National Strategy for Economic Transformation: annual progress report June 2023

Annex C – Equalities and Human Rights Case Studies

Programme 1: Operating across six geographically-spread hubs, the Techscaler network provides high-quality entrepreneurial education programmes across Scotland and addresses barriers to access and opportunity experienced by under-represented groups such as women, those on low incomes and those without qualifications at further or higher education, including the six priority groups at greatest risk of child poverty.^[4] Techscaler works in partnership with organisations that support those who face greater systemic barriers to startup participation, including racialised communities, refugees and those on low incomes. An example of this partnership approach is the collaboration with AccelerateHER, an entrepreneurial support organisation focussed on female founders. Working together, they have designed and delivered support initiatives tailored to women tech founders, such as regular Tech Clinics, Hackathon events and dedicated online community spaces and meetups. The collaboration has also catalysed increased referrals for women founders to Techscaler education programmes and has given insight on best delivery approaches to increase gender inclusivity, such as using hybrid delivery methods. The hybrid hosting of courses, mentorship and events has lowered accessibility barriers, enabling everyone to participate in a way that best suits their needs. Techscaler regional hubs provide access to in-person support, with facilities continuously evolving to offer tenants inclusive services that lower barriers to entry for under-represented groups in entrepreneurship. Examples of this include an LGBTQ+ community peer network, specific women and non-binary workshops, neurodiverse friendly areas and baby-room facilities that allow primary carers to balance their careers and parenting responsibilities. Performance indicators which measure progress against diversity and inclusion outcomes are included in the suite of measures by which Techscaler’s performance will be assessed.

Programme 2: A talented and diverse manufacturing workforce is key to a successful low-carbon sector that maximises manufacturing’s contribution to delivery of NSET. An equality impact assessment undertaken in 2021 identified manufacturing as one of the least flexible sectors in Scotland, which is a barrier to work for women, older and disabled people and ethnic minorities; makes the sector less attractive to young people; and can have a negative impact on employee mental wellbeing. In 2021, we convened the Equalities & Wellbeing Working Group, which called for the Scottish Government to develop learning resources and manufacturing-specific case studies on flexible working; and for employers to consider implementation of a range of Flexible Working options.^[5] In collaboration with Flexibility Works and the Centre for Engineering Education and Development (CeeD), we delivered two online manufacturing-specific workshops, raising awareness of flexible working options and disseminating good practice. In March 2023, Flexibility Works and CeeD co-produced three video case studies of real life examples of manufacturing employers implementing flexible working practices,

and these can be applied to other, similar industries, such as food and drink, space and aerospace. This was accompanied by a knowledge sharing event for industry. Industry leaders have reported that employers are recognising the benefits of flexible work and increasingly adopting it where possible.

Programme 3: The Community Wealth Building (CWB) model of economic development is a participative and strategic attempt to ensure all parts of society can increase their share of Scotland’s common wealth. A full consultation on potential CWB legislation closed in May 2023. The needs of people with protected characteristics will vary and responses to the consultation will help establish the evidence that will inform fuller equality and other impact assessments as we develop the legislation. We have supported action plan development in five pilot areas across Scotland (Fife, South of Scotland, Clackmannanshire, Eilean Siar and the Glasgow City Region). The pilots were selected in order to examine implementation of CWB in a variety of urban and rural places, each with populations featuring concentrated deprivation. In North Tolsta on Lewis, a range of investments have been enabled by operation of a community owned wind turbine sited on land owned by the Stornoway Trust, and profits from the turbine support jobs and services in the village. We have also funded work with the Poverty Alliance to test with people with lived experience the practical potential of CWB to enable a fairer economy. As the CWB approach is expanded and embedded across Scotland, we will lead partners in focusing on the views and needs of protected groups to achieve positive outcomes.

