No One Left Behind: employability strategic plan 2024 to 2027

4. The No One Left Behind approach

No One Left Behind is the approach to devolved employability support between Scottish and Local Government. It builds on the values established at the outset of devolution, and introduced principles that underpin our policy and delivery:

• provides flexible and person-centred support;
• is more straightforward for people to navigate;
• is better integrated and aligned with other services;
• provides pathways into sustainable and fair work;
• is driven by evidence, including data and the experience of participants; and
• supports more people – particularly those facing multiple barriers – to move into the right job, at the right time.

These principles are intended to maintain the focus on the need to build a system that works for those accessing services above all. Through the partnership working agreement, Scottish and Local Government have established a commitment to deliver on these principles through employability support in Scotland and to work together to positively shape the direction of travel.

A critical aspect of a person-centred service is ensuring that those accessing it have a voice in shaping it. We are committed to embedding the Scottish Approach to Service Design, meaning services are designed with, and not for, people accessing provision and that they have a say over the support that they need.

The No One Left Behind approach sees a move away from nationally contracted provision to a model which empowers Local Employability Partnerships to lead the design and delivery of services in each Local Authority area. More information on Local Employability Partnerships and our delivery model is set out below.

We have been clear that a mixed economy of provision is absolutely essential. This ensures that expertise from the third, private and wider public sector supports the effectiveness of the employability sector as a whole. The delivery of the principles underpinning No One Left Behind, and the broader success of Scotland’s employability system, relies on collaborative working across a diverse range of partners.

Local by default, national by agreement

A local model provides significant opportunities to embed our principles, and to provide more effective support for people. However, it also requires careful consideration as to how the flexibility afforded to local employability partnerships is balanced with coherent expectations and approaches across the country. This is particularly the case for elements of the employability system that require consistency, such as standards of service, measurement of outcomes and evaluation of impact.

To support this, partners have co-produced a range of national products, to guide and support delivery. These include The Employability Service Standards, The Customer Charter, The Shared Measurement Framework, as well as a number of toolkits to support activity around Continuous Improvement and Service Design.

What difference has the No One Left Behind approach made?

• Principles of No One Left Behind are in the right place
• Promotes local solutions to local problems
• Greater ability to design services to meet local differences in need
• Not just about employability – it’s more holistic – housing, justice, health etc
• LEP encourages partnership working and brings stakeholders round the table
• No One Left Behind has allowed for more partnership working opportunities
• Great partnerships have been created with local government and third sector
• The idea/ concept and execution of “shared” resources /delivery has come a long way
• No One Left Behind shines a light on the importance of alignment and integration of services in general
• Lighter touch compliance leads to more creative + delivery focused provision

Working in partnership

The No One Left Behind approach recognises that the Scottish Government contribution to the employability landscape is only part of the picture. There is a wide range of expertise and investment brought to bear from across Local Authorities, UK Government Departments, agencies, and other public bodies.

We are committed to working in partnership across organisations involved in delivering employability support in Scotland to achieve the best outcomes possible for participants. Working collaboratively and aligning activity delivered from national and local budgets can offer significant benefits through more effective planning of provision. For example: a reduction of duplication and complexity in the employability system; the creation of a no-wrong door approach ensures partners support people to access the right support at the right time; and better value for public money.

As the UK Government works to deliver on the planned reforms to employment support, our ongoing partnership working across the three spheres of Government will continue to be critical. We have shared ambitions around increasing participation in the labour market, and employability services will continue to have an important role in supporting us to achieve this.

Feedback received at the national discussion events in 2023^[15] showed that the No One Left Behind approach was already helping to improve partnership working in the design of services.