Argyll and Bute Council’s Employability Team and Third Sector delivery partners are keen to assist:
- Individuals between the ages of 16 and 67 years who are facing barriers in moving towards and into employment
- Young people within 6 months of the school leaving date who require support to move towards and into work.
- Low income parents (including kinship carers) who require support to move towards, into or to increase their income in-work.
- Employers looking to host a fully funded work placement or recruit someone utilising an employer recruitment incentive
There are a number of programmes available to residents of Argyll and Bute:
Contact the Employability Team >
Watch the value of work animation and how we can help you to get back into the workplace.
All Age Employability Support – No One Left Behind (NOLB)
Funded by the Scottish Government this programme supports individuals age 16 to 67 years who are facing barriers to employment. It also offers assistance to young people age 15 years within 6 months of leaving school who require support towards and into work.
Our Third Sector partners InspirAlba and WorkingRite provide a tailored support package to suit your individual needs to help you progress towards education, training or employment:
InspirAlba is the lead partner for the Spark Your Purpose programme. Covering the whole of Argyll and Bute their focus is very much in participant engagement whilst building trust with locally based organisations who are there to assist positive choices. They understand the challenges and barriers which can affect participants and recognise the importance of building Confidence; Resilience; Aspirations and Belonging, to assist participants to progress along the employability pipeline, valuing all achievements within this context.
For more information contact 01586 552240 or employability@inspiralba.org.uk
Spark Your Purpose - Employability Short Film, 23-24 | Rural Social Enterprise Hub
WorkingRite deliver programmes in Oban and Lochgilphead offering paid, mentored work placements within local small businesses and real opportunities for fair and sustainable employment. Their approach is flexible, tailored and focussed on what is right for each individual.
For more information contact Audrey on 07341 561965 / Fiona on 07788 900049
Parental Employability Support Fund (PESF)
The Parental Employability Support Fund (PESF) funded by the Scottish Government is designed to support low income families to increase their income through work, both through supporting parents to access paid employment and in helping those in lower paid jobs to progress to higher income.
Our PESF Engagement Worker delivers intensive in and out of work employability support, including person centred support to upskill, apply for jobs, gain progression whilst employment, money advice, health support, motivational support, etc.
Find out more about the PESF support we can offer you
Alternatively our Third Sector partner InspirAlba offer an array of support options also under the Parental Employability Support Fund (PESF). Linking in with the specialist support Bute Advice and ALIEnergy can offer, the focus of the programme is very much on tackling child poverty by engaging with parents to tailor support that assists them to maximise household income, reduce fuel and household poverty and develop skills and opportunities to earn through fair work.
For further information please contact: employability@inspiralba.org.uk Tel: 01586 552240
Parental Employability Support Fund (PESF) - Work Placements
Funded by the Scottish Government’s Parental Employability Support Fund, the Employability Team are offering work placements to unemployed parents of Argyll and Bute. These placements are part time and pay the Real Living Wage. Hosted by the Catering and Cleaning Teams of the Council, opportunities are currently available at; Lochgilphead Joint Campus, Corrainbuie Tarbert, Beach Café Oban, Pier Point Café Helensburgh and Oban High School.
If you are interested in finding out more, please contact the Employability Team
Parental Welfare Fund
This fund is aimed at parents receiving support through the Parental Employability Support Fund (PESF) who successfully secure employment. It helps with the transition to work and can alleviate any worries.
How much is available?
Up to £1,000, *paid as follows:
- £500 at outset of employment
- £250 at week 6 of employment
- £250 at week 13 of employment
*Payments can be split and paid flexibly over a 3 month period to suit individual requirements.
Find out more about this fund.
Parental Employability Support Fund (ERI)
The PESF ERI programme plays an important role in supporting parents with the greatest barriers to employment to enable them to obtain and remain in sustainable employment.
Argyll and Bute Council are currently offering Employer Recruitment Incentives (ERIs) of up to £6,000 per participant. This allows unemployed parents the opportunity to move into permanent or a fixed term employment contracts of up to 18 months or more.
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) - Work Placements
The Employability Team has secured UK Government funding through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to offer unemployed residents of Argyll and Bute work placements. These placements offer the opportunity to gain skills and knowledge to assist with moving into future employment:
- 4, 13, or 26 week duration
- 16 or 30 hours per week
- Real living wage paid
- Up to £100 per person work clothing allowance
- Training can be funded on an individual basis
- Each participant will have a dedicated Employability Support Worker to assist with job search, interview skills, in work support, etc
If you are an employer willing to offer a work placement opportunity, please contact the Employability Team
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) – Training
The Employability Team is also offering individuals residing in Argyll and Bute the chance to apply for fully or partially funded accredited training through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF).
The aim is to:
- Assist those who are unemployed move into work
- Help those in low income employment (earning up to £17,000 per annum) to upskill/retrain to enable them to apply for higher paid positions
If you interested in finding out how this fund may benefit you, please contact the Employability Team