Scotland's Economy

Another thousand opportunities for young people

March 1, 2013 by Angela Constance MSP No Comments | Category Uncategorized

I attended a very special event this week – ‘The Gathering’ – a key date in the calendar for the third sector in Scotland. It’s a massive annual event that brings together Scotland’s social enterprise and voluntary organisation community.

The third sector are valued partners in our endeavours to boost youth employment. They have a distinct contribution to make and a particular gift in reaching out and supporting the young people who are furthest away from the labour market.

That’s why I was really pleased to announce this week, the third phase of Community Jobs Scotland (CJS). The Scottish Government will fund  another thousand opportunities for young people to work in the voluntary sector and receive training bespoke to the job role and individual needs. It’s a win-win scenario: young people gain valuable work experience, and the third sector increases its capacity at a time of increasing demand upon its services.

I have heard so many personal testimonies from young people who have had a life changing experience from their involvement in CJS. Speaking at The Gathering, a young man called Kevin Forest calmly and eloquently told an audience of 100 or so of his experience working in human resources and finance in APEX. I also met a young woman, working in an innovative environmental project in rural Scotland, another working as an administrator for the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and another young man working as a painter and decorator with a housing association. Real experiences, real work, and real people in a sector which has depth and diversity and will touch every community in Scotland.

To date, the Scottish Government has invested £29 million in CJS, which is operated by the SCVO. CJS is an important part of our ‘Opportunities for All’ guarantee of a place in education or training to every 16-19 year old who needs one. As CJS has developed, lessons have been learnt from experience and the program has been refined accordingly. So I was also delighted to announce that for young people who have lived through, or are living with, disadvantage, the age criteria will be increased from 16-19 to 16-24. While young people claiming benefits should expect and demand support from DWP programmes like the Youth Contract and the Work Programme, I will enhance the Scottish Government’s offer to young people where I can.

Attending The Gathering also gave me the opportunity to listen and participate in discussion. There was a number of valuable points made by those who are on the front line in the third sector across Scotland.  What struck me was the genuine desire, despite the tough economic and financial climate, to roll our collective sleeves up and make a real difference. There is also a genuine commitment to partnership working and a willingness to pool resources.

Therefore, it is apt that a further development of CJS is the earmarking of 100 new opportunities this year for young people with a disability or a long term condition and continuing this focus next year. This is an innovative development as SCVO have partnered up with the Shaw Trust via DWP’s Work Choice Programme. Working together, they will offer a part time work opportunity for 18 months for eligible young people.

It is a great pity that the third sector has been largely excluded from the delivery of the UK Government’s Work Programme, a subject for another blog I think.  But meantime we can be assured that Community Jobs Scotland is changing lives in Scotland.

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