,
planning, and trading standards, and help
make it easy to do business in Edinburgh.
As well as advice from a professional
adviser, Business Gateway runs workshops
across the city to help people develop
their business skills. These cover a range
of topics from finance and planning, to
marketing and using social media.
Business Gateway can also provide a
wide range of research and information on
market intelligence, news reports, property
& land searches, statistics & demographics,
company lists, company reports, credit
reports, web analytics and much more.
This information can be accessed at www.
bgateway.com or 0845 609 6611.
For more information
0131 347 2820 or
email bglothian@bgateway.com.
Executive Skillsbank – Be
the best
There are over 16,000 businesses
in Edinburgh, with small to medium
enterprises (SMEs) accounting for 94%
of these. Many businesses, however,
struggle to fulfil their ambitions
through lack of appropriate support
and management capability during
important growth phases.
Executive Skillsbank is a unique service,
matching managers and professionals
who have been made redundant, or who
are facing redundancy, with businesses
Youngsters developing their core skills as part of the John Muir Discovery Award with MTS Youth
Midlothian
SSP projects
There are six ESF P5 Strategic Skills
Pipeline projects operating solely
within Midlothian; Midlothian Training
Services Adult, Midlothian Training
Services Youth, Signposts, Mark Wright
Project and The Business Partnership
who are focussed on stages 1 – 3
and New Leaf’s Skills for Midlothian
Businesses (SFMB) which is centred on
stages 4 and 5.
There is a wide variety of activity amongst
the different projects within stages 1 –
3 ranging from support to 16-19 year
olds who have been unable to progress
into a positive destination since leaving
mainstream education to support training
and employability advice for ex-services
personnel through the STEER Programme.
who have plans for growth, to provide
a mentoring service. Businesses are
encouraged to consider offering the
participant a position following the
mentoring period.
Executive Skillsbank benefits both local
businesses and the local economy in a
variety of ways, including growth in turnover,
creation and safeguarding of jobs and
increased diversity of skills within the city.
For more information
Fraser Lusty 0776901249 www.
edinburghbusinessdevelopment.
co.uk/businessdevelopment/
executiveskillsbank.htm
We also provide careers guidance and
advice, training and personal development
to increase confidence and self esteem and
assist different client groups in job search
and interview techniques. In addition to the
delivery of entrepreneurship programmes
in schools to raise awareness and create
entrepreneurial attitudes in young people,
we provide employability skills mentoring
to young vulnerable people by brokering
key relationships between employers and
youngsters.
SFMB’s stage 4 and 5 activity utilises
a number of partners to offer support to
individuals to gain core, transferable and
vocational competencies and skills that will
enable them to progress within the labour
market. It also provides PACE redundancy
support and HR support for SME’s and
social enterprises to encourage employer
engagement, retention and progression.
For more information
Contact Gillian Cousin
Gillian.cousin@midlothian.gov.uk
8 WORKING CAPITAL SEPTEMBER 2012
SEPTEMBER 2012 WORKING CAPITAL
9

CHALLENGE FUND
ESF UPDATE
Challenge
Fund Update
The City’s Challenge Fund is now in the
process of receiving applications for
funding for financial year 2013/14. The
deadline submission date for applications
is Friday 9th November 2012, with
scoring of applications being carried
out during November. Final scores and
recommendations will be agreed by the end
of the year and these submitted to the City
Council’s budget setting meeting in early
February.
Applicants can download application
forms and guidelines on the EVOC website:
http://www.evoc.org.uk/. Support for
applicants is being offered by the Jobs
Strategy Team at Capital City Partnership:
for details see the Challenge Fund folder
on the Joined Up For Jobs noticeboard at
http://www.joinedupforjobs.org.uk/forum/
viewforum.php?f=8&sid=cab7b744f0a59a
2752646d658c5baebf
Citadel Café -
more than just a
good toastie!
