Agenda Document Pack - Community Wealth Building Commission - 18/03/2025
South Lanarkshire Council · 18 March 2025
Back to Community Wealth Building Commission — 18 March 2025 and its agenda
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Council Offices, Almada Street Hamilton, ML3 0AA Monday, 10 March 2025 Dear Member Community Wealth Building Commission The Members listed below are requested to attend a meeting of the above Board to be held as follows:- Date: Tuesday, 18 March 2025 Time: 14:00 Venue: Hybrid - Committee Room 1, Council Offices, Almada Street, Hamilton, ML3 0AA The business to be considered at the meeting is listed overleaf. Yours sincerely Paul Manning Chief Executive South Lanarkshire Council Councillor Alex Allison Councillor Robert Brown Councillor Margaret Cooper Councillor Joe Fagan (Chair) Councillor Kirsten Robb Councillor John Ross Councillor Margaret B Walker Paul Manning, Chief Executive Jackie Taylor, Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Soumen Sengupta, Director, South Lanarkshire University Health and Social Care Partnership Colin Lauder, Interim Chief Executive, NHS Lanarkshire Josephine Pravinkumar, Director of Public Health, NHS Lanarkshire Hisashi Kuboyama, Development Manager, West of Scotland, Federation of Small Businesses Jimmy Wilson, Interim Chief Executive, VASLan Thomas Adamson, Estates Environment Manager, University of the West of Scotland (UWS) 1
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BUSINESS 1 Declaration of Interests 2 Minutes of Previous Meeting Minutes of the meeting of the Community Wealth Building Commission held on 3 December 2024 submitted for approval as a correct record. (Copy attached) 3 - 6 Item(s) for Consideration 3 Community Benefits within Contracts Report dated 18 February 2025 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate resources). (Copy attached). 7 - 18 4 Community Benefit Funds Support of Community Wealth Building Presentation by Kenny Lean, Economic Development Manager (Funding and Rural), Community and Enterprise Resources 5 Employability and the Employment Pillar Report dated 3 March 2025 by the Executive Director (Community and Enterprise Resources). (Copy attached) 19 - 36 6 Community Asset Transfer - Blantyre Soccer Academy Report dated 4 March 2025 by the Chief Executive. (Copy attached) 37 - 40 7 Marmot Place Programme Report dated 3 March 2025 by the Chief Executive. (Copy attached) 41 - 46 Any Other Competent Business 8 Any Other Competent Business Any other items of business which the Chair decides are competent. For further information, please contact:- Clerk Name: Lynne Hamilton Clerk Telephone: 07385370044 Clerk Email: lynn.hamilton2@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 2
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COMMUNITY WEALTH BUILDING COMMISSION Minutes of meeting held via Confero and in Committee Room 1, Council Offices, Almada Street, Hamilton on 3 December 2024 Chair: Councillor Joe Fagan Present: South Lanarkshire Council Councillors Alex Allison, Robert Brown, John Ross, Margaret B Walker P Manning, Chief Executive NHS Lanarkshire J Pravinkumar, Director of Public Health Federation of Small Businesses H Kuboyama, Development Manager, West of Scotland University of the West of Scotland T Adamson, Estates Environment Manager Also Attending: South Lanarkshire Council Chief Executive’s Service J Kerr, Community Engagement Manager; T Little, Head of Communications and Strategy; N Reid, Improvement and Community Planning Manager Finance and Corporate Resources C Fergusson, Head of Finance (Transactions); L Hamilton, Administration Officer; L O’Hagan, Head of Finance (Strategy); I Strachan, Head of Administration and Legal Services; K McLeod, Administration Assistant North Lanarkshire Council B Duncan, Enterprise Development Manager; J Gharra-McBeth, Enterprise Development Officer Apologies: South Lanarkshire Council Councillors Margaret Cooper, Kirsten Robb S Sengupta, Director, Health and Social Care; J Taylor, Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) NHS Lanarkshire J Gardner, Chief Executive; E Russell, Consultant in Mental Health VASLan J Wilson, Interim Chief Executive Officer 1 Declaration of Interests No interests were declared. 2 Minutes of Previous Meeting The minutes of the meeting of the Community Wealth Building Commission held on 10 September 2024 were submitted for approval as a correct record. The Commission decided: that the minutes be approved as a correct record. 2 3
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3 Business Gateway Presentation J Gharra-McBeth, Enterprise Development Officer gave a presentation on Business Gateway, which was a publicly funded service providing access to free, impartial business advice and support services to pre-start, new start and existing businesses in Scotland. Details were provided on Business Gateways in respect of:- national objectives local objectives client categorisation local service – national foundation business start-up service existing and growing business service additional areas of business support eco-system partners results to date 2024 quality standards and performance monitoring quality assessment survey – July to September 2024 what success looked like J Gharra-McBeth, having responded to a member’s question and a question from the Chief Executive, was thanked for the informative presentation. The Commission decided: that the presentation be noted. 4 Community Wealth Building Action Plan Quarter 2 Update A report dated 15 November 2024 by the Chief Executive, South Lanarkshire Council was submitted providing the Quarter 2 progress update on the Community Wealth Building (CWB) Action Plan. The CWB Action Plan had been approved by the Commission at its meeting on 10 September 2024. The report provided an update on the actions contained within the Action Plan for the 6- month period, April to September 2024. The Commission decided: that the report be noted. [Reference: Minutes of 10 September 2024 (Paragraph 4)] 5 Community Wealth Building Risk Register A report dated 28 October 2024 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) was submitted providing an update on the Community Wealth Building (CWB) Risk Register. The Risk Register was developed in recognition of the fact that CWB would signal a fundamental shift in the Council’s approach across a number of services. The purpose of the Register was to ensure that:- the CWB Commission was fully aware of the strategic risks those risks were prioritised controls were in place to eliminate or minimise the impact of risks 4
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The CWB Risk Register had been reviewed and streamlined in September 2024, following consultation with the Council’s lead officers. The strategic risks had been identified and were now shown as 5 single overarching risks for each of the 5 pillars noted within the CWB Strategy. Risk cards provided the various risk elements identified for each pillar. The updated CWB Risk Register was detailed at Table 1 in the report and the updated risk cards were detailed at Appendix 1 to the report. Following the review, it was decided that there was no requirement for a separate risk control plan in the future. Any new actions that arose would be added to the overarching CWB Action Plan. The Commission decided: (1) that the content of the CWB Risk Register be approved; and (2) that the CWB Group would continue to review and update the Risk Register as required and provide an annual risk report to the Commission. [Reference: Minutes of 6 September 2022 (Paragraph 6)] 6 South Lanarkshire Council Annual Procurement (2023/2024) A report dated 15 November 2024 by the Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) was submitted on the Annual Procurement Report for 2023/2024. The Procurement (Scotland) Reform Act 2014 required contracting authorities to prepare and publish an Annual Procurement Report on their regulated procurement activities. The report provided an overview of the Council’s Annual Procurement Report, highlighting the key content within each of the sections. The Annual Procurement Report was provided as Appendix 1 to the report. The annual report contained the following statutory information:- regulated procurement activity procurement strategy Community Wealth Building and community benefits Sustainable Procurement and Supported Businesses Future planning Other information The Head of Finance (Transactions) responded to members’ questions and undertook to provide an update to the Commission with regard to the educational career development support increase in benefits numbers from 2022/2023 to 2023/2024. The Commission decided: that the report be noted. 7 Marmot Proposal The Community Engagement Manager provided a verbal update on the Marmot proposal approach. 5
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The Chief Executive added that there had been an expectation of a press release today from Public Health Scotland (PHS), indicating that South Lanarkshire would be one of the 3 areas chosen to participate in the Marmot Place pilot, however, this would now be announced tomorrow. PHS agreed that the Community Wealth Building (CWB) Commission could be advised of the position at this point in time. A report was to be presented to the Council’s Executive Committee on 11 December 2024, and the papers would be issued later today. A briefing note would also be provided to elected members and the CWB Commission, which would provide further detail on the pilot and the proposals for further engagement and updates. The Commission decided: that the position be noted. 8 Forward Programme for Future Meetings A report dated 12 November 2024 by the Chief Executive, South Lanarkshire Council was submitted advising of the forward programme for meetings of the Commission and inviting members to suggest topics for inclusion in the Commission’s forward programme. The Commission decided: that the report be noted. 9 Any Other Competent Business There were no other items of competent business. 6
