This page contains information on key developments relating to the Renfrewshire Local Employability Partnership and the employability landscape locally and nationally.
RLEP News
Hundreds of Job-Seekers Attend Renfrewshire Jobs Fair
With numerous employers in Renfrewshire keen to fill job vacancies, the Council’s Employability service worked with local DWP colleagues to organise a Jobs Fair.
The event was a great success with 60 employers across a range of sectors attending on the day to promote over 600 vacancies.
Despite the poor weather, 575 jobseekers attended the event in the Lagoon Leisure Centre in Paisley.
120 interviews were arranged there and then and 17 people received job offers on the day. Many more job offers are expected over the coming weeks as are sector-based work academies to help those needing some training in advance of being recruited.
Renfrewshire’s Partnership Approach to Supporting Ukrainian Job Seekers
Earlier this year, employability services in Renfrewshire reported a growing number of new Ukrainian residents (coming via the resettlement scheme) requesting support to find employment.
To ensure a coordinated approach, a working group was set up. Given that many Ukrainians being resettled had no or insufficient English language skills to enable them to access support or work, the group included West College Scotland; Community Learning and Development as well as other key partners such as the Councils Resettlement Team and Engage (the local Third Sector Intermediary) to allow partners to work together to consider both language and employability support collectively.
Since then, a new Job Club for Ukrainian residents has been established which has had 71 people through its doors to date. At least 9 have moved into work so far; 10 are attending college and others are continuing to receive support. A number have moved outwith the Renfrewshire area.
Ukrainian residents who have lived in Renfrewshire for some time, were identified and volunteered at the Job Club providing much needed translation support.
A young Ukrainian woman, who was recently resettled, has been employed via a paid work placement with the Council’s employability service (Invest) where she is further developing her translation skills as well as learning new skills. Yuliia has been a great asset to the team and the working group and other employment opportunities are being considered and developed with CLD and other partners. Yuliia’s story is included below alongside some quotes from others who have been supported.
Renfrewshire LEP funding has enabled West College Scotland to pilot a new ESOL for Employment Course for 14 Ukrainian residents which will be repeated.
This is on top of the existing ESOL courses run by the college and by CLD staff.
A key challenge for the group is that the demand for English language support exceeds what is currently in place and a lack of skilled tutors/teaching staff is a significant barrier. This will be a priority for the group to progress albeit it is a national issue and not unique to Renfrewshire.
The group recognises that the model of support on offer should be available for all refugees in Renfrewshire and the Refugee Council will be joining the group as will the lead for Renfrewshire’s INRen Network to inform planning.
My Story by Yuliia Kovalenko
“After I moved to Scotland from Ukraine, I started to attend the Job Centre. When I was finally settled, I started to look for work. I wanted to find something I am good at and, as I am an interpreter and translator by profession, I decided to choose this direction.
One day when I was at the Job Centre, my Work Coach advised me to come to the Invest in Renfrewshire Job Club for Ukrainians as a volunteer interpreter. After a few sessions, I was offered a 26-week Paid Traineeship as a Trainee Job Club Assistant. Now, I am not only improving my own skills but helping other Ukrainian refugees – this gives me great job satisfaction.
I support with Interpretation at weekly Employability Sessions, translate handouts into Ukrainian and deal with any enquires from Ukrainians coming into the building or attending events such as the Jobs Fair. As well as interpreting and translating, I am keeping files and session materials up to date along with excel spreadsheets and the company database.
This has been a very positive experience for me and is providing me with an opportunity for personal growth. We have received great feedback about the Employability Sessions to date and I have included comments from some of the participants below:”
“Individual approach and attention to everyone”
“I will definitely find a job after these sessions”
“Orientation towards achieving a practical goal – to get a job”
“The presenters are very friendly. They have sincere desire to help”
“The sessions are highly informative”
“It’s great that there are Ukrainian translators”
“As for a student who has never worked, these sessions were really useful and interesting”
“Very nice, relaxing atmosphere, friendly approach, polite”
“High professionalism and opportunity to help with any question related to employment. I also would like to note excellent translation”
RLEP has published it’s Renfrewshire Employability Delivery Plan for 2022-25.
Summary Plan : Renfrewshire Employability Delivery Plan 2022.25 – summary
Employability Conference Brings Partners Together Face to Face to Tackle Key Challenges
Over 100 practitioners from a wide range of services and community organisations and groups joined us on the 22nd June for our 9th annual employability conference and first face to face event for 3 years, at the Ingliston Hotel and Country Club.
Re-connecting our Services and Communities (No One Left Behind)
This year’s event recognised the need to re-connect local employability services with communities and organisations across Renfrewshire and also to build new connections recognising the need to promote the benefits of work to a wider audience. This includes unemployed residents and also others who have not been considering work due to other priorities such as caring or parenting or because of health issues.
Conference report and slide pack below:
Renfrewshire Employability Partnership Conference 2022
Employability Conference Slidepack 22.6.22
Stories of Success
We are always keen to share case studies . These are a helpful tool that can inspire Renfrewshire residents to access employability support. If you have any case studies to share please let us know.
Here are a few that were recently shared at the Employability Conference in June.
Getting Help Works Real Stories of Success (003)
Young Persons Guarantee in Renfrewshire – Progress Report
This report highlights real progress in supporting young people into positive destinations whether that be a job, apprenticeship, volunteering , training or further and higher education. Our youth employment rate has seen the biggest growth across all 32 local authority areas over the last 10 years and is now the 2nd highest in Scotland.
https://ypguaranteerenfrewshire.com/news/ypg-renfrewshire-progress-so-far
Useful Information Source
A very helpful source of information is the Employability in Scotland website where you can be kept up to date with national news and resources and also find links to local partnerships across Scotland. Why not visit now? https://www.employabilityinscotland.com/
You will see links to the new Employability Service Standards and an Employability Customer Charter which we will be exploring further at this years Employability Conferences. All local Employability Services should be aiming to meet the standards and our customers should be aware of the charter. We hope to customise the charter for Renfrewshire and will be working with service users and engagement forums like the YPG Youth Panel to do this.
Also available now is a very helpful new resource , the Continuous Improvement Toolkit which will also be discussed at our conferences and likely be a future subject for training and development opportunities for local employability delivery partners.
To Find out more about any of the news items on this page please contact Kay McIntosh , Partnership Coordinator :
kay.mcintosh@renfrewshire.gov.uk or 07955387405.