Helping people into work

Nine in 10 people who used Scotland’s new employment support service in its first year felt they were treated with dignity and respect.

Fair Start Scotland helps people find work and supports those who have struggled to find a job that meets their needs.

A total of 10,063 people started using the service in its first 12 months.

Reports show that:

• nine in 10 of those who used the service felt they were treated with dignity and respect
• 78% felt the service offered support to improve their general quality of life and wellbeing
• 80% of participants felt they had a choice about the type of support they received

Fair Work Minister Jamie Hepburn said:

“When we designed Fair Start Scotland we wanted it to be voluntary, flexible, responsive to people’s needs and – most important of all – based on the principles of dignity and respect. There is now strong evidence that this approach is working and that Fair Start Scotland is having a positive impact.

“I have met many people who have used the service over the last year and it’s clear that the majority hugely value the support they receive.

“We will continue to learn and make improvements to the service, working closely with our partners and those who are using our services to make sure we provide the best possible support to the largest number of people we can.”

Background

Fair Start Scotland is Scotland’s first fully devolved employment support service which became operational in April 2018. It aims to provide support to people who want help to find and stay in work.

Fair Start Scotland services are delivered by different providers across the country.

Fair Start Scotland Annual Report Year One and Fair Start Scotland Evaluation Report Two - Overview of Year One have been published.