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] Report Agenda Item Report to: Community Wealth Building Commission Date of Meeting: 18 March 2025 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Subject: Community Benefits within Contracts 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to provide an update on:- the Council’s approach to Community Benefits in contracts how Community Wish Lists are fulfilled and a current position introduction of “Cenefits” online system used to monitor and report on Community Benefits Community Benefits progress for 2024/2025 to September 2024 [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Commission is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the content of the report be noted. [recs] 3. Background 3.1. The Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 requires the Council to consider Community Benefits for contract values over £4m, however, the Council will consider inclusion of Community Benefits in all regulated tenders (over £50,000) where appropriate to the supplier, value and duration of the contract. 3.2. Community Benefits also form part of the Sustainable Procurement Duty, supporting the ambitions of the Council’s Sustainable Development and Community Wealth Building Strategies, which seeks to develop resilient, inclusive and sustainable local economies. 4. Community Benefits – Council Approach 4.1. Community Benefits are defined in the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 as a contractual requirement imposed by a contracting authority:- relating to training and recruitment and availability of sub-contracting opportunities or which is otherwise intended to improve the economic, social or environmental wellbeing of the authority’s area in a way additional to the main purpose of the contract in which the requirement is included 4.2. The Council launched a refreshed Community Benefits Menu in April 2023 as detailed at Appendix 1 to the report. The Community Benefits Menu was developed in collaboration with the Procurement Network and the Community Engagement and Sustainable Development teams. The Community Benefits Menu is allocated into 6 areas, reflecting Scottish Government requirements and Council priorities: 3 7
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Supporting Training/Employment and Work Experience Supporting Local Economy initiatives or to access sub-contracts. Supporting Young people Engaging with Local Communities Financial Support to Communities Physical/Environmental Improvements in Local Communities 4.3. The key focus of the Sustainable Procurement Duty and Community Benefits is to deliver tangible improvements to the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of the local area and accordingly, community benefits form a key contribution to the meeting the objectives of the Community Wealth Building Strategy. 4.4. A Community Benefits points matrix, as detailed at Appendix 2 to the report is used to calculate the minimum number of Community Benefits points a bidder must commit during the tender process. The matrix supports the Procurement Service during the tender build process to ensure the Community Benefit points are commensurate with the value and term of the contract. 4.5. Community Benefits are scored as part of a tender evaluation. Since April 2023, the Council mandates a score of 30% of the technical envelope to sustainability, weighted between Community Benefits, Fair Work and Climate, a typical weighting for Community Benefits will be between 5% and 10%. 4.6. When a contract is awarded, the delivery of Community Benefits committed in the tender form part of the contract. 5. Community Wish List 5.1. The Councils ‘Community Wish List’ is embedded in the ‘Engaging with Local Communities’ and ‘Financial Support to Communities’ areas of the Council Community Benefits Menu, facilitating connections between community organisations and Council suppliers/contractors. Contractors are encouraged to deliver the Community Wish List for all Community focused Community Benefit outcomes. 5.2. In a broader sense, Community Groups can make requests to suppliers, local businesses and even local partners via the Community Wish List for support for Financial Donations, Donations of Materials or Donations of Time to benefit their community, projects and causes. To date:- 253 wishes have been submitted to the wish list 92 have been answered Total value of wishes answered - £95,795 6. Community Benefit Monitoring 6.1. Following contract award, the Council’s Community Benefits Officer engages with the contractor to set out the requirements for Community Benefits delivery and develop a phased delivery plan. The Community Benefits Officer will also signpost contractors to Education, Employability and Community Engagement where required. 6.2. The Community Benefit Monitoring software “Cenefits” was implemented by the Council in April 2024, enabling automated and regular reporting on the Council’s Community Benefit position. Community Benefits are loaded with target delivery dates and the system is accessed by contractors to upload evidence of Community Benefits delivery and Project Managers (across all Council Resources) to review and accept or 8
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reject Community Benefit evidence. This process is monitored and supported by the Community Benefit officer. 6.3. Detailed reports on Community Benefits, including delivery status by individual contract are reviewed by Resource based contract managers. Community Benefits progress is reported to the Council’s Procurement Network on a quarterly basis and to Corporate Management Team 6 monthly. The Council’s overall annual performance on Community Benefits is published in the Annual Procurement Report and is provided annually to the Commission. 7. Community Benefits Data 2024/2025 to September 2024 7.1. An update on Community Benefits is provided in Appendix 3 to the report. The first table details the Community Benefits committed from contracts awarded between April and September 2024, including 103 for Community and Enterprise and 91 from Housing and Technical Resources. 7.2. The second table in Appendix 3 to the report provides an analysis of delivery status for all Community Benefits committed from contracts awarded during the last 2 financial years, noting that the delivery date for a community benefit can be over the entire term of the contract. Of 438 benefits committed, 60 were due to be delivered by September 2024 and 58 (97%) have been delivered in accordance with timescales, 2 are overdue and others are in progress or with a future delivery date (noting that delivery of Community Benefits can span the lifetime of the contract). 7.3. The following case studies illustrate 2 Community Benefits delivered between April and September 2024:- Findel Education (100 Community Benefit points): Findel Education provide Educational Materials to South Lanarkshire Council via the Scotland Excel Education Materials framework. In June 2024 Findel Education met their annual commitment to deliver Community Benefits in South Lanarkshire via the use of the Community Wish List. Findel made 5 donations to Community Projects across South Lanarkshire, with a financial total of £3,200 Turner and Townsend (65 Community Benefit points): As part of the Country Parks Masterplan contract for Calderglen and Chatelherault Country parks, Turner and Townsend committed to delivering a range Community Benefits to local communities in South Lanarkshire. This included offering 2 summer work experience placements, 2 opportunities for young people to engage in their work on the project and a Community Consultation event at both country parks over a 2-day period. 8. Employee Implications 8.1. There are no employee implications. 9. Financial Implications 9.1. There are no direct financial implications from the recommendations in the report. 10. Other Implications 10.1. There are no other implications in this report. 11. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 11.1. There is no requirement to carry out an integrated impact assessment in terms of the proposals contained within this report. 11.2. As this is a monitoring report, no consultation is appropriate or necessary. 9
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Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) 18 February 2025 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, effective, efficient and transparent Previous References None Background Papers Performance Indicator data Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Name: Emma Smith, Corporate Procurement and Transactions Manager Ext: 5329 (Tel: 01698 455329) E-mail: emma.smith@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 10
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Appendix 1 South Lanarkshire Council Community Benefits Menu Supporting Training/Employment and Work Experience in South Lanarkshire RTW01 Training Opportunity Training opportunity offered to a South Lanarkshire Resident (for example offering training opportunities to disadvantage groups to support SLCs' tackling poverty agenda). This Training Opportunity should be a minimum of 4 weeks and where possible should be based in South Lanarkshire. 20 points per placement RTW02 Apprenticeships Offer a Full-Time apprenticeship to priority group (SLC resident) individual 25 points per placement RTW03 Offer a Full-Time apprenticeship to a non-priority group individual 15 points per placement RTW04 Offer a Part Time apprenticeship to a priority group (SLC resident) individual 15 points per placement RTW05 Offer a Part Time apprenticeship to a non-priority group individual 10 points per placement RTW06 Recruitment of employee Full Time Employment opportunity offered to a South Lanarkshire Resident (for example an opportunity to take on local labour in non-technical roles, opportunity to upskill a young person) 25 points per job secured RTW07 Part Time Employment opportunity offered to a South Lanarkshire Resident (for example an opportunity to take on local labour in non-technical roles, opportunity to upskill a young person) 20 points per job secured RTW08 Work Experience Work experience opportunity offered to a South Lanarkshire Resident (providing meaningful opportunities to young people, school leavers and adults). This Work Experience should be a minimum of 4 weeks and where possible should be based in South Lanarkshire. 20 points per placement 11
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Appendix 1 Supporting South Lanarkshire’s Local Economy LES01 Supply Chain Initiatives Offering Small and Medium Enterprises and Voluntary Sector organisations opportunities to provide goods and/or services as part of a contract. 10 points per SME LES02 Use of Local SME’s Awarding sub-contracts for supplies, services or works to local (South Lanarkshire) based small to medium size businesses. 30 points per contract awarded LES03 Social Enterprise and Supported Business Where a social enterprise or supported business can either be established to service a contract, or where existing can be supported to deliver on part of a contract. 20 points per contract Supporting Young People in South Lanarkshire YS01 Young Person Engagement Giving young people in the area an opportunity to engage in a project. The engagement can range from young people learning about a project to giving them the opportunity to shape and influence a project thus giving them more say in and connection to the future of their area. 10 points per offering YS02 Educational Career Development Support Delivery of workshops covering career skills, mock interviews, career events and workplace visits. This can be in school or community learning setting or employability training setting. 10 points per presentation or visit offered YS03 Mentoring Private sector suppliers offering support and guidance to local young people looking to enhance their personal development (for example, in-work mentoring, mentoring to a young person on a work placement or peer to peer learning opportunities). 10 points per organisation supported 12
