Pathfinder | Positions | Salary | Hours | Duration | Issue | Action | Outcome |
Pathfinder A | Restorative Justice Manager | | | End March 2004 | 14 applicants in total. Applicants lacked appropriate experience | Re-advertised once | Filled by secondment |
Carers | | Part-time | End March 2004 | Shortage of carers | | Increased hours from existing carers |
Homework Tutors (x20) | 16/hour | Part-time | | Good response but time lag in receiving Disclosure Scotland forms meant 6 had found alternative employment. 13 were appointed but 3 left quickly. Second advert had poor response rate with only 3 appointments for 10 vacancies. | Re-advertised twice | Third advert had a good response which led to appointment of 13 tutors |
Pathfinder B | Youth Outreach co-ordinator | AP3 first advert, AP4 second advert | Full-time | End March 2005 | 5 applicants in total , all with limited experience and qualifications | Re-advertised once, closing date extended, Salary increased after first advert | Position filled with applicant still working towards degree |
Senior Youth Information Worker | AP2 | Full-time | End March 2005 | 5 applicants in total , all with lack of similar experience | Re-advertised once, closing date extended | Position filled from second advert |
Youth Information Worker (x6) | 6.24/hour | Part-time (6 hours) | End March 2005 | | Re-advertised once | 5 of 6 jobs filled |
Sports Development Coaches | | Part-time | End March 2004 | Lack of qualified and experienced coaches | | Recruited 12 initially. Half lacked experience, required mentoring by experienced coaches. Ongoing recruitment via word of mouth. Now have 24 coaches. |
Pathfinder C | Social Workers (x4) | | Full-time | Permanent | Advert aimed at internal market/ secondees but poor response | Re-advertised twice | Social Work Assistants appointed using financial slippage from vacant positions |
Educational Psychologists (x2) | | Full-time | Temporary | Lack of applicants - small pool of professionally qualified people and people unwilling to relocate for a temporary contract | | 1 job filled via two part-time appointments. Other job replaced by health facilitator position in response to recruitment difficulties and a re-assessment of need. |
Pathfinder D | Community Safety Worker | c. 18,000 | Full-time | End March 2004 | BNSF funded job advertised alongside similar job in non-BNSF neighbourhoods. 4 adverts have produced only 6 applicants in total. | Re-advertised three times | Filled with part-time appointment from first advert; second part-time worker filled via secondment from Community Department. Agreed to amend job specification for future adverts |
Neighbourhood Assistant (x2) | | Full-time | End March 2004 | Lack of applicants. Involvement of community in defining the role took 6-7 months. | | Jobs filled first time. |
Pathfinder E | Drugs Information Worker | Originally PO2 (25,500-27,900) then AP4/5 (19,600-24,400) | Full-time | End of BNSF | Only 6 applicants in response to the first advert; applicants also lacked experience | Review and change job spec, re-advertised at lower level | 9-12 months to fill |
G Grade Nurse | | Full-time | End of BNSF | Lack of applicants | Re-advertised once | 9-12 months to fill |
Pathfinder F | None | | | | | | Capital nature of the programme meant new positions were not a feature |
Pathfinder G | Alcohol counsellor | | | Annual contracts subject to continued funding | Only 2 applicants - neither had necessary experience | Re-advertised once | Not filled, 1 day secondee from local alcohol counselling service |
Estate wardens (x6) | 14,000 | Full-time | Annual contracts subject to continued funding | Good response but applicants lacked necessary skills and experience | | All jobs filled but with difficulty |
Youth workers (x2) | | | Annual contracts subject to continued funding | 5 applicants - only 2 met minimum criteria. Only 1 job filled from first advert | Re-advertised once | Second job filled. Sessional workers used until second job filled |
Community Development Worker (community education) (x5) | | | Annual contracts subject to continued funding | 6 applicants. 3 met criteria. Re-advertised with likelihood of mainstreaming | Re-advertised twice | 2 jobs remain unfilled although 1 job was offered to an applicant in February 2004 |
Community Development Worker (social work) | | | Annual contracts subject to continued funding | Lack of applicants until re-advertised with likelihood of mainstreaming then good response | Re-advertised twice | Job offered to an applicant in February 2004. Interim support from Social Work |
Pathfinder H | Youth Worker | | Full-time | End March 2005 | Lack of applicants but filled first time | | |
Voluntary sector (x2) | | Part-time | End March 2005 | Lack of applicants | Re-advertised once | 1 postholder has full-time job and undertakes additional duties during evenings |
Pathfinder I | Youth Outreach Workers (x7) | AP2/3 plus 7.5% unsociable hours | Part-time and full-time | End March 2004 | Lack of applicants and applicants lacked necessary experience | | All jobs filled, with the acceptance that staff development was required Retention difficulties led to revised staff structure and re-advertisement for 2 part-time jobs, 7 applicants of whom 5 were suitable, offered to 2 but 1 subsequently offered permanent full-time job and other was not cleared by Disclosure Scotland |
Pathfinder J | Youth Workers (x4) | | | End March 2005 | Lack of applicants | Re-advertised with revised advert but same salary | 15 months to fill all four jobs |
Neighbourhood Wardens (x20) | | | End March 2005 | 97 applicants but only 34 met essential criteria. Response rate to earlier adverts for pilot project were better | | Not yet known |
Pathfinder K | Youth workers (x3) | APC3/4 (18,000-24,000) plus 7.5% irregular hours | Full-time | End June 2004 | Lack of applicants - 4 applications for 3 jobs | Review job specs and re-advertised | Use part-time staff from Council's Youth Services pool |
Community workers (x2) | APC3/4 (18,000-24,000) plus 7.5% irregular hours | Full-time | End June 2004 | Lack of applicants and lack of experience | Review job specs and re-advertised | 1 job filled at second advert, second not filled. |
Solicitor | Not known | Full-time | End June 2004 | Lack of applicants - 5 applications from 2 adverts | Re-advertised | Not filled. Work picked up by Council solicitors. |
Pathfinder L | Clerical Assistant (x 2) | | Full-time and part-time | End October 2005 | Lack of applicants - 4 applicants for 1 job | | Filled by secondment. Part-time job has been vacant for six months |
Outreach Workers (x12) | | Full-time and part-time | End October 2005 | Lack of applicants - average of 2 or 3 applicants per position | Re-advertised | No applicants for 1 job which has been covered from neighbouring island and 1 job remains vacant |
Development Officers (x2) | | Full-time | End October 2005 | Lack of applicants | | Filled by secondment |
Pathfinder M | Health Visitor | | Part-time | End December 2005 | Lack of applicants - only 2 applicants to advert | | Appointee met all criteria |
BNSF Development Officer | | Full-time | End December 2005 | Lack of experienced applicants | Re-advertised once | Appointment made from second advertisement |
Pathfinder N | BNSF Project Officer | | Full-time | End March 2005 | Lack of applicants -11 applicants to first advert, 5 shortlisted of whom 2 did not turn up for interview. Appointment made but left after 6 months. Re-advert led to 4 applicants, 2 interviewed with appointment made. | Re-advertised once | Appointment made from second advertisement with different qualifications from job specification. |
Dementia Friendly Communities worker | | Full-time | End March 2005 | Lack of applicants - job advertised for 3 months without success. | | Pro-active approach by project to worker |
Rapid Response Team Nurse | | Full-time | End March 2005 | Lack of applicants | | Responsibilities added to existing job |
Podiatrists (x2) | | Full-time | End March 2005 | Lack of applicants | | Both jobs filled first time. |