When the Futureheads Café started as part
of the Citadel Youth Centre’s employment
support back in 2009, the menu read
“cheese toasties with a tea/coffee”. Three
years on, the food remains the same, but
the range of employment support activities
for young people aged 16 – 21 has grown to
a full ‘a la carte’ menu.
Every Tuesday, this lunchtime careers
café is the focal point for many young
people in the Leith / North Edinburgh area
who are looking for support to get closer to
the employment market, further education
or employment related training experience.
Between 15 and 25 young people each
week visit The Futureheads Café. Staff are
on hand to chat about their employment
aspirations and offer guidance and
support in producing CVs; preparing for
interviews; arranging college visits and
completing associated applications; setting
Linknet mentor training April 2012
LINKnet Employment
and Education
Mentoring Project
LINKnet’s most recently established
employment and education project serves
young minority ethnic people, young care
leavers and young people who have been
in the criminal justice system. Experienced,
trained volunteer mentors support mentees
into employment or education, or to achieve
recognisable personal development goals.
Mentors need to understand the needs
of their mentees and identify the barriers
to overcome. Together with the mentee,
they plan a personalised developmental
up Activity Agreements/work placements
and identifying employers who are currently
recruiting staff.
Initial contact through the Café often
results in follow-up opportunities through
some of the Citadel’s other programmes
supporting young people into the world of
work. Workshops and training programmes
such as the Townscape Heritage Initiative or
mentoring programme, and implement
it until the mentee achieves the targeted
outcome.
One to one mentoring is one of the most
effective people development methods
for those who need special attention.
In addition to individual mentoring,
both mentors and mentees are offered
employability workshops to improve
employability skills, and there are informal
gatherings where mentors and mentees
can share experience and network. The
organisation staff and the Board Directors
also add much more to the service by
providing further information, signposting
to various other services and individually
assisting the mentees.
LINKnet is currently recruiting volunteer
mentors; please contact us for more
information.
Once a member of the LINKnet family,
you are sure to meet a few other members
wherever you go in Edinburgh and the
Lothians.
For more information
Email: enquiries@linknetmentoring.
com, www.linknetmentoring.com
Young people from Futureheads Café taking part in the Townscape Heritage Initiative.
the Citadel YVP (young volunteers’ project)
are such examples.
With the new 2012 school leavers
frequenting The Futureheads Café, it looks
like that toastie machine is in for a busy time.
For more information
Rachel Rowan,
rachel@citadelyouthcentre.org.uk
Digital Skills Academy
Subject to full Scottish Government
approval the PMO is pleased to welcome
the Digital Skills Academy project to the ESF
P5 Programme.
The Digital Skills Academy, developed
and delivered by Cre8te Opportunities, will
offer unemployed people a digital literacy
programme to enable them to acquire
basic digital competencies to improve their
work search process and to assist them to
become more job ready.
Full details of the project will be
confirmed upon full approval of its inclusion
by the Scottish Government.
Making the Transition
into Priority 5 – Intowork
Intowork, in partnership with City of
Edinburgh Council, Midlothian Council
and RNIB, has been operating the
ESF Priority 1 funded ‘Progressing to
Employment with Personalised Support’
project since September 2010. The
project has successfully used the five
stage supported employment model,
which aligns strongly with five stages
of the employability pipeline, to assist
people with disabilities into sustainable
employment.
The Priority 1 funding for this project
will come to an end on 30th September,
with the core activities merging into the
Edinburgh Programme’s P5 Employability
Pipeline in October. The P5 project will
continue to focus on those jobseekers
facing significant barriers in taking up and
sustaining employment, including people
with an acquired brain injury (ABI), people
with an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD),
people with a learning disability and people
with mental health issues.
The continuation of this activity through
P5 demonstrates a dual local authority
commitment to supporting people with
disabilities. It also represents an ongoing
and successful delivery partnership with
the voluntary sector, building on existing
expertise and good practice.
In addition to making this key transition
into P5, Intowork will continue to deliver its
ESF Priority 2 funded project ‘High Support
Needs: Progressing through Employment‘.