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Appendix 1 Engaging with Local Communities in South Lanarkshire CE01 Community Consultation Giving the local community an opportunity to express an opinion and possibly influence the design and delivery of a project in an area. 10 points per consultation CE02 Local Events Ownership or support of a local event to be selected from Community Wish List Platform to meet local priorities. (Click here to view Community Wish List) 10 points per project (Min Donation £250) CE03 Public Art Projects A tangible public arts project to be selected from the Community Wish List Platform to meet local priorities. (Click here to view Community Wish List) 10 points per project (Min Donation £250) CE04 Mentoring Private sector suppliers can offer support, normally as part of their Corporate Responsibility activity, where they can offer support and guidance to local organisations and individuals. 10 points per organisation supported Financial Support to South Lanarkshire Communities FSC01 Community Endowment Fund/Development Trust Suppliers should access the Community Wish List to select a local organisation requesting support to implement a project that the community considers to be a priority. (Click here to view Community Wish List) 10 points per sum offered (Min Donation £250) FSC02 Local Sponsorship Suppliers should access the Community Wish List to select a local organisation requesting sponsorship support to develop or deliver a local service. (Click link to view Community Wish List) 10 points per sponsorship offered (Min Donation £250) 13
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Appendix 1 FSC03 Financial donation to Organisations supporting communities facing poverty Suppliers should access the Community Wish List to select a local organisation requesting financial donations to existing or new initiatives designed to support those in poverty. (Click here to view Community Wish List) 20 points per offering (Min Donation £500) Physical/Environment Improvements in Local Communities PE01 Physical Infrastructure Often delivered by the private sector as part of a Section 75 agreement in relation to a planning consent. Examples would be infrastructure required to enable a new development to be implemented for example roads and footpath/cycleway improvements, schools and libraries and play areas and open space. 10 points per offering PE02 Environmental Support in Education Supporting environmental educational projects in schools (for example provision of materials/time/educational packs for tree and woodland planting). 15 points per offering PE03 Supporting local communities to make environmental improvements Supporting local communities to develop or improve local green spaces (for example supporting bio diversity, planning native species etc), local food growing spaces (for example community gardens/community food growing spaces) or local play spaces (for example supporting development or improvements to local playgrounds/play spaces). 15 points per offering Other 0T01 Other Any other relevant benefit as a direct result of the award of the tender. 5 points 14
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Appendix 2 South Lanarkshire Council Community Benefits (CB) Points Matrix Estimated Value of Contract CB Points to be Delivered within Contract Period £50k - 100k 20 £100k - 250k 40 £250k - 500k 60 £500k-1m 80 £1m+ 100 £2m+ 150 £3m+ 200 £4m+ 250 £5m+ 300 £10m - 20m 500 15
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Appendix 3 Community Benefits committed April to September 2024 Community Benefit outcome Community and Enterprise Housing and Technical TOTAL Other 0 1 1 Community Consultation 1 1 2 Local Events 1 4 5 Community Endowment Fund/Development Trust 5 4 9 Local Sponsorship 3 3 6 Financial donation to Organisations supporting communities facing poverty 8 11 19 Supply Chain Initiatives 1 7 8 Use of Local SME’s 11 6 17 Social Enterprise and Supported Business 1 0 1 Physical Infrastructure 1 0 1 Environmental Support in Education 1 6 7 Supporting local communities to make environmental improvements 7 4 11 Training Opportunity 6 2 8 Apprenticeship (Council resident) 2 3 5 Apprenticeship (non resident) 1 1 2 Recruitment of employee 11 2 13 Work Experience 29 18 47 Young Person Engagement 5 4 9 Educational Career Development Support 9 13 22 TOTAL 103 91 194 16
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Appendix 3 Community Benefit Delivery Status (financial years 2023/2024 and 2024/2025) Benefit Status Outcome Abandoned Delivered In Progress Not Started Overdue Substituted Total % Other 2 3 5 1% Community Consultation 1 1 3 1 6 1% Local Events 3 8 11 3% Mentoring Young Person 1 1 0% Community Endowment Fund/Development Trust 6 2 9 17 4% Local Sponsorship 2 1 8 11 3% Financial donation to Organisations supporting communities facing poverty 14 1 29 1 45 10% Supply Chain Initiatives 1 1 9 11 3% Use of Local SME’s 5 9 14 28 6% Social Enterprise and Supported Business 1 1 0% Physical Infrastructure 1 1 0% Environmental Support in Education 1 7 1 9 2% Supporting local communities to make environmental improvements 2 3 8 13 3% Training Opportunity 2 7 10 19 4% Apprenticeship (SLC resident) 3 1 3 1 8 2% Apprenticeship (non SLC resident) 2 2 4 1% Recruitment of employee 15 3 18 4% Work Experience 1 5 64 1 5 76 17% Young Person Engagement 1 1 9 11 3% Educational Career Development Support 2 11 125 2 140 32% Mentoring Community Organisation 2 1 3 1% Total 1 58 47 317 2 13 438 % 0% 13% 11% 72% 0% 3% 17
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Community Wealth Building Commission Date of Meeting: 18 March 2025 Report by: Executive Director (Community and Enterprise Resources) Subject: Employability and the Employment Pillar 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] provide the Commission with an update on the work undertaken by South Lanarkshire Works and the South Lanarkshire Local Employability Partnership to address the Employment Pillar [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Commission is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the content of the report be noted. [1recs] 3. Background 3.1. South Lanarkshire Works, the Council’s employability service, delivers and funds a range of employability programmes designed to develop participant’s work readiness skills and support them to progress to sustainable employment. The programmes are supported by external grant funding, including:- Scottish Government No-one Left Behind UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund windfarm community benefits The programmes are planned through the South Lanarkshire Local Employability Partnership. These services are agreed with the South Lanarkshire Local Employability Partnership (SLLEP) and set out in an Annual Investment Plan (AIP). SLLEP is chaired by the Council and members include representatives from Skills Development Scotland, Department of Work and Pensions, NHS Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire College and VASLAN. 3.2. The services include:- keyworker based employability support delivered to key priority groups learning/training and skills development provision which is delivered to meet the needs of people engaging with keyworker services 3.3. The service also plans and delivers a range of work-based learning opportunities to school pupils in the senior phase of secondary school (S4-S6) which are designed to provide young people with skills and experiences that can lead to post-school learning 5 19
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and employment opportunities within sectors with ongoing labour market opportunities. These programmes are delivered in partnership with South Lanarkshire College, New College Lanarkshire and Glasgow Kelvin College. 3.4. Case studies demonstrating the impact of South Lanarkshire Works programmes on participants are included at Appendix 1 to the report. 4. Keyworker-based Employability Services 4.1. The keyworker-based employability services delivered and funded by South Lanarkshire Works are designed to meet the needs of SLLEP’s Key Priority Groups. All participants are supported by a named keyworker who supports them to develop and complete an individualised action plan, which includes access to a range of training and employability provision. 4.2. All programmes are delivered in line with the principles of the Scottish Government’s No-one Left Behind delivery model and Scottish Approach to Employability which includes:- Dignity and respect, fairness and equality and continuous improvement Flexible and person-centred support Is straightforward for people to navigate Is integrated and aligned with other services Provides pathways into sustainable and fair work Is driven by evidence including data and the experience of participants Supports more people to move into the right job, at the right time Table 1: Key Priority Groups and Services Key priority group Keyworker Service Delivery Partner Young people in the last 6 months of school Aspire South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) Young people aged 16-19 Aspire Works SLC Adults with barriers to employment Gateway to Employment Routes to Work South People with long term health barriers Gateway (Intensive) Routes to Work South People with learning disabilities Supported Employment SLC Parents from the following groups: Lone parents Parents or children with a disability Parents with 3 or more children Parents from a minority ethnic background Supporting Families Aim to Achieve / Upskilling Making it Work SLC SLC Routes to Work South 20
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Parents with a youngest child under 1 Families with a parent under 25 years 5. Employability Learning and Training Provision 5.1. All participants engaging on a keyworker-based programme have access to a range of provision. This provision may include activity funded by the South Lanarkshire Works including activity delivered by keyworker services and training or learning activity delivered on a procured basis by local partners. Provision can also include health and wellbeing supports, training allowances and access to waged training programmes. 5.2. The South Lanarkshire Local Employability Partnership’s operational sub-group meets regularly to identify emerging needs and agree provision to be funded as part of the Annual Investment Plan. In 2024/2025 provision has included: Table 2: Employability Learning and Training Provision 2024/2025 Programme Description Provider Volunteering for Employability VASLan programme matches employability participants to volunteering opportunities with local third sector organisations VASLan The Employability Academy Training and learning opportunities delivered by South Lanarkshire College South Lanarkshire College Rise, Reach and Impact Employability groupwork programmes targeted at young people engaging with Aspire and AspireWorks Routes to Work South Winter / summer leaver programmes College based learning to support young people in their last 6 months of school South Lanarkshire College New College Lanarkshire Remote Health and Wellbeing Online programme to support disengaged young people with mental health barriers to employment Tigers Training QTS Rail Academy Rail sector-based training programme linked to the East Kilbride Enhancements Project QTS / Routes to Work South Hospitality Academy Hospitality training programme delivered in partnership with Macdonald Crutherland Hotel Skills Training Network Vocational tasters / sector training Procured programmes to support participants to complete introductory training in sectors on a Various procured providers 21