Programme 3 also includes the Scottish Government’s £600 million Reaching 100% (R100) broadband programme and the £28.75 million Scottish 4G Infill (S4GI) mobile investment programme, which are future-proofing Scotland’s digital connectivity infrastructure and pave the way for delivery of our wider economic ambitions, including innovative use of data and data-driven technologies, as well as enabling progress in our net zero ambitions. Our interventions to improve Scotland’s broadband and mobile networks benefit communities, businesses and visitors across the country, particularly in more rural parts of Scotland, where approximately 1 in 6 people live , and where the average age is typically higher when compared with urban areas. For example, Loch Ken Eco Bothies, a rural business in Galloway, has been able to adopt online booking using an innovative technical solution. Around 70% of the premises to be connected through the R100 contracts are in rural Scotland and all of the 55 sites to be delivered through S4GI are located on islands or in rural Scotland. Further impact on individual lives is demonstrated by the case of Lennagh, a carer from Fraserburgh. Faster broadband speeds with a 4G connection through the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme enabled Lennagh to work from home while looking after her mum with Alzheimer’s and her aunt with vascular dementia.

Programme 4: NSET’s Skilled Workforce programme is underpinned by an equality and human rights approach. Evidence gathered through an equality impact assessment shows a need to address: barriers for some young people around financial support, pastoral support and recognition of prior learning; and for older people around flexibility of learning modes as well as financial restrictions, digital exclusion, recognition of prior learning and experience, and motivation to learn when faced by other financial and life pressures. There was also a focus on disabled people (including learning disabilities), women and those with additional caring responsibilities, and people with protected characteristics in rural areas. We have engaged with equality representative groups to seek their views on how to simplify and strengthen our support for lifelong learning. In addition, we have worked with the Poverty Alliance to gain insights from a citizens’ panel that

will offer recommendations concerning the equalities dimensions of lifelong learning for priority child poverty groups. All of this evidence has helped shape and inform the final purpose and principles for post-school education, research and skills, which will set the future direction of travel, including how the way we fund the system can be used to incentivise greater flexibility across all forms of provision and in how we frame our approach to student support.

Programme 5: The Workplace Equality Fund is a source of financial support for private and public employers in Scotland to improve policies and practices focussed on addressing inequalities in the workplace for groups including women, disabled people, people from racialised minorities and the over 50s workforce. In 2022-23, 13 projects received over £750,000 worth of funding. Of these, four focus on disability and four on race, while other projects focus on gender and age. Projects cut across a range of diversity and inclusion initiatives, including building capability at leadership level; improving operational practice across recruitment, retention and progression; sectoral networking and knowledge exchange. All seek to impact positively on the experience and opportunity of current and future employees of participating employers. Preliminary findings from the projects so far reveal the potential to effect positive change for equality groups involved. This includes opening up career and development pathways for 30 NHS Board employees from racialised minorities who participated in a leadership programme to increase skills, knowledge and confidence and facilitate their progression in the workplace. Another project has worked with a local authority to review and redesign employment procedures to improve the recruitment and retention of neurodiverse workers in the locality, with a long-term potential reach of 6,000 local authority employees and around 500 neurodiverse young people. Further examples of feedback received from projects indicate increasing understanding of equality and diversity in the workplace, and improved approaches to recruitment, retention and progression. An evaluation of the programme will be undertaken in 2023 to determine impact and to inform its future design and implementation, including the ability to facilitate sustainable, structural change.

Programme 6: A Centre of Expertise in Equality and Human Rights (the Centre) was established in May 2022 to work with external partners to embed equality and human rights within Scottish Government economic policy-making and implementation. The Centre has engaged internally and externally to identify its priority areas of focus; establish a network of economic policy officials and representatives of the enterprise agencies; and design and begin to deliver a programme of learning and development to upskill policy officials. The Centre provided support and guidance across NSET and coordinated the development of equality impact assessments for each NSET programme and for the strategy as a whole,^[6] capturing lessons learned to improve processes in the future. A review of the Centre’s operations over 2023-24 will be used to further develop its approach and to help inform wider work to embed equality and human rights across the Scottish Government.