Funded until September 2013, this project
gives additional capacity to support
and develop people with disabilities in
employment beyond the six month in work
support period funded under Priority 5.
For more information
Peter Purves, 0131 475 2600
peter.purves@intowork.org.uk
Update from ESF P5 PMO
Help shape
the future
of the funds
To help shape the new European
Structural Fund Programmes for
2014, the Scottish Government is
inviting comment from relevant
parties.
A “Future of the Funds” blog has been
developed to encourage current partners
to contribute their opinions, and can
be accessed on: http://blogs.scotland.
gov.uk/eu-structural-funds/. The ESF
PMO has been able to input to this at
Community Planning level and through
representation to COSLA.
The European Commission has
proposed eleven thematic objectives that
fit well with the Scottish Government’s
economic strategy. Of these, three apply
to current activity and will hopefully lead
to a continuation of this type of support.
These are: Promoting employment and
supporting labour mobility, Promoting
social inclusion and combating poverty,
and Investing in education, skills and
lifelong learning.
The anticipated start date for any
new Programme is 1st January 2014
but further details such as levels of
funding available, delivery arrangements
and the application process have not
yet been established. The Community
Planning Partnership approach has been
viewed positively at national level and it
is hoped that such an approach will be
encouraged into the new Programme
period.
Full details of the European
Commission 2014 – 2020 thematic
objectives can be found at http://blogs.
scotland.gov.uk/eu-structural-funds/
european-commission-2014-2020-
thematic-objectives/.
For more information
Contact Alan Christie: alan.christie@
edinburgh.gov.uk, 0131 469 3868.
10 WORKING CAPITAL SEPTEMBER 2012
SEPTEMBER 2012 WORKING CAPITAL
11

CHARTING PROGRESS
School leaver destinations 2010/11
Positive improvement
for Edinburgh
Destinations of leavers from publiclyfunded
schools in Edinburgh (2010/11)
– 3 months
Voluntary Work 1%
Training 5.3%
Unemployed 12.3%
Employment 18.7%
Further education 25.7%
Higher Education 36.7%
School leaver destinations
At the end of the 2010/11 academic year,
3,423 pupils left publicly-funded schools in
Edinburgh. Three months later, 2,991 (87%)
of the pupils were in positive destinations
– higher education, further education,
training or paid or voluntary employment
– while 423 (12%) were unemployed. The
chart above shows the destinations of the
3,423 pupils, excluding 9 unknown.
The proportion of leavers from publicly
funded schools in Edinburgh in 2010/11
going on to positive destinations was
the highest recorded since 1997/98.
The proportion of leavers going on to
further or higher education has increased
substantially, rising from 42% in 1997/98
to 62% in 2010/11. There has also been a
significant fall in the proportion of leavers
going on to unemployment, which fell from
17% in 2009/10 to 12% in 2010/11.
In 2010/11, Edinburgh ranked 26th
out of the 32 local authority areas in
Scotland in terms of the proportion of
leavers from publicly-funded schools who
are unemployed, a significant improvement
on 2009/10, when the city ranked 32nd
“Figures from the Scottish Council of
Independent Schools (SCIS) indicate
that in September 2011, 19.5% of all
pupils in Edinburgh were enrolled in
independent schools, compared to
4.5% for Scotland as a whole.”
out of 32. Despite Voluntary this improvement,
Work 1.2%
the proportion of leavers Training 3% from publiclyfunded
schools in Unemployed Edinburgh 13% going on to
unemployment does Employment remain 23.3% the seventh
highest of the 32 local
Further education
authority
24.1%
areas in
Higher Education 34.7%
Scotland. Edinburgh is currently 20th in the
rankings.
