Westerton House, Westerton Road East Mains Industrial Estate Broxburn EH52 5AU T. 01506 775558 F.

01506 775566 E. info@improvementservice.org.uk www.improvementservice.org.uk

1. Name of SOA case study East Ayrshire Community Planning Partnership Skills Development and Employability Service 2. What was the local need addressed by this SOA case study? The Skills Development and Employability Service, established in 2008/09, addresses the need to ensure that the skills base of local people, in particular those who are unemployed, meets the needs of existing local businesses and potential inward investors. The Service merged a range of existing projects and initiatives to deliver a full spectrum of employability services across East Ayrshire. Individuals are able to access the most appropriate support to meet their needs linked to the opportunities available within the local labour market. The project is located within communities throughout East Ayrshire and delivers support to individuals in their journey from unemployment and dependence to sustainable employment and independence. Support provided by the Service includes: Early Engagement Workers engage with individuals as early as possible in their unemployment and develop an action plan to facilitate the employability journey, working closely with other agencies in targeted communities to identify those furthest removed from the labour market. Assessment Workers carry out a full assessment assisting clients to remove the barriers to employment, determining what skills, training, childcare and work experience are required to ensure progression is a possibility. Personal Development Staff based in local communities provide short courses to build confidence that enhance skills including interview skills, CV development, basic training to access further training or employment in various sectors including care, retail and hospitality or customised training. Skills Development Locally based staff provide accredited courses including SVQ level II in Administration, European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) and training relevant to meet the needs of the local labour market delivered by external providers. Job Finding Local Centres offer supported local access for jobseekers to include internet access, job seeking skills, assistance with completing application forms and access to stationery. Support in Work The workers provide support to individuals in work, as required, to sustain employment.

The model maximises progression to sustainable employment and minimises continuous training, which does not lead to positive outcomes for individuals.

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Westerton House, Westerton Road East Mains Industrial Estate Broxburn EH52 5AU T. 01506 775558 F. 01506 775566 E. info@improvementservice.org.uk www.improvementservice.org.uk

3. What was done and by which partners? The establishment of the Skills Development and Employability Service in 2008/09 has facilitated a strategic and partnership approach to the provision of employability services, which maximises opportunities to increase the educational and vocational skills capacity of the local workforce. The Service works with a range of Partners, as detailed below and including local colleges and Skills Development Scotland, to provide local people with opportunities to access the most appropriate support to meet their individual requirements linked to opportunities available within the labour market. East Ayrshire Employability Forum has been established, as a recommended action from the Scottish Government in respect of implementing the Employability Framework for Scotland: Workforce Plus with the aim of contributing to Closing the Opportunity Gap. The purpose of the Forum is to develop a partnership with key services to provide a strategic and co-ordinated response to delivering a range of effective employability services to meet the needs of local people and the local labour market. In addition, the Forum ensures that funding secured to deliver employability services makes an impact on: increasing the employment rates; reducing the number of people with no qualifications; and reducing the number of the working age population receiving welfare benefits.

The Forum, a formal sub-group of the Community Plan Delivering Community Regeneration Action Plan Working Group, drives forward actions relating to employability as detailed in the Action Plan and linked to the outcomes in the Single Outcome Agreement. Partners are as follows:

Ayr College East Ayrshire Council Chamber of Commerce Jobcentre Plus Kilmarnock College

Skills Development Scotland Volunteer Centre East Ayrshire NHS Ayrshire and Arran Scottish Enterprise

The Wise Group East Ayrshire CVO WEA Lennox Partnership

In addition, a multi-agency Ayrshire Employment Task Force, which was established initially within East Ayrshire and extended to cover North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire, has been formed in response to the effects of the economic downturn, particularly in the manufacturing sector. As well as the three Councils, members of the Task Force include Jobcentre Plus, Scottish Enterprise, Business Gateway, Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Small Businesses and Kilmarnock College, whose remit is to gather and share information regarding companies which are experiencing trading difficulties and to ensure that effective, co-ordinated support is made available to sustain the businesses and support the employees affected. The work of this Group underpins and informs the development of activity to meet the employability needs of
Company No. 287978, Registered address: 101 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 3ES Improvement Service is a Registered Trade Mark