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demand-led basis. Provision has included construction, hair and barbering and social care, HGV Routes to Work South Work tasters and placements Employability participants can access work placements as part of their action plan and training allowances of £25 per day are available to support engagement SLC / Local employers Project Search This programme supports young people with learning disabilities to take part in a programme of work placements, employability support and training delivered at University Hospital Hairmyres in partnership with NHS Lanarkshire and New College Lanarkshire and ISS SLC / Project Search NHS and South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) Demonstrator The programme provides 6 month waged part-time work placements to parental employability participants. Placements are based within NHS Lanarkshire, SLC facilities services, ISS and the State Hospital Carstairs SLC / NHS Lanarkshire and ISS Employer Recruitment Incentives Funding is available to support Small Medium Enterprises, creating additional Fair Work vacancies to support employability participants into employment SLC 5.3. Connect2 Renewables Employability Initiative provides enhanced support to complement the range of programmes offered. OnPath Energy provides the Community Benefit funding for Connect 2 Renewables and is available to participants that reside 10km from either Kype Muir Windfarm in Strathaven or Middle Muir Windfarm in Crawfordjohn. Support provided includes Employer Recruitment Incentives, Into Work Grants, Further Education Grants and Training. 6. Programme Performance 6.1. In 2023/2024 the Council’s employability programmes supported 2257 people from the key priority groups identified above. 834 people progressed to further education or training including participants undertaking certified learning as part of their engagement with the Gateway to Employment Programme. A total of 579 people progressed to employment during the year. 6.2. In 2024/2025 1169 people had registered with employability services up to the end of August 2024 with 355 accessing or progressing to education or training and 306 moving into employment. 22
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Table 3: Registrations and outcomes April 2023 to March 2024 Group Registrations Employment Outcomes Further/Higher Education and Training Outcomes Young people (last 6 months of school and post-school 16- 19 690 90 311 Parental employability 328 101 62 Adults with barriers to employment 454 281 102 People with disabilities and long-term health conditions 360 92 35 Connect 2 Renewables 369 27 17 Total 2201 591 527 Table 4: Registrations and outcomes April to November 2024 Group Registrations Employment Outcomes Further/Higher Education and Training Outcomes Young people (last 6 months of school and post-school 16- 19 755 125 270 Parental employability 399 98 157 Adults with barriers to employment 964 348 398 People with disabilities and long-term health conditions 139 8 9 Connect 2 Renewables 383 41 27 Total 2640 620 861 7. School Leaver Destinations and Post-School Tracking 7.1. A key focus and performance measure of the Employability Service is to improve the proportion of school leavers that progress to a positive destination of education training or employment. The service works closely with all secondary schools and Skills Development Scotland to identify those young people most at risk of becoming unemployed when they leave school and tracking their post-school destinations. 23
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7.2. The most recent School Leaver Destination Report (SLDR) showed that 96.9% of those pupils who left school in academic year 2022/2023 entered a positive destination. This was a slight improvement from the previous year and above the Scottish rate for the 8th year in a row and placed South Lanarkshire 6th highest of the Scottish local authorities. The AspireWorks keyworker employment service set out above at 5.3 is counted as a positive destination for SLDR purposes and recorded under ‘training’. Table 5: Positive School Leaver Destinations 2018/2019 – 2022/2023 Year Positive destination rate (South Lanarkshire) Positive destination rate (Scotland) 2022/2023 96.9% 95.9% 2021/2022 96.2% 95.7% 2020/2021 96.2% 95.5% 2019/2020 94.8% 93.3% 2018/2019 95.7% 95.0% Table 6: Destination breakdown 2022/2023 Destination South Lanarkshire Scotland Employment 21.2% 24.3% Higher Education 45.9% 40.3% Further Education 25.7% 26.6% Training 3.7% 3.4% Personal Skills Development 0.2% 0.5% Voluntary Work 0.2% 0.5% Unemployed seeking 1.5% 1.3% Unemployed not seeking 1.3% 1.6% Unknown 0.4% 0.3% 8. Participation Measure and Post-School Tracking 8.1. Since 2016, Skills Development Scotland have published the Annual Participation Measure (APM) which reports on the economic and employment activity of 16 to19 year-olds in Scotland and is the source of the Scottish Government’s National Performance indicator “Percentage of young adults (16 to19 year olds) participating in education, training or employment. This measure has a wider focus than the school leaver destination and includes young people who are at school, in college, at university, at work or participating in employability support. The most recent report was published in August 2024 and showed 93.8% of young people aged 16 to 19 in South Lanarkshire were participating and this was higher than the Scottish rate of 92.7%, an increase from the previous year. 24
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Table 7: Participation Measure 2019 to 2024 Year South Lanarkshire Scotland 2024 93.8% 92.7% 2023 93.3% 92.6% 2022 92.3% 92.4% 2021 92.8% 92.2% 2020 92.7% 92.1% 2019 92.6% 91.6% 8.2. Since 2022 the Employability Service has led a process of joint tracking between the Council and Skills Development Scotland to improve the participation measure by identifying young people, including through home visits, with an unconfirmed or unemployed status and offering appropriate support or confirming destinations. During this period the service has carried out almost 1300 home visits. A detailed breakdown of the visits carried out between August 2023 and to July 2024 is provided below:- Table 8: Participation Measure Tracking August 2023 to August 2024 Aug- 2023 Nov- 2023 Feb- 2024 Apr- 2024 Jul- 2024 Total Total Home Visits 122 69 112 121 188 612 Found and referred for employability support 22 18 30 23 40 133 Found – declined / not ready for support 7 7 9 8 26 57 Found – confirmed to be in a destination 32 5 11 42 42 132 Found, linking in with DWP 5 0 2 3 0 10 Unable to make contact / changed address 55 39 60 45 80 279 9. Senior Phase Work Based Learning 9.1. South Lanarkshire Works delivers a range of work-based learning programmes on behalf of Education Resources. The programmes are delivered in partnership with local colleges and are timetabled to form part of a pupil’s senior phase curriculum. 9.2. Foundation Apprenticeships Foundation Apprenticeships (FAs) are a national senior phase option, funded by Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) and designed to allow pupils in S5-S6 to gain valuable, real-world work experience and access to work-based learning while they are at school. Pupils attend college and work placements up to 2 days a week while at school and the qualification achieved is delivered at level 6 (equivalent to a Higher) of the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF). 25
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9.3. South Lanarkshire’s FA programme is delivered as a partnership between the Council, South Lanarkshire College and New College Lanarkshire with the colleges delivering the learning element and the Council managing the overall programme including pupil support, compliance and work placements. 9.4. During the 2023/2024 academic year, 70 young people completed Foundation Apprenticeships with 68 achieving the qualification and all 70 progressing to a positive post-school destination of employment or further learning. Table 9: South Lanarkshire FA Starts 2023/2024 9.5. For the 2024/2025 academic year a similar number of places were available however there has been a reduction in uptake from schools with 95 pupils starting the programme in August 2024. Table 10: South Lanarkshire FA starts 2024/2025 9.6. GradU8: The GradU8 programme is a South Lanarkshire specific work-based learning option available to pupils in S4 to S6. Delivery takes place in local colleges where pupils attend 1-day-per week to complete a vocational qualification at SCQF level 4 or 5. In 2024/2025, pupils have been able to pick 1 of 12 subject areas, all designed to offer progression in areas with employment progression opportunities. The programme is delivered in partnership with South Lanarkshire College, New College Lanarkshire and Glasgow Kelvin College. This partnership arrangement allows colleges to make a financial contribution in the form of Scottish Funding Council credits which pay for the learning and teaching element of the programme. Pupils are supported in college by South Lanarkshire Works Vocational Development Workers to engage effectively on Framework 1 year starts 2 year starts 2nd year returners Total Accountancy 13 13 Business Skills 5 7 12 Creative and Digital Media 9 19 12 40 Children and Young People 18 30 15 63 Engineering 10 10 Healthcare 13 27 8 48 IT Software 13 13 Total 45 119 35 199 Framework 1 year starts 2 year starts 2nd year returners Total Accountancy 0 0 6 6 Business Skills 5 0 4 9 Creative and Digital Media 12 13 18 43 Children and Young People 8 31 20 59 Engineering 0 0 9 9 Healthcare 10 16 13 39 IT Software 0 0 9 9 Total 35 60 79 174 26