It is important to note that the figures
above relate only to publicly-funded
schools in Edinburgh – those operated by
the City of Edinburgh Council or receiving
grants from the Scottish Government. An
exceptionally high proportion of school
pupils in Edinburgh are independently
educated. Figures from the Scottish Council
of Independent Schools (SCIS) indicate that
in September 2011, 19.5% of all pupils in
Edinburgh were enrolled in independent
schools, compared to 4.5% for Scotland
as a whole. The proportion of leavers from
SCIS member schools going on to positive
destinations is extremely high; in 2008/09,
around 90% went on to further or higher
education. This suggests that the proportion
of all school leavers in Edinburgh going
on to positive destinations is considerably
higher than 87%.
Destinations at 9 months
Edinburgh performance in terms of the
destinations of school leavers after nine
months has consistently been superior to its
performance in terms of destinations after
three months, suggesting that long-term
Voluntary Work 1%
Training 5.3%
Unemployed 12.3%
Employment 18.7%
Further education 25.7%
Higher Education 36.7%
unemployment amongst school leavers is
less of an issue in Edinburgh than in some
other local authority areas. In 2010/11,
Edinburgh was ranked 21st out of 32 local
authority areas for positive destinations
after 9 months.
Between September 2011 and March
2012, the proportion of Edinburgh school
leavers in higher education, further
education or training fell slightly, while the
proportion in employment or unemployment
rose. This may reflect school leavers leaving
education to pursue employment or for
other reasons.
Destinations of leavers from publiclyfunded
schools in Edinburgh (2010/11)
– 9 months
Voluntary Work 1.2%
Training 3%
Unemployed 13%
Employment 23.3%
Further education 24.1%
Higher Education 34.7%
Get Ahead of
the Game
Nineteen year old John Beaton, a
Modern Apprentice with the City
of Edinburgh Council’s Economic
Development Service, has packed a lot
into his life.
Aged just 14, he arranged for over 100
scouts to carry flags at the Scotland / England
Calcutta Cup match at Murrayfield, and shortly
after this became a member of the Scottish
Youth Parliament. Not content with that, John
then went on to qualify as a Scottish Rugby
Union referee, at the age of 16.
“I left Queensferry High School when I was
18, and I didn’t really have a clear idea of
what I wanted to do. I had an unofficial gap
year, when I spent 6 months travelling to
Sweden and Denmark. I was able to do this
because I several contacts and had made so
many friends through Scouts and rugby. I was
working part time in McDonalds to help fund
my travels as well.
“It was a bit out of the blue, but one day
I got an email from Eilidh Christie, who had
been my careers advisor at school. She
wanted to let me know about the Modern
Apprenticeship programme and sent me the
link to myjobscotland.gov.uk.
“I had studied administration at school,
and it was something I enjoyed and
was good at, so I applied for a Business
Administration Modern Apprenticeship (MA).
It was really useful having experience from
other things because it meant I could put
lots of information in my application and
demonstrate lots of different skills. I was
offered a Modern Apprenticeship and I started
with the Council in January 2012.”
Perhaps one of the clearest illustrations
of John’s qualities is the fact that, due to his
interest in sport and community involvement,
he was inspired to apply in January 2010 to
become an Olympic Games Maker. After a
lengthy selection and training process John
was successful. He had also been nominated
by the Scouts as a torch bearer for part of the
torch relay, and had the honour of taking this
role at Hopetoun House. “The atmosphere
was electric. It was a great day for the city, and
a brilliant example of what Edinburgh can do
on the international stage.”
John’s experience of the Games themselves
was equally positive. “It was hard work being
a Games Maker; I was up at 3am every day to
TALKING POINT
travel to the Olympic Park, but being there you
realise it’s an honour to be part of the Games
even just for one day, never mind all sixteen.
I’d definitely do something like this again.
“The journey to London 2012 for Edinburgh
- having the torch relay, the Olympic rings on
the Mound, as well as the success of the
Scottish athletes - has been a positive thing.
I think it’s great how the Capital really got
behind the Olympics, and it was great to be a
part of all that.
“I think one of the things that has helped
me in the last few years is being focused
on what I want and determined to succeed.
