Rising to the challenge to help people back into work

Government funding has been put in place to help jobseekers and people facing redundancy enter new jobs or retrain.
The Scottish Government has announced a £100 million employment support fund, with at least half of this money set aside to help young people gain employment.The Scottish Government has announced a £100 million employment support fund, with at least half of this money set aside to help young people gain employment.
The Scottish Government has announced a £100 million employment support fund, with at least half of this money set aside to help young people gain employment.

Economy secretary Fiona Hyslop has announced a £100 million employment support fund, with at least half of this money set aside to help young people gain employment.

Other measures include a job guarantee for young people, a national retraining scheme and nore assistance for people who are made redundant. Employment support service Fair Start Scotland has also been extended until March 2023.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Ms Hyslop said: “We are potentially facing unemployment on a scale not seen for decades as a result of coronavirus (Covid-19).

“Today’s announcements show that we are ready to rise to this challenge with investment to help ensure that people who have lost jobs, those at risk of unemployment and young people entering the labour market can benefit from more and better job opportunities.

“This crisis is having a significant impact on our young people and we need to act quickly to protect their future.

“I have asked Sandy Begbie, who led the Developing the Young Workforce Group that played a pivotal role in the delivery of the Edinburgh Guarantee to young people, to develop an implementation plan for a job guarantee for young people, as recommended by the Advisory Group on Economic Recovery, and we will set out more detail on that plan in early August.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The extension to Fair Start Scotland will also provide stability and continuity to the most vulnerable and those furthest from the labour market, including people with disabilities, health conditions and those who are long-term unemployed, to help them progress into work.”

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.