British Sign Language (BSL) National Plan consultation

Employment

Our first goal for employment

People who use BSL will be supported to develop the necessary skills to become valued members of the Scottish workforce, and will have fair and equal access to employment opportunities, including apprenticeships, internships and employability programmes.

By 2023 Scottish Ministers will take these steps:

25. Ensure fair and equal access to employment opportunities, including apprenticeships, internships and employability programmes.

26. Introduce in April 2018, a new Scottish employability programme. The key principle of this service is that all those who participate (including BSL users) will receive support to find and sustain work.

Our second goal for employment

BSL users will be provided with support in the workplace to enable them to remain in and progress in their chosen career.

By 2023 Scottish Ministers will take these steps:

27. Provide in-work support, of up to 12 months, for BSL users accessing any of our in-work support services.

28. In the new devolved employment services, we will expect those who deliver employment services to work with specialist employment support partners at a local and national level to help tackle the range of barriers that all participants face, including BSL users.

29. We will actively promote the Department for Work and Pensions' ( DWP) Access to Work ( ATW) scheme to employers and BSL users to ensure a higher uptake and use of the scheme in Scotland.