It’s not all been plain sailing for me, but my
work with the Scouts, the Scottish Rugby
Union, the Scottish Youth Parliament and the
Olympics has helped give me the edge in the
jobs market. Without these interests and the
opportunities they have given me, I probably
wouldn’t have the communication skills,
organisational skills or confidence that I need
to learn and develop on a daily basis in a busy
office.
“The great thing about the Modern
Apprenticeship Program is that I can get
qualifications as well as experience, so it’s a
really worthwhile and interesting position I’m
“My work with
the Scouts, the
Scottish Rugby
Union, the Scottish
Youth Parliament
and the Olympics
has helped give
me the edge in the
jobs market”
in. I’d be really happy to stay with the Council
after I finish my MA, but then again, I’ve got
a bit of a taste for big events and this might
be something I want to develop. Who knows
what the future holds, though; for now I’m just
concentrating on my Apprenticeship and doing
as good a job as I can.”
For more information
On the Modern Apprenticeship
Programme, contact Laura McIntyre on
0131 529 3727
12 WORKING CAPITAL SEPTEMBER 2012
SEPTEMBER 2012 WORKING CAPITAL
13

TOOLKIT
FIND OUT MORE
Money Advice
Service
In this issue, we’re going to focus on
The Money Advice Service and their
dedicated tools and resources section.
This website is a valuable resource for
both the public and front line workers.
www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk
Budget Planner:
This planner can be used to calculate
income and expenditure for individuals
and households, allowing for a clearer
understanding of how money is being
spent. Broken down into sections, it covers
household bills, living costs, financial
products, family and friends, travel and
leisure. Results can be saved and updated
when needed.
Calculators:
There are a wide range of interactive
calculators to help increase knowledge of
spending and savings on the site. Some
of the calculators on the site currently
include childcare costs, pensions,
mortgages, savings and credit cards.
This section also features a debt test
which provides information on how to
avoid issues with debt and tells you how
you would appear to a credit reference
agency.
Health Check:
The health check helps make decisions to
make the most of your money. It provides
impartial advice for anyone thinking
about borrowing, saving, and planning
for the future. By answering a number of
questions, an action plan is generated
to help people achieve financial security.
Starting with the most important things
first, it’s broken down into steps that show
the action people need to take such as
addressing borrowing and loans, setting up
savings accounts and planning towards a
pension.
Workplace Pension
Advice Tool:
Workplace pensions are changing from
October. This tool will help people decide
whether saving in a workplace pension is
right for them, taking into account individual
financial situations and other factors such
as age.
Comparison Tables:
There are a number of comparison
tables featured on the website, providing
unbiased, factual information to help people
make informed decisions about financial
matters. Comparison tables include credit
cards, current accounts, loans, ISAs.
mortgages, pensions and more.
Letter Templates:
To help with writing letters to resolve a
number of situations, The Money Advice
Service has developed letter templates
that can be adapted for individual
circumstances to communicate with banks,
local authorities, pensions and for other
contractual agreements.
Free Printed Guides:
These free printed guides provide clear,
unbiased information and advice on a
variety of topics related to money matters.
They are a good starting point for general
information about financial products and
services and can help make informed
choices. Quantities can also be ordered via
their website and copies in other languages
are available online.
2012-2013
The gateway to services in
Edinburgh and Midlothian
learning
volunteering
training for jobs
employment
money matters
housing
health
and more
Get On Guide
The new edition of the Get On Guide is
now available, providing updated and
clear information on employment, learning
and other specialist services. The Get On
guide provides a valuable resource to keep
professionals up to date on changes in local
services. Organised into eight sections:
Learning, Training for Jobs, Employment,
Money Matters, Housing, Health,
Volunteering and Other, the Get On Guide
aims to be easy to navigate and use.
To order copies of the Get On Guide for
yourself or your organisation, contact
employabilityandskills@edinburgh.gov.uk
Get in touch
If you have a new product, website, booklet
or tools service which could be helpful to
other organisations and individuals, please
let us know so we can feature it on our
Toolkit page. Please email both shona.
mcallister@edinburgh.gov.uk and Katie.
turpie@edinburgh.gov.uk
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Skills Scotland – 30
October 2012 at Royal
Highland Centre
Skills Scotland events are highly
inspirational, free careers and skills festivals
for 14-19 year olds that thrill and motivate
students. Established as the biggest
interactive series of events in Scotland, this
new event for Edinburgh will feature over 40
exhibitors and 2,500 visitors.
