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Ministerial Foreword
For the vast majority of people in Scotland, work is the surest way of achieving a better quality of life and avoiding disadvantage. It also makes sense for Government to help ensure that everyone can contribute to a fairer and more productive society, to the benefit of both individuals and families. Particularly as more people live longer, we need everyone who is able to work to be active and employed.
There have been real achievements since 1999 in helping people move from welfare to work. A huge reduction in the child poverty statistics has been one important result. But there are still too many obstacles for those Scots - estimated at 168,000 - who want to enter or return to the world of work. Employers must be able to play their part in providing employment opportunities for those who have, for far too long, been part of that "undiscovered workforce".
Workforce Plus sets out our approach to both the national leadership and the local action needed to address this challenge. Although we are targeting effort into Scotland's cities and communities where the highest numbers of people are out of work, this is a Framework for the whole of Scotland. It has been developed with the UK Government at a time when vital reforms to the welfare system are being proposed to support more people's aspirations and motivation to work.
Workforce Plus reflects not just the Executive's views, but those of the many people we have consulted and who are closely involved in supporting people's "employability" through a range of services. We are grateful to them all for their time and commitment in developing the Framework. They have emphasised, above all, that success depends on real partnership working between different agencies, particularly at local level. This underpins the Framework in all its aspects.
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Malcolm Chisholm MSP
Minister for Communities | Allan Wilson MSP
Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning |
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