Addressing the labour market emergency: Scottish Government response

Theme Two – Assistance for those facing redundancy

Key actions:

• We will invest further in PACE, working with partners to maximise resources to continue to provide individualised and tailored support to those facing redundancy.
• We are responding now to increased demand for support across Scotland.
• We are working rapidly through the Ministerial PACE Activity and Resources Group to agree how we will collectively identify and implement change to meet increasing demand.
• We are developing a prospectus to ensure customer journeys are clear and co-ordinated.
• We will maximise web resources, digitally delivered interventions and contact centre support by working with PACE partners to develop a programme of webinars and online workshops.

Those whose employment is precarious and are at risk of redundancy will receive greater support. Engaging quickly and guiding individuals through this challenging experience is crucial for them, those who depend on them and for our economic recovery. We know the risks and challenges which periods of long term unemployment can present, and we will build on and expand Scotland’s successes in addressing these issues.

What we were asked to do

The sub-group recognised the value of Scotland’s Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) support. PACE is the Scottish Government’s initiative for responding to redundancy situations and is a partnership of organisations providing advice and guidance when people are made redundant or are facing redundancy.

The sub-group also identified that demand for redundancy support will rise in the coming months, particularly after the withdrawal of the UK Government’s Job Retention Scheme. They made a number of recommendations, including increasing capacity of PACE and ensuring business support (see Theme One above) supports the retention of workers to reduce the risk of unnecessary redundancies in viable businesses.

What we are doing now

The PACE model of redundancy support has developed over a number of years, strengthening and adapting to meet the support needs of individuals across all sectors and parts of Scotland. In the year to March 2020, PACE provided in-depth support to 2,215 individuals, while working with 295 companies. Since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, it has adapted its delivery model to be able to continue to deliver for those who need support.

We are:

• Working rapidly through the Ministerial PACE Activity and Resources Group to agree how we will collectively identify and implement change to meet increasing demand for redundancy support as a result of the economic crisis
• Delivering services by telephone and through Skype with enhanced online resources including webinars, in response to COVID-19
• Responding to increased demand for support across Scotland, recognising the disproportionate impact the crisis has had and will have on particular sectors, including Tourism and Hospitality and Oil and Gas.

What we will do

We will:

• Invest further in PACE, working with partners to maximise resources to continue to provide individualised and tailored support to those facing redundancy
• Act quickly to implement the actions identified by the Ministerial PACE Activity and Resources Group
• Finalise with partners the 2020-21 PACE Continuous Improvement Plan to ensure that PACE continues to review and adapt delivery in the coming months, which includes
  • Undertaking a rapid review of the PACE offer to remove duplication of support provided by partners
  • Developing a prospectus to ensure customer journeys are clear and co-ordinated
  • Maximising web resources, digitally delivered interventions and contact centre support by working with PACE partners to develop a programme of webinars and online workshops
  • Increasing the marketing of PACE to ensure that the reach is as extensive as possible whilst simultaneously ensuring that partners can respond to increased volumes of participants.

How we will implement change

In a statement to the Scottish Parliament on 16^th July, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture confirmed that:

“The Scottish Government is committed to supporting people facing redundancy and ensuring that they have access to the appropriate support. Through a partnership approach, working with the public, third and private sectors we will look to maximise resources, to provide individualised and tailored support”.

The Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills, has established a short life working group, the PACE Activity and Resources Group, with members including Skills Development Scotland (SDS), the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), Local Government, Colleges, Enterprise Agencies and the Scottish Training Federation.

This group is focused on ensuring our PACE offer responds to the current crisis through a truly collaborative partnership approach, working across public, third and private sectors to align and maximise resources and to provide the wrap around services for those facing redundancy situations.

The work is focussed on two key themes:

Support for Business

Our Enterprises Agencies, colleges and Business Gateway are working together to offer pre-PACE support to businesses in distress, including tailored support where possible.

Support for Individuals

SDS, DWP and local authorities are working together to set out their roles and responsibilities for PACE delivery, developing a prospectus to ensure customer journeys are clear and are co-ordinated. The prospectus will complement the existing PACE Guide, to clearly set out possible pathways for individuals who have been made redundant. Where appropriate this will provide links to a range of additional advice services such as welfare, mental health, and debt counselling, which will be a critical service for many facing redundancy or reduced income.

These key partners are also collectively considering how the reach of our PACE service can be extended through marketing and promotion of services to businesses and individuals.

SDS, as the lead PACE delivery partner on behalf of Scottish Government, is developing a programme of online webinar sessions. These will be focused around common themes of support that have traditionally been delivered by PACE. This will provide significant opportunity to deliver support on a ‘one to many’ basis, helping to reach a significant proportion of the predicted numbers of redundancies expected. The programme will be co-designed, created and delivered between SDS and the relevant partner, e.g. Local Government, Enterprise Agencies etc.

In order for this to be a truly partnership approach the Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills, will continue to chair the short life working group as we develop the proposals for a scaled up PACE delivery and ensure the reach of PACE is as extensive as possible.

PACE support gets Garry back on the road to a new career

Garry Pollock accessed PACE support when made redundant. He said:

“PACE stepped in straight away…..when I was told you could get retrained for a different skill to pursue a different career I couldn’t believe it, as it’s something I probably couldn’t have afforded to do myself.

I asked if I could be put through my LGV Class 2 training and they said yes. So I did the training, passed the course, and now I’ve got a job driving trucks for Muller in Cambuslang.”

Garry was delighted with the support he received from PACE and would encourage anyone who is facing redundancy to make use of the free service.

He said:

“I would definitely recommend PACE to anyone. Losing your job is not good for morale or self-confidence, but thanks to the support and training I received, I got a new job pretty quickly. I’m loving my new job.”