Skills Scotland events are all about
inspiring the nation’s youth about their future
careers and opportunities. The events attract
thousands of young people from schools,
colleges and community groups, allowing
them to try different activities that give them
a taste of the skills and challenges they will
meet in a range of careers.
These activities are showcased by
employers, colleges, training providers and
other organisations.
www.skillsscotlandedinburgh.co.uk
RECENT RESEARCH
Minimum Income Standard
for the UK in 2012
What income do people need to achieve a
socially acceptable standard of living?
The Joseph Rowntree Foundation report on
Minimum Income Standards in 2012 shows
that in the past four years both minimum
living costs and the earnings needed to afford
them have risen significantly more than
USEFUL PUBLICATIONS AND WEB LINKS
Institute of Economic
Development National
Conference – 27
November 2012, London
With economic growth so high on the
Government’s agenda, there is no time
like the present to create a strategy for
delivering real, sustainable economic
growth, development and regeneration,
both locally and nationally.
headline inflation for families with children.
For households without children, they have
remained more stable.
Soaring childcare and transport costs
plus cuts to tax credits mean families need
to earn a third more post-recession to make
ends meet. A single person in the UK needs
to earn at least £16,400 a year before tax
in 2012, to afford a minimum acceptable
standard of living. Two parents need to
earn at least £18,400 each to support
Can improving skills
levels reduce poverty
and income inequality?
Improving skills among the workforce is
seen as fundamental to achieving a more
competitive economy and maintaining
productivity, with a world-class skills base
considered a key driver of competitive
advantage (BIS, 2010). This report uses
data from the British Household Panel
Survey to investigate how projected
improvements in skills levels in the UK
economy between now and 2020 will affect
rates of poverty and income inequality.
www.jrf.org.uk/publications
Leading policy makers and economic
development experts will be joining The
Institute of Economic Development and
Regeneration and Renewal to discuss the
most pressing issues in achieving true
economic development and creating an
enabling environment for economic growth.
Key debates for 2012 include tackling
worklessness, promoting social inclusion in
the labour market and working within the
new welfare-to-work environment.
www.economicdevelopmentconference.com
themselves and two children.
In some areas of life, however, the minimum
has gone down. For example, in today’s
harsher economic climate, pensioners and
families with children specified lower minimum
budgets for eating out and for exchanging
Christmas and birthday presents. In other
areas, new requirements have emerged since
2008. Computers and the internet are now
considered necessities for all working-age
families. www.jrf.org.uk/publications
Welfare Reform Act 2012
On 8 March 2012, the UK Welfare Reform
Act received Royal Assent. The Act introduces
a wide range of reforms across the benefits
and tax credit system. The major change is
the introduction of Universal Credit which
replaces many of the existing benefits as
well as combining in-work and out-of-work
benefits into a single benefit payment
system. The key principles of the changes
are to ‘make work pay’ and to simplify the
current systems while working within the
context of welfare budget savings identified
by the UK Coalition Government to the value
of £18billion by 2014/15.
For information on Welfare Reform and to
sign up for updates, visit www.dwp.gov.uk
14 WORKING CAPITAL SEPTEMBER 2012
SEPTEMBER 2012 WORKING CAPITAL
15

EDINBURGH’S STRATEGIC SKILLS PIPELINE
You can get this document on tape, in Braille, large print and
various computer formats if you ask us. Please contact the
Interpretation and Translation Service (ITS) on 0131 242 8181 and
quote reference number 12-0023/02. ITS can also give information
on community language translations.
You can get more copies of this document by calling 0131 529 4256
Designed by The City of Edinburgh Council Corporate Governance 12.112/CD/DW/May 2012