European Structural and Investment Funds Programmes in Scotland: 2020 case studies booklet

7. Inclusive Growth

Inclusive Growth means investing European Social Fund (ESF) support to remove barriers from disadvantaged communities and lift people out of poverty.

Working since 2014 with Lead Partners, the Scottish Government has allocated £167m in ESF grants towards our Inclusive Growth areas. These include:

• Employability
  Providing routes to sustainable employment for and increasing the skill levels of unemployed people with multiple barriers to work.
• Poverty and Social Inclusion
  Assisting the most disadvantaged individuals and households in financial and employment matters, enabling disadvantaged communities to develop long-term solutions for reducing poverty, and increasing the sustainability and capacity of Scotland’s non-profit sector.

Lead Partners:

• Local authorities;
• The Scottish Government’s Housing and Social Justice Directorate; and
• The National Lottery Community Fund.

7.1 Bringing the ‘financially excluded’ back into the community

With support from the European Social Fund (ESF), the National Lottery Community Fund has been working with local authorities across Scotland to deliver ‘financial inclusion’. This means supporting some of the most disadvantaged households by improving their money management skills and ensuring debt is less of a barrier to social inclusion.

The Inverclyde Delivering Effective Advice and Support (I:DEAS) project began helping one such couple in August 2018. When Mr and Mrs J registered with I:DEAS, they were at risk of house repossession due to mortgage arrears. They were both suffering from poor health, had been unemployed for several years and had accrued debts of more than £40,000.

On the couple’s behalf, the I:DEAS team liaised with local services, including adult protection social work, homelessness prevention, housing and legal advice, to ensure that appropriate support was given.

Following visits from social services, it became apparent that the house was in a state of extreme disrepair and that the best option for the couple would be to sell the house, clear debts and move into social housing.

With the help of the I:DEAS team, Mr and Mrs J were allocated a new one-bedroom housing association flat and even received a Community Care Grant to help purchase new furniture that was required. The couple’s former home was eventually sold at auction and the proceeds were used to clear all remaining debts.

Mr and Mrs J no longer rely on benefits. They are debt free, in a stable financial position, and are able to move forward in life with new money management skills. As a result, they have reconnected with family and friends and their health is much better compared with when they first registered with I:DEAS in August 2018.

Thanks to ESF support, teams like I:DEAS have been able to transform the lives of disadvantaged people across Scotland by improving their relationship with money and debt.

£7.3m of ESF support has been allocated to deliver ‘financial inclusion’ across Scotland

“Before I felt things were impossible and a mess – now, thanks to I:DEAS, things are fixed.” Mr J

7.2 Mapping out routes to work in North Lanarkshire

North Lanarkshire’s Working is an employability service delivered by North Lanarkshire Council, part-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF). Thanks to ESF support, it is able to run projects like Routes to Work that match people who are unsure about how to start or progress their career with job opportunities that meet their skills and needs.

The service helps people like Dominic Lunny in Wishaw. While his fellow students were preparing for college and university, Dominic was unsure about his next steps. He knew he wanted to work instead of going into further or higher education and that a practical role where he could learn on the job would be best suited to him.

The team at North Lanarkshire’s Working provided Dominic with confidence-building courses and support to improve his CV and interview skills. Following their help, he was successful in gaining a role as an Apprentice Plumber with Cruden, which he continues to enjoy and excel in.

Thanks to ESF support, people like Dominic are able to find employment that suits their desires and qualities, and employers are able to recruit a new generation of motivated and committed workers.

North Lanarkshire’s Working has been supported with an ESF allocation of £10.3m

“Before I started at Cruden, I had no idea where I would get a job as school just wasn’t for me. I am delighted with the support I was given from North Lanarkshire’s Working, as it gave me confidence and opened up opportunities for me. The ability to make a full-time wage right out of school is a massive benefit as well as the opportunity to go to college once a week. I am now looking forward to many more years with Cruden and want to thank Routes to Work for the support they have given me to get into this job.” Dominic Lunny, ESF beneficiary

7.3 Giving a Positive Future to people in Perth and Kinross 

Thanks to support from the European Social Fund (ESF), Perth and Kinross Council have been coordinating ‘Positive Future’ projects that provide support to people in poverty. These individuals face a combination of barriers and require holistic advice and assistance on finances, housing benefits, health employment and education.

For example, Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) in Perth have received ESF support to help people like Ms T, a lady in her forties. She approached Perth CAB having recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Previously, she had a high income and debts that were manageable while she was working. However, Ms T has had to stop working due to her illness and her debts accrued to an unsustainable level. Her social security situation was complicated by intermittent stays in hospitals and hospices. As a result, she was extremely anxious not to leave her finances in a poor state for her children’s sake.

With Ms T’s permission, Perth CAB spoke with her oncologist and obtained medical evidence of her condition. This has allowed them to complete the laborious task of negotiating with and providing evidence to numerous creditors on their client’s behalf, so that Ms T can dedicate her time to the important things in life.

Thanks to ESF support, Ms T is able to spend the remainder of her life free from worrying about her financial situation.

Positive Futures in Perth and Kinross has been supported with an ESF allocation of £343,000

“What kind of impact has this had on the client’s situation? She said it’s allowing her to enjoy her last few years or months – she doesn’t know exactly how long she has – with one fewer thing to worry about so she can focus on what’s important to her. She’s also more comfortable that she’s not leaving behind a mess for her family. The ESF support allows me to do this particular type of work.

Because of the extra time that Positive Futures gives us, we can go the extra mile.” Alastair Hood, Perth CAB

7.4 Filling COVID-19 ‘key worker’ vacancies in Stirling

Learning, Employability & Progression in Stirling (LEAPS) is a service provided by Stirling Council that is supported by the European Social Fund (ESF). It helps people find work, gain qualifications or move on to further education.

In normal times, LEAPS provides much-needed assistance to individuals in the local authority area, but when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, their services were especially valuable. Due to the extra precautions required to make places of work safe from COVID-19, Stirling Council was in desperate need of cleaning assistants and care workers.

When the local authority began its recruitment  drive, LEAPS was able to source from its client base multiple candidates for the new job opportunities. The team delivered interview preparation and other essential training for the candidates, including courses on Health and Safety in workplaces. As a result, many LEAPS clients were successful in gaining employment, for the first time in years in some cases.

Traditionally, the recruitment process for these roles has been challenging, but the LEAPS team was able to assist with pre-employment checks to make the process as quick as possible. This meant the posts were created and filled within a four week period.

Thanks to ESF support, long-term unemployed people in Stirling were able to gain jobs and essential ‘key worker’ roles were filled quickly.

Stirling Council employability projects have been allocated £1.3m of ESF support

“I was with the LEAPS programme for about six months before gaining employment with Stirling Council as a cleaner in a local primary school. It was with the help of my LEAPS advisers, with the advice and tips for applying for jobs, interview techniques and other necessary training, that I gained employment after three years of struggling on my own. The scheme is very useful, and the advice and help has been invaluable.” Damon, LEAPS participant