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the programme and to support transition planning for any leavers following completion of the course. 9.7. In addition to the college-based options each school can also identify up to 5 young people to take part in a long-term work placement as part of the GradU8 programme. Young people attend their placement one day a week on the school’s GradU8 day and placements are sourced by the employability team across Council and partner workplaces and with local employers. 9.8. In 2023/2024, 924 places were available to young people across 12 subjects at our partner colleges South Lanarkshire College, New College Lanarkshire, and Glasgow Kelvin College. A total of 796 young people completed the programme and achieved accredited qualifications. For the new 2024/2025 academic year 766 pupils started in August 2024. Table 11: GradU8 completers by subject GradU8 subject Number of pupils Beauty 66 Childcare 66 Construction 166 Creative & Digital 34 Engineering 89 Hair and Barbering 65 Healthcare 58 Horticulture - Hospitality 37 Make-up Artistry 61 Personal and Social Development 40 Sport and Recreation 49 Uniformed Services 65 Work Experience 28 Total 796 10. Employee Implications 10.1. There are no employee implications in terms of the information contained within this report. 11. Financial Implications 11.1. There are no financial implications in terms of the information contained within this report. 12. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 12.1. There are no implications for climate change, sustainability or the environment in terms of the information contained within this report. 13. Other Implications 13.1. The are no other implications arising from this report. 14. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 14.1. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to existing policy, function or strategy and therefore no impact assessment is required. 27
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David Booth Executive Director ( Community and Enterprise Resources) 3 March 2025 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Focused on people and their needs Working with and respecting others Accountable, effective, efficient and transparent Ambitious, self-aware and improving Fair, open and sustainable Excellent employer We will work to put people first and reduce inequality We will work to recover, progress and improve Our children and young people thrive Thriving business, fair jobs and vibrant town centres Inspiring learners, transforming learning, strengthening partnerships Previous References None List of Background Papers None Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Douglas Hashagen – Employability Manager Tel; 0141 584 2915 Email; Douglas.Hashagen@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 28
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Appendix 1 South Lanarkshire Works Case Studies Robbie Robbie was referred to take part in the REACH programme in Lanark. He faced challenges with mental health, tourettes, and autism. Robbie’s goal was to go into employment rather than further education. During his time on the programme, we focussed on personal development and confidence-building. Initially quiet, Robbie gradually blossomed, engaging in activities, sharing ideas, and participating in employer visits and team-building exercises. His dedication led to a work experience placement at Pets at Home. Within just two weeks, Robbie impressed the team so much that they offered him an interview, resulting in part- time employment. Robbie “The Reach programme really boosted my confidence and gave me the chance to work hard for what I wanted.” Sonia Sonia was referred to the Making it Work parental employability programme by DWP. She had been unemployed for 5 years and was on universal credit. Sonia is a lone parent with 2 children approaching nursery age. Sonia had a real interest in becoming an HGV driver. She felt that this would give her independence, and she would be able to provide for her children and hopefully get something that would work around her childcare. Sonia and her keyworker researched HGV training organisations, selected a training course and through the MIW programme funding was provided for Sonia to complete the course. Sonia also participated in CV building and job search sessions to understand how to effectively look for work and the different ways to successfully secure employment and attended interview skills course in preparation for any future interviews. Following completion of the course Sonia was supported intensively to help source employment. After a short period of time, she obtained employment as an HGV Class 2 Driver, working full time in the evenings which fits around her childcare. Sonia is loving the position, feels proud of herself for achieving her dream and supporting her family. She loves the independence, having a purpose out with being a parent and her children are feeling the benefits financially with her being in work. AK AK was referred to Making It Work for Parents programme in early February by her job coach at DWP. AK had fled the war in Ukraine to come to live in the UK and is a lone parent to school age twin daughters one of whom has cystic fibrosis. AK’s barriers centred around her having to move to a new country, feeling isolated, language, childcare and finding suitable hours for employment. AK’s hopes and aspirations were to become less isolated, gain some work experience, improve her English and ultimately enter paid employment. In the initial appointments we set out a journey plan for AK and had a long discussion to identify her transferable skills and any gaps she felt she needed addressed going forward. A referral to Money Matters was also made to ensure AK was receiving the correct level of benefits and not missing out on any other financial support available to her. One-to-one sessions took place weekly where we could begin to address her employability skills, work 29
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on her CV and cover letters, explore effective job searching and jobsite registration, application form support and interview preparation. AK took up 2 volunteering placements to help with her isolation, she attended these when her children were at school. One was in a charity shop and the other within a local church café. Both these roles provided her with a social network as well as adding to her work experience in the UK and her employability skills. AK also secured a slot in an ESOL class to improve her English skills. On completion of the programme AK moved into paid employment in Housekeeping in a local hotel close to her home. This role is ideal for AK as the hours suit her childcare needs and she will now be better off as her weekly wage supplements her existing benefits Sean Sean was referred to the Supported Employment service by DWP. Sean was looking for employment however wasn’t sure where to begin. He met with a key worker who completed a detailed assessment of his barriers, goals and aims. Sean started Project EmployAbility, an initiative that focussed on building confidence, teamwork and communication skills through practical activities in Hillhouse Workshops followed by supported work experience at a local golf course. Sean flourished during his time on the programme, reporting that he felt his confidence improved and that he was ready to progress to the world of work. Sean’s next step was to apply for DFN Project Search where he was interviewed for the programme by the Account Director at ISS Hairmyers however he so impressed that rather than start with the programme he offered Sean an immediate work trial within University Hospital Hairmyres. Sean completed his trial to great feedback and reviews from the ISS team and was offered a part time contract with them as a porter which he was delighted to accept. John John joined Project Search following completion of a Life Skills college course. Project Search is a 9-month programme designed for autistic adults to gain valuable real life work experience in a hospital setting coupled with employability skill. Participants complete 3 work placements in various departments within the hospital including portering, housekeeping, stores, medical records and labs. Each individual is supported by a dedicated job coach who is available to simplify tasks or work alongside participants until they feel more comfortable to work independently. John received fantastic feedback from his placements and upon completion of the programme, was offered a part time position with ISS as a catering assistant. John’s manager said that both Sean and John are excellent additions to his workforce. They have fitted into the existing teams well and are both performing to a high standard. Eve Eve was referred to the Supported Employment team and as part of her plan, took part in a Hospitality Academy programme funded by the council and delivered in partnership with MacDonald Crutherland Hotel in East Kilbride. Over the 12 weeks she attended and engaged really well, her confidence grew and she showed a real passion for working in the hospitality industry. On completion of the programme Eve secured employment with the hotel. Eve was supported throughout her 12 weeks by her Key Worker Jade. Jade says that Eve has done extremely well – she has grown in confidence and is flourishing! 30
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Joshua Joshua is a parent of 2 children, and has a daughter who is 10 months old and a stepson who is 7 years old. Joshua was employed as a drainage engineer on a low income, however due to lack of qualifications and training there was no progression for Joshua who was looking for opportunities to enhance his career. He got in touch with South Lanarkshire Council’s Employability team and was referred to the Upskilling team for support. When meeting with Joshua it was identified that there could be the potential to increase his earnings with his current workplace by completing an HGV driving qualification. It was agreed with his manager that on completion of this training Joshua would be offered a promotion. With the support from the Upskilling team Joshua secured a funded place with a training provider to do his HGV driver training and tests. Joshua was delighted with this offer as he was not in a position for fund this himself. During the training period Joshua successfully applied for a post as a drainage technician with a different company at a higher rate of pay. Joshua has now completed his training and successfully passed his and is fully qualified to drive heavy goods vehicles. This will make a huge difference for Joshua’s career opportunities. Joshua’s employer has agreed to a further increase in salary which will improve his financial position and his wellbeing not only for himself but for his young family. “The support from South Lanarkshire Works has given me freedom to secure a position within a thriving business and allow me to undertake training that not only will give me an extra qualification but allow me to progress and give my family and I more financial freedom. It has been a real stress-free experience. The team spoke to me through all the steps and reassured me with any questions I had. I would not be in the position I am without their support which I cannot thank them enough.” Oden Oden who is 17, was referred to the AspireWorks programme by Skills Development Scotland. He had previously been in employment within an Iron Foundry but had not sustained this due to personal issues and mental health. Following initial assessment, it was clear that Oden wasn’t sure what line of work he would like to do, we looked at his strengths and the transferable skills he had gained previously when he was in employment. The assessment also highlighted that Oden needed support to help develop his confidence and around ways of improving his mental health. Oden’s action plan included applying for his Young Scot travel card, developing his knowledge of job searching and applying for jobs, interview techniques and employer expectations. He was also referred to the Council’s counselling service to help with his mental health. During his time on the programme Oden and his family became homeless due to their house flooding, they were placed in temporary accommodation but this didn't stop Oden engaging with his key worker. His mum played a part in this ensuring he was attending his appointments and engaging. Over time Oden’s confidence began to grow and he developed a positive working relationship with his key worker. We then agreed to look for a work experience placement and secured a 6-week placement with a local employer in Rutherglen manufacturing doors and windows for the construction industry At the same time, we arranged for Oden to complete his CSCS card which he passed first time. The employers were delighted with Oden’s commitment and attitude to learning new skills, his time keeping and attendance and listening to experienced staff. The employer offered Oden full time employment which he accepted and has maintained employment since. Oden has benefitted greatly from the AspireWorks support, he has become much 31
