Question reference: S5W-33475
- Asked by: Richard Lyle, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 23 November 2020
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Current status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 24 November 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans for No One Left Behind, and its ambitions to reform employability services in Scotland.
Answer
No One Left Behind: Next Steps for the Integration and Alignment of Employability Support in Scotland (published March 2018) and No One Left Behind: Review of Employability Services (published December 2018) sets out our intention to reform Scotland’s employability system to be more adaptable and responsive the needs of people and capable of adapting to rapidly changing labour markets. The partnership working agreement for employability signed by Scottish Ministers and COSLA Community Wellbeing Spokesperson in December 2018, signalled our mutual commitment to a collaborative approach. Prior to COVID-19, significant progress had been made with the successful transition of Activity Agreements and Scottish Employer Recruitment Incentive into the No One Left Behind partnership model.
We remain committed to ensuring no one is left behind in Scotland’s labour market and recognise that employability support will be crucial as we shape our collective economic and wellbeing response to the current public health crisis. Our recovery will be an opportunity to do things differently and to rebuild our economy with wellbeing and fair work at its heart.
Today, we have published the No One Left Behind Delivery Plan. This reflects the shared commitment of both Scottish and Local Government to work with the third sector and other partners to deliver a Scottish approach to employability that focuses on the needs of the individual first and foremost, tackles inequalities and grows Scotland's economy. It outlines planning for the next stage of delivery we will collectively work towards from April 2022 and sets out key actions to support the ongoing strengthening of local, regional and national partnerships to realise our collective ambition for more effective and joined-up support across Scotland for individuals of all ages, supporting them to increase confidence, skills and experience and enabling them to progress towards or enter employment.
The publication is available on the Scottish Government website: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781800042964
We will continue to develop strong, inclusive and agile local employability partnerships which are responsive and deliver a lasting impact for people who may experience inequalities and remain further from Scotland’s labour market.