This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Action plan to get people into work
12/06/2006
An action plan aimed at helping 66,000 Scots off benefits and into work over the next four years was published today.
Workforce Plus: An Employability Framework for Scotland sets out how organisations can better work together at a national and local level to improve support for those facing barriers to employment, including people with disabilities and lone parents.
Actions will include:
- Locally agreed targets for reducing the number of people dependent on work-related benefits in seven priority areas with the highest number of workless people
- Additional funding of £11 million between now and 2007-08 for target employability areas to implement local action plans. These will be taken forward by local employment partnerships made up of key agencies including NHS Boards, Local Enterprise Companies and local authorities
- Increased engagement with businesses through advisory groups, trade unions and others to build the role employers play, both public and private
Deputy Enterprise Minister Allan Wilson and Communities Minister Malcolm Chisholm unveiled the strategy today during a visit to STRIVE (Support and Training Results in Valuable Employees) - a project in Clydebank which aims to get long term unemployed people into work and is modelled on a scheme which originated in New York in 1985.
Mr Wilson said:
"We want to build a modern, confident and prosperous Scotland and with employment around its highest in a generation we have been successful.
"However, there are still far too many obstacles for the estimated 150,000 people from vulnerable and disadvantaged groups who want to work. These can include people with learning and physical disabilities, drug and alcohol dependency and parenting or other caring responsibilities.
"These people represent a huge untapped potential for Scotland's economy. We want to help unlock this potential by ensuring that the right services and support are in place to enable all individuals to access the training they need, to get into employment and to continue to develop their skills once in work.
"We estimate that in Scotland the major funders spend more than £500 million very year on employability. Making better use of this significant investment will not only help boost Scotland's economy, but will transform lives and communities for the better."
Communities Minister Malcolm Chisholm said:
"We are committed to ending child poverty and achieving full employment in Scotland and believe that, for most people and their families, work is the surest way out of poverty.
"In working to achieve the targets in Workforce Plus we are aware that for everyone who moves into sustained employment, the impact is much greater than just getting a job. It often has a hugely positive effect on their health, their family and their neighbourhood, encouraging self reliance and building confidence.
"By reaching out to those who most need support and better targeting services to help each individual to improve his or her employment prospects, we can help lift people permanently out of poverty.
"This is not only the Executive's view. This is what we have been told by the many people from across Scotland who helped us to develop Workforce Plus. We are grateful to them for their advice and input."
The Employability Framework has been developed from the work of the Cabinet Delivery Group on Closing the Opportunity Gap (CtOG) which aims to tackle poverty and disadvantage in Scotland.
The seven target employability local authority areas are: Glasgow, North and South Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, Dundee and West Dunbartonshire.
Funding of £5.6 million per year for 2006/07 and 2007/08 will be made available for priority areas from the Executive's Closing the Opportunity Gap fund.
The Framework has been developed in conjunction with the UK Government, which is responsible for employment and benefits. Both the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and Jobcentre Plus will be members of the National Workforce Plus Partnership and the local employability partnerships.