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more positive and optimistic about his employment prospects and is doing really well in his job. Brandon Brandon was referred to AspireWorks by his school. He had just completed S6 but needed some extra support to move into a positive destination. Brandon was a very quiet, shy young man and found it hard to form friendships throughout school, this was evident when he joined Aspire Works. Brandon also suffered from low self- esteem and really didn’t know what he wanted to do with his future. We discussed building his confidence and introducing him to group work. Brandon was supported with weekly meetings to enable him to build a relationship with his key worker and work on his own personal development. As the relationship developed Brandom became increasingly was motivated and agreed to take part in the RISE groupwork programmes, delivered by Routes to Work South where he excelled with 100% attendance. The programme included CV preparation, interview skills, sector awareness, mock interviews, confidence building projects and SVQ Qualifications in First Aid, Food Hygiene and Fire Marshalling. In addition to the RISE programme Brandon’s key worker supported him to find work experience at the Cameronian Museum in Hamilton and he started this in November 23, one day per week. Brandon was giving a training allowance as part of this plan. Brandon was also supported into looking at different college courses and also helping him to apply for them. He decided he would like to study Criminology and successful gained a place studying Criminology and Pathology at New College Lanarkshire. When he started this, he still continued to take part in his work experience as this has helped his confidence. Brandon’s confidence has grown immensely, he feels confident he will finish the current college course and apply for another course in August. “The support I received was extremely helpful in my growth as a person as I am now more social and have more confidence in my abilities which helps me to apply my skills to further education and to the work experience, I received as a result of attending AspireWorks, I continue to volunteer at The Cameronian Museum in Hamilton. I would certainly recommend AspireWorks to any young adults looking to find a purpose in their life as I have overcome so many barriers” Ainslie Ainslie was referred to the Supporting Families programme by Westburn Nursery. Ainslie was unemployed and the main aim was to help her find a job and to assist with debt management. Ainslie was experiencing a number of barriers to employment including a lack of confidence and self-belief, struggles with her mental health and challenges around money management. During our initial meeting, Ainslie revealed that she would love to train to be a nurse. She had looked at college courses but was unsure about writing and submitting an application, as she had left school with no formal qualifications. The recent time she had spent caring for her grandmother and helping in a care home had motivated Ainslie into looking at this type of career path. Following initial assessment, we drew up an action plan that set out the supports and activities we would put in place to help Ainslie. I referred Ainslie to One Parent Families to complete a benefits check and to support with her money management. They also supported Ainslie to applied for funding for a new fridge freezer. 32
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Ainslie was invited along to attend the Health Walks I was leading at Westburn Nursery to improve her mental health and a referral was made to Rain or Shine to access clothing for her son.I spent a few weeks getting to know Ainslie before asking her how she felt about applying for college to do a SWAP Nursing course. These courses are designed for people who have no or few formal qualifications and have been out of education for three to five years. Ainslie was keen to apply and we sat down together to complete the application drawing on her personal qualities and her experiences caring for her grandmother and previous experience working in a care home for the elderly. Ainslie was invited to attend an interview at Glasgow Clyde College Langside Campus and the following day Ainslie received an unconditional offer. She was absolutely elated and can’t quite believe she is going to college. "You've made me more confident, you've helped me believe in myself a lot more, you’re very kind and patient and very understanding towards my ADHD, you've been there through a good few challenges regarding my grandma always been really good to talk to and feel so comfortable approaching you with anything, you’re just amazing Hazel you've helped me so much you've came into my life and changed it up. You've stuck by my side, and we clicked right away. Can't thank you enough and really appreciate you". Nzube Nzube, who is a parent was with two children, one of whom is disabled was referred to Routes to Work South by Jobcentre Plus as he was unemployed and seeking employment opportunities. As Nzube required a job which would allow him to help his wife care for both children out with school hours, Routes to Work South worked with Nzube to apply for the NHS Demonstrator Programme as the programme is designed to fit around participant’s childcare needs. Nzube had previously worked as a nurse overseas but wanted to move into an admin role following a previous personal experience. Nzube was offered a 6 month waged position on programme he as an Admin Officer with hours which suited his childcare needs. His initial placement was in an ICU setting however Nzube found this challenging due to a previous personal experience. The NHS Employability team and NHS Management were very supportive in working to relocate him to a more suitable location. Nzube has commented that the supportive environment has improved his health. During his time on the programme Nzube’s was supported to update his CV and carry out job searches to help him find suitable employment. Following the 6 month programme Nzube secured work covering admin bank shifts which he can select to suit his family requirements. He now earns a monthly salary to suit his circumstances. “I used to be a nurse when I lived in Ukraine and wanted to move into an admin role. By doing the Demonstrator Programme, I have gained skills within the Workforce team such as IT skills, learning how to use Allocate programme and Trakcare. The opportunity to train and develop myself has been very beneficial. My health has improved as it is a supportive environment and everyone is very helpful” Olivia When Olivia was referred to Aspire by her school she had disengaged from education and was becoming involved in anti-social behaviour and alcohol use in the community. The school had attempted to support Olivia through counselling support which she had not engaged with and initial attempts to contact her by the keyworker were unsuccessful with repeated attempts made through phone calls and home visits. However once Olivia began to engage she developed a positive relationship with her key worker and they began to develop a plan together. 33
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Olivia had a clear goal to move into employment rather than attend college and identified early years as her goal. Olivia secured a part-time job in a café and we continued to work together to find her a placements in a nursery. Following this she used her placement experience to secure a modern apprenticeship in a local nursery where she continues to work. Sarah May was referred to Aspire for one-to-one support by her pupil support teacher as she wasn’t attending and had disengaged from school. On meeting Sarah May she advised that she lacked motivation and was not open to exploring college courses as she thought it would be the same school. Through one-to-one meetings we discussed careers pathways, began to work on her CV and registered Sarah May with job search websites, Planit Plus and My World of Work. I also supported Sarah May to keep an open growth mindset about going onto further education, we watched some videos from Winning Scotland to help her understand more about growth/fixed mindset. After a few weeks she became open to the idea of college and we had a look at some of the courses available locally. As I got to know Sarah May she would often talk about her holidays with her family and how she loved to travel. Using the techniques I had learned through growth mindset training I hoped to empower her to believe she had the necessary skills and encouraged her to consider the travel and tourism crew course at South Lanarkshire College. We had a look at the course content and arranged a visit to the college where Sarah May was especially impressed with the classroom that is designed like an aeroplane. Sarah May decided to apply for the course and I supported her with the application form. Sarah May worked really well with me and used Aspire support to the best of her advantage by attending the meetings I had arranged and keeping in contact with regular updates. The change in her attitude and eagerness to work made my job a lot easier. Sarah May is a lovely girl, I wish her every success and have no doubts she will have a bright future ahead of her. Demi Demi applied for the 2-year Foundation Apprenticeship in Social Services and Healthcare. Demi had experienced mental health issues and was attending Hamilton support base, which supports students with social and emotional needs. Demi was very quiet in class and did not interact with any of the other students.. By the end of year 1 Demi was beginning to interact with other students on the course and as the course progressed into year 2 Demi’s confidence began to grow. Demi was on placement for 3 months in a care home and took part in a few activities with the service users, spending time chatting about her life. After a few weeks she was comfortable to act of her own accord, offering service users support and reassurance. Demi’s second placement from January to April was in Hairmyres Hospital Outpatient Department. She interacted with patients, asking questions and taking details where required. Demi acted in a professional manner with patients and staff. By the end of the programme the change in Demi was marked. She was now confident in the skills she had gained on placement and was now meeting socially with her peers and interacting unprompted with her lecturer and FA team. Demi successfully achieved her FA in May and by the end of the programme the change in Demi was marked. She was now confident in the skills she had gained on placement and was now meeting socially with her peers and interacting unprompted with her lecturer and FA team. 34