Westerton House, Westerton Road East Mains Industrial Estate Broxburn EH52 5AU T. 01506 775558 F. 01506 775566 E. info@improvementservice.org.uk www.improvementservice.org.uk

local people, including those affected by the recession. 4. What is the evidence of the benefits for communities or if the benefits are still to be delivered, what is the timeline for that? The Skills Development and Employability Service delivers a range of employability services across East Ayrshire. Individuals are able to access the most appropriate support to meet their needs linked to the opportunities available within the local labour market. The project is located within communities throughout East Ayrshire and delivers support to individuals through unemployment and dependence to sustainable employment and independence. Achievements in 2008/09 include: the provision of FSF resources providing essential match funding to maximise additional finance, including European Structural Funds, which provides a higher level of investment for disadvantaged areas; the implementation of a partnership approach to delivering employability provision, resulting in improved choice and accessibility of training and further education opportunities; and the establishment of the East Ayrshire Employability Forum which enables a coordinated approach to meeting the Local Outcomes; the provision of a range of training/learning opportunities with accredited qualifications supported by partners and 645 individuals (including 203 young people not in education, employment or training) received support, with 88 progressing to further education/training and 102 gaining a full or part qualification; 44 enterprises supported and the equivalent of 21 full-time equivalent job opportunities created. In addition, 8 individuals gained employment through supported job brokerage schemes and a further 2 individuals gained employment through supported ICT/e-learning facilities; 93 individuals have moved into employment; as a result of the current economic situation which has reduced the number of direct employment opportunities, an increase in the number of people entering further education to enhance their qualifications and employment opportunities when the economy improves; to address legislation requirement for those wishing to work on construction sites, 14 people passed the proficiency test for the Construction Skills Certification Scheme awards. This number is anticipated to increase to over 100 in 2009/10. other additional job specific qualifications have been procured/delivered on an individual needs basis as has training for adults already in work to ensure that they are able to sustain their employment; FSF resources also finance transport and other in employment training and support costs necessary to ensure positive outcomes and sustainable employment; and the progression of a mapping exercise to ascertain the availability of training and learning opportunities across East Ayrshire for both young people and adults, which will assist in respect of future local labour market and qualification requirements.

In addition, the establishment of this Service has provided a robust vehicle to access additional funding and deliver targeted programmes, as evidenced by over 732,000 having been secured from the Future Jobs Fund to deliver 113 new employment opportunities, providing jobs and community benefits across East Ayrshire in 2009/10.
Company No. 287978, Registered address: 101 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 3ES Improvement Service is a Registered Trade Mark

Westerton House, Westerton Road East Mains Industrial Estate Broxburn EH52 5AU T. 01506 775558 F. 01506 775566 E. info@improvementservice.org.uk www.improvementservice.org.uk

5. What added value has the SOA process brought to the delivery of these benefits? The SOA process has further enhanced partnership working in East Ayrshire, bringing an increased focus on the achievement of National Outcomes and jointly agreed key Local Outcomes. The SOA provides a robust framework through which to measure progress towards the achievement of National and Local Outcomes, which in relation to the Skills Development and Employability Service are as follows:.
National Outcome 1: We live in a Scotland that is the most attractive place for doing business in Europe.

Skills capacity of the local workforce increased.

National Outcome 2: We realise our full economic potential with more and better employment opportunities for our people.

Our young people are properly prepared to enter the world of work. Good quality job opportunities are available which are accessible to local people in East Ayrshire. Through the Skills Development and Employability Service, an infrastructure has been developed which can respond to local and national strategies and opportunities and ensure that all employability activity across East Ayrshire is aligned to the Community Plan and the Single Outcome Agreement. 6. What next steps are you taking to meet this local need? A significant element of the funding for the Service comes via the European Social Fund (ESF) Priority 1: Progressing to Employment and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Priority 3: Urban Regeneration. This funding ends in March 2010. To build on the early success of the strategic approach to skills development and employability in East Ayrshire, a further a Community Planning Partnership European funding application will be submitted for continued funding from 1 April 2010.
Contact details of lead officer. Alan Neish Head of Planning and Economic Development Lead Officer: Community Plan Theme of Delivering Community Regeneration 6 Croft Street Kilmarnock KA1 1JB alan.neish@east-ayrshire.gov.uk Bob Greer Skills Development and Employability Manager Skills Development and Employability Service 66 John Finnie Street Kilmarnock KA1 1BS bob.greer@east-ayrshire.gov.uk

Company No. 287978, Registered address: 101 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 3ES Improvement Service is a Registered Trade Mark