Programmes
Support in Schools
We have a dedicated Officer linked to each secondary school to support young people with transition planning prior to leaving school this is done in partnership with Education and Skills Development Scotland.
Work Out!
The Work Out! programme provides supported vocational placements to selected young people in S4 – S6 from each secondary school in South Ayrshire. Young people are supported by their Thriving Communities Officer to participate in a one day per week work experience placement in a range of occupational areas across the council, community planning partners and local businesses. Young people taking part in this programme also undertake the accredited Steps to Work qualification at SCQF Level 3.
The extended work experience programme has been designed to provide a range of experiences for the young person and to help develop them holistically in relation to their employability, communication skills and working with others.
Support for Young People
Young Person’s Guarantee was launched in November 2020. It aims to give all young people, aged 16-24 in Scotland, the chance to succeed through the opportunity of a job, apprenticeship, education, training or volunteering.
Positive Futures
Our Positive Futures Programme offers young people 16+ employability support and training through a staged 1-3 pipeline support.
Young people are fully supported through these stages by one of our Thriving Communities Officers who will be with them throughout their journey and support them to create a personalised action plan to achieve their employment goals.
Young people may be eligible for EMA (this is based on household income) or a training allowance dependant on their stage on the programme.
Programme Stages
1
The programme will give young people the opportunity to develop basic employability skills and build on their confidence through group activities, one to one support and accredited learning.
2
The programme will give trainees the opportunity to develop their work experience and continue to support them to grow in confidence with a work placement, group work and accredited learning.
3
The programme will give trainees the opportunity to develop their employability skills further and complete a work placement suitable to their vocational interest along with accredited learning.
4
At this stage on the programme young people, who are job ready, are supported to secure employment. We have a dedicated employer engagement team who work closely with local employers to support them to fill vacancies utilising the skills and experience of young people who are registered on our Positive Futures programme.
5
Young people who have progressed into employment are supported through our aftercare support. We contact young people regularly throughout their first year in employment and provide support and guidance to help young people sustain.
Outcomes
Trainees will be supported to progress into employment or further education. South Ayrshire Council also offer a variety of Modern & Craft Apprenticeship opportunities which we support young people into through our pre-apprenticeship support which is embedded into our Positive Future programmes.
Aftercare
When young people progress to employment or further education, Thriving Communities Officers continue to provide support for up to 12 months to help young people to sustain their destination.
Modern Apprentices
We offer a comprehensive pre-apprenticeship programme for young people on our Positive Futures programme. The programme gives the young person the opportunity to complete a pre-apprenticeship placement within the MA vocational area they are interested in. This helps to build up skills and knowledge within a specific area, allowing the young person a better chance of gaining an apprenticeship.
The pre-apprenticeship programme includes:
- Basic introduction to the MA qualification
- Details of sector specific training they would be required to undertake as an MA
- A visit to MA work locations
- Valuable work experience
- Information on being a South Ayrshire Council employee
- Application and interview support
Modern and Craft Apprenticeships
Modern Apprenticeships are funded by Skills Development Scotland. They are available for young people aged 16 to 19, and for people who are care experienced/young carer and/or have an additional support need we have funding to extend this age range from 20-29.
Whilst completing their apprenticeship the MA works towards the relevant work-based qualification. Modern Apprenticeships are available at a variety of levels, all mapped to the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) and accredited by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).
For more info on the occupational areas please contact a member of the team 01292 612301.
Aftercare
Following completion of their apprenticeship Thriving Communities Officers continue to work with the MAs. This includes supporting them to go on to further education or securing employment with South Ayrshire Council or local and national employers. All MAs are offered 12 months aftercare, or beyond if required.
Support for Care Experienced Young People
As part of our commitment to Corporate Parenting, young people who are care experienced or a young carer receive enhanced support from our team which starts from senior phase in school and continues throughout their employability journey.
Thriving Communities have dedicated workers who have links with partners including Education, Skills Development Scotland, Social Work, The Champions Board and Young Carers Centre which helps to support young people into employment or further education.
South Ayrshire Council Modern Apprenticeship opportunities can be ring-fenced for young people who are care experience or a young carer and support is put in place to help young people access these opportunities.
Support Employment
The Supported Employment programme is a targeted programme for people who have additional support needs. Our team are specialised in supporting people of all ages, including parents.
Supported Employment – Tailored job programme
Since 2019, to enhance the Supported Employment programme, we have created a range of tailored, part-time jobs. These jobs have been specifically created for people participating in the programme who are ready to progress into the world of work.
Our team work with colleagues across the council to create job opportunities specifically designed to suit each individual person’s circumstances. The jobs are designed around the skills, interests, and capabilities of the person, who is supported throughout by a dedicated Thriving Communities Officer.
Parental Employability Support
Our Thriving Communities Family Engagement team take a whole family approach for parents and carers who require support getting back into work or for those on low incomes upskill or retrain in order to secure and sustain fair work to ensure that households are better off when in work.
Parents are provided with one-to-one support and guidance from a Thriving Communities Officer who will provide wraparound support to help address financial concerns, health issues, fuel, food and in work poverty by taking a person-centred approach to complete better off calculations, income maximisation checks, support to apply for grants and benefits to ensure the household is better off when moving into work. In addition, a local approach is taken to help develop aspirational opportunities for work with a plan tailored to meet the needs of the individual and training identified from there. Support is also provided to access services or agencies to help overcome other challenges that need addressed in order to progress to or sustain work.
Employer Engagement
Thriving Communities Employer Engagement Team offer support to local employers, by matching clients, on our all-age employability pipeline, who have the relevant skills and experience for the vacancies.
Our Employer Engagement Team provide aftercare support to clients who have been successful in gaining employment to ensure they continue to thrive within their role and sustain their employment. Continued support is also offered to businesses as part of our aftercare offer.
The team work in partnership with SAC’s Procurement and Economic Development teams to support local employers to fulfil their Community Benefit Pledges and to create further opportunities for South Ayrshire residents. We also work in partnership with local employers and partner agencies to create learning and work experience opportunities to support clients, who may be facing barriers to employment, to develop their skills and help them to secure and sustain employment.