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Rebecca Rebecca applied for the 2-year Foundation Apprenticeship in Social Services Children and Young People in 2022. After a few months it became apparent that Rebecca’s health was having a huge impact on her FA and school attendance, The Council’s FA worker met with Rebecca and her pupil support teacher to discuss a plan to help Rebecca achieve the qualification as she was sure her future career was in childcare. It was agreed that a plan be put in place that involved Rebecca leaving the 2 year programme allowing her to concentrate on her health and school subjects and that she would then apply for the 1 year FA programme in sixth year. The plan was followed and Rebecca achieved her FA in May 2024. Rebecca’s Her work placement was at Kilbryde Early Learning Centre and she received fabulous feedback. Rebecca engaged well with her lecturers, work placement and the FA team keeping them updated on any time off required and followed any remediation plans well. Rebecca achieved her goal of attaining her FA in Social Services Children and Young People and has secured an Modern Apprenticeship with Happy Days Nursery. Carly Former Lesmahagow High School Pupil Carly was supported to progress to employment with support from the Connect 2 Renewables programme. The OnPath Energy funding supported Carly to take part in pre-employment training and provided financial support through an employer recruitment incentive to support her into work. Carly a plant operative is now part of the ‘women in plant’ working group where she encourages other females into the industry by going along to speak to them about her experiences at schools and colleges. Rosanne Rosanne had been out of employment for a year and had a difficult time finding employment in her dream Job as a Kitchen Porter. Rosanne engaged with the Making it Work for Parents programme, where her advisor worked with her to build her confidence before updating her CV to give her the best chance of employment success. Roseanne participated in group training including an interview skills workshop and she was matched with several vacancies before successfully gaining an interview and securing her dream job. Rosanne struggled at the beginning of her new job with some aspects of the role and wanted to leave, thankfully due to the relationship that had been developed with her advisor we were able to meet with Roseanne to support her to combat her anxiety in the work place and help her with her transition to work. Rosanne took all the advice and support offered to her and 6 months into her new job she was given a promotion. Daniel Daniel came to RTWS with the goal of securing his first job. Despite having some volunteering experience helping the local youth football team, he struggled to recognise the wide range of skills he possessed and lacked confidence in himself. Daniel needed assistance with creating a CV and cover letter. We worked with Daniel to tailor his CV, highlighting his personality and strengths. He also received ongoing support at the job club, where we tasked him with approaching one of the employers for the upcoming Jobs Fair and provided guidance on what to say. Daniel was introduced to a pharmaceutical employer, and with his newfound confidence from the personalised support, he made a strong impression. This led to an interview invitation. We reviewed the job specification in detail and conducted a mock interview to help him prepare. As a result , Daniel's confidence and professionalism shone through, which ultimately led to him being offered the position of trainee dispenser. The employer expressed excitement about bringing Daniel on board and noted that his potential and eagerness made him a standout candidate for the role. 35
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Cahal Prior to joining RTWS, Cahal had been grappling with anxiety and a lack of confidence, compounded by his disability and a sense of being unsupported during his time at college, which eventually led to him dropping out. Unsure of his next steps, Cahal sought guidance to help him regain direction and rebuild his confidence. During his initial appointment, we recognised Cahal's interest in data, statistics, and computing. We identified an 11-week data analyst course, and Cahal was assisted throughout the application process, providing support during Teams calls and offering reassurance. Out of 1,500 applicants, Cahal successfully secured a spot on the course. To ensure Cahal feels supported and to prevent a repeat of his negative college experience, we have coordinated ongoing support through his RTWS advisor and Generation's wellbeing team which has led to Cahal's ongoing attendance and participation. 36
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Community Wealth Building Commission Date of Meeting: 18 March 2025 Report by: Chief Executive Subject: Community Asset Transfer – Blantyre Soccer Academy 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] provide the Community Wealth Building Commission with an example of a successful Community Asset Transfer (CAT) and the positive impacts of community stewardship of assets [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Commission is asked to approve the following recommendations:- (1) that the achievements of Blantyre Soccer Academy since acquiring community ownership through a CAT process be noted. [recs] 3. Background 3.1. Part 5 of the Community Empowerment Act introduces a right for community bodies to make requests to all local authorities, Scottish Ministers and a range of public bodies for any land or buildings they feel they could make better use of. They can request ownership, lease or other rights as they wish. . 3.2. In 2020, The Scottish Government commissioned Glasgow Caledonian University’s to undertake an independent report into report “Asset Transfer Requests: Evaluation of Part 5 of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. The report outlines learning from asset transfer activity and highlights a range of both the challenges and opportunities it presents to ensure that asset transfer is achieving its goal to drive change and empower communities. 3.3. The independent report outlined four intermediate findings for assets transferred at the point of the inquiry:- increased community ownership, control and use Asset transfer requests are viewed as a mechanism through which communities can design and deliver services to address local needs. Examples include mental and physical health services, youth clubs, and community spaces Relevant authority culture change The culture of authorities can be a barrier to effective implementation of asset transfer requests legislation: some community transfer bodies experienced difficulties with relevant authorities. While clear evidence of culture change will only occur over time, there was evidence that relevant authorities were taking steps to create change by challenging internal beliefs and values 6 37
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Increased obligations of community transfer bodies There is evidence that communities experience increased obligation related to assets, post-transfer. The outcome of this obligation can be both positive, in terms of caring for an asset which generates benefit, or negative – if the asset becomes burdensome in terms of commitment to look after it. In the latter circumstance, findings highlight the importance of support services matched to community transfer body needs, funding and expertise Community cohesion and capacity building Evidence suggests that the asset transfer request process may be ‘transformational’ for small communities, supporting increased community cohesion/involvement and capacity building 3.4. South Lanarkshire council has transferred 18 assets to date since the Act came into effect. 4. Blantyre Soccer Academy 4.1 Blantyre Soccer Academy was formed by Jimmy Whelan and Kevin O'Neil in 2010. They were 2 parents who met through the game and who were both enthusiastic about their community. and saw a lack of structured soccer training and opportunities for young boys in Blantyre. With their passion for the sport and a desire to give back to their hometown, they decided to create a soccer academy. 4.2. By 2015, the Academy had over 500 members and included soccer training, teams for girls, para teams for children and adults with disabilities and an older person’s walking football programme. 4.3. During this period, the need for a permanent home for the Academy and its growing membership was becoming a necessity. It registered as a charity in November 2012 to enable fundraising for its growing activity base and to enable planning for a permanent home for the Academy. It engaged in grant fundraising, gathering local donations, and added up countless community volunteer hours in pursuit of the Academy’s dream of owning their premises. 4.4. The organisation has an established board of trustees, more than the required 20 members, 3 employees who carry out the day-to-day management of the organisation and circa 75 accredited team coaches. They currently operate 25 teams with young people from the age of 10 up to 20 being supported. 5 The Community Hub - 2019 5.1 On 18 April 2019, Blantyre Soccer Academy become the second completed CAT in South Lanarkshire under the Community Empowerment Act (Scotland) 2015 when the closed former Rowan Community Hall came into the Academy’s ownership along with the land adjacent in 2021 from which they operate a community garden and hub. 5.2. Blantyre Soccer Academy Hub is a registered charity and a community-based organisation, which is reliant on the goodwill and generosity of the local community, members, sponsorship, and grant funding bids for its income. 5.3. In addition to the soccer training programme, community activity also takes place in the building and its surrounding garden area. These include:- 38
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Blantyre Bikes Better Project Substance Use Recovery Groups Men’s Mental wellbeing Groups 5.4. In addition to the Rowan Community Hall, Blantyre Soccer Academy has also acquired land at Birch Place, Blantyre, following a sale approved by the Housing and Technical Resources Committee on 29 September 2021, and in February 2024 a CAT was approved for the disused Larkfield Hall and adjoining Stonefield Road pitches. 6. Employee Implications 6.1. There are no employee implications associated with this report. 7. Financial Implications 7.1. There are no financial implications associated with this report. 8 Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 8.1. There are no implications for climate change, sustainability or the environment in terms of the information contained within this report. 9. Other Implications 9.1. There are no issues in terms of risk associated with this report. 10. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 10.1. There are no Equality Impact Assessment or consultation arrangement implications associated with this report. Paul Manning Chief Executive 4 March 2025 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Focused on people and their needs Working with and respecting others Accountable, effective, efficient and transparent Ambitious, self-aware and improving Fair, open and sustainable We will work to put people first and reduce inequality We will work towards a sustainable future in sustainable places We will work to recover, progress, and improve Good quality, suitable and sustainable places to live Thriving business, fair jobs and vibrant town centres Caring, connected, sustainable communities People live the healthiest lives possible Previous References None List of Background Papers None 39
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Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Jen Kerr, Community Engagement Manager Email: Jennifer.Kerr1@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 40
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Community Wealth Building Commission Date of Meeting: 18 March 2025 Report by: Chief Executive Subject: Marmot Place Programme 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] provide the Community Wealth Building Commission with an update on the Marmot Place Programme being undertaken by the Community Planning Partnership (CPP) as part of the Collaboration for Health Equity in Scotland partnership [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Commission is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- (1) that the progress of the Marmot Place Programme be noted. [recs] 3. Background 3.1. Public Health Scotland (PHS) and three local areas in Scotland are collaborating with the University College London Institute of Health Equity (IHE), led by Professor Sir Michael Marmot. 3.2. This partnership is a pilot in Scotland and known as the Collaboration for Health Equality in Scotland (CHES). CHES is adopting a Marmot Framework approach to understanding and addressing inequality in Scotland. 3.3. The South Lanarkshire CPP applied to the programme in Autumn 2024 and our acceptance into the pilot project was verbally reported to the Community Wealth Building Commission in December 2024. The other 2 Scottish Partner areas are Aberdeen City Council and North Ayrshire Council. 3.4. Marmot Places is an evidence-based, place approach where partners collaborate to reduce inequalities in a defined ‘place’. The ‘place’ could be a town, a neighbourhood or a whole authority. 3.5. A Marmot Place recognises that health and health inequalities are mostly shaped by the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age. It takes action to improve health and reduce health inequalities and can demonstrate success in Marmot Towns in reducing health inequalities. 3.6. Based on 8 principles, Marmot Places develop and deliver interventions and policies to improve health equity, embed health equity approaches in local systems and take a long-term, whole-system approach to improving health equity 7 41
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3.7. This report provides an update on the implementation and development of the Marmot approach in South Lanarkshire. 4, Governance Arrangements 4.1. The project has both local and national working groups to coordinate the collaboration. Local working groups develop and oversee the South Lanarkshire Marmot programme. National working groups provide space to come together with CHES partners and share learning and experiences and contribute to the wider Scottish agenda. 4.2. South Lanarkshire CPP local governance groups have been established to take forward the Marmot programme as outlined at Appendix 1 to the report: Marmot Leadership Group Marmot Steering Group Data Working Group 4.3. The Marmot Steering Group is also the CPP’s Outcome Leads Group, ensuring the Marmot programme and approach is developed and embedded in the CPPs current and future work. 5 Programme Phases 5.1. The programme will operate across Scotland in phases. 5.2. Phase 1: Analysis of Data: December 2024 to July 2025 The IHE Partners have been working to produce both Scottish and local versions of health inequality reports. We expect to receive their completed assessment report in March 2025. We will also receive a localised South Lanarkshire wide level data pack for further assessment and discussion. 5.3. The South Lanarkshire Data Working Group is currently being established to further develop our narrative and understanding of poverty and inequality in South Lanarkshire. This working group will seek to identify the location and spread of inequality across south Lanarkshire by localities and place. 5.4. This Data Working Group is undertaking the analysis of how and where inequality impacts across south Lanarkshire to inform future planning and actions to address it. This preliminary work is aiming to concluded by July 2025. 5.5. Public Health Scotland List Analyst help is being provided to support data analysis exercises. 5.6. Phase 2: Understanding System: March to December 2025 Workshops will take place with local partners to determine both place and thematic areas of work to prioritise and implement a Marmot principles approach. Workshops are expected to take place in Spring and Autumn 2025 and will be facilitated by IHE partners. 5.7. Workshops will help partners to understand both the enablers and barriers to improving health inequalities in the prioritised areas and what might address them. 42
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5.8. Phase 3: Development of Recommendations for Action: November 2025 to July 2026 Based on phases 1 and 2, the IHE will work with key stakeholders to develop recommendations to support better health and well being. 5.9. Partners will draft an action plan and propose this plan through the outlined governance arrangements. 5.10. Ongoing Throughout the duration of the programme, partners will work with other places and the national system in Scotland to share their experiences and learning. 5.11. There are also opportunities to meet other Marmot Place participants from England and Wales. 5.12. The IHE will draft learning briefings for local areas to use locally and share nationally. 5.13. The IHE will draft reports for the Scottish programme, inclusive of our local experience and approaches. All draft reports and plans will be subject to local input and relevant local consent. 5.14. While the Marmot Programme support will end in Autumn 2026, the embedding of this learning and the development of the Marmot framework and approach will continue through the work of the CPP and the delivery of the Marmot Place Programme will be incorporated into the delivery of the Community Plan outcomes. 6. Marmot Place Launch Event 6.1. The South Lanarkshire launch event was held on Tuesday 25 February 2025. 6.2. The event aimed to raise awareness and seek wider support for the Marmot principles and approaches. 6.3. Speakers included the Sir Profession Michael Marmot and CPP Chair, Councillor Joe Fagan alongside local community leaders from Community Partnerships and the Burnhill ‘Our Place our Plan’ Action Group. 7 Next Steps 7.1. The local Marmot working groups will continue to meet and develop our local understanding of poverty and inequalities across South Lanarkshire. 7.2. Local partners will be invited to workshops across the programme to contribute to the development of our local evidence base, systems analysis, prioritisation and action planning. 7.3. The Steering Group will develop a high-level South Lanarkshire Marmot work plan to consider areas of priority and approach that we wish to test during the Marmot Programme support phases. 8. Employee Implications 8.1. There are no employee implications associated with this report. 9. Financial Implications 9.1. There are no financial implications associated with this report. 43
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10 Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 10.1. There are no implications for climate change, sustainability or the environment in terms of the information contained within this report. 11. Other Implications 11.1. There are no issues in terms of risk associated with this report. 12. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 12.1. There are no Integrated Impact Assessment or consultation arrangement implications associated with this report. Paul Manning Chief Executive 3 March 2025 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Focused on people and their needs Working with and respecting others Accountable, effective, efficient and transparent Ambitious, self-aware and improving Fair, open and sustainable We will work to put people first and reduce inequality We will work towards a sustainable future in sustainable places We will work to recover, progress, and improve Good quality, suitable and sustainable places to live Thriving business, fair jobs and vibrant town centres Caring, connected, sustainable communities People live the healthiest lives possible Previous References None List of Background Papers None Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Jen Kerr, Community Engagement Manager Email: Jennifer.Kerr1@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 44
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National Groups Three Places Board Data Insights Group South Lanarkshire Place Working Group Marmot Place Leadership Group Marmot Place Data Group Marmot Place Steering Group (Outcomes Leads) Locality Community Partnerships Community Planning Progress Group Neighbourhood Planning Groups Community Planning Partnership Board Health and Social Care Partnership Integrated Joint Board South Lanarkshire Council Executive Committee NHS Lanarkshire Board APPENDIX 1 South Lanarkshire Marmot Place: Collaboration for Health Equity in Scotland (CHES) Structure Chart 45
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