1. Midlothian and Scottish Borders Delivery Overview
Fair Start Scotland
Midlothian and Scottish Borders
Delivery Overview

2. About Momentum
Momentum’s mission statement - “Working with people to build an equal future” - is at the core of all of our service provision.
Momentum is a living wage employer, committed to the Scottish Business Pledge
We are a leading not-for-profit organisation providing employability, rehabilitation, training and care services for disabled and socially excluded people across Scotland
Momentum have been delivering for over 26 years

3. The Programme
FSS is a voluntary service which will deliver high quality employment support to targeted customers who want and need help to enter and remain in work. FSS will provide customers with pre-employment support for a period of up to 12 months, and in-work support for a period of up to 12 months. For Participants with significant barriers to employment, there will be the option to extend the duration of pre-employment support up to 18 months. FSS will support customers who face a range of barriers to employment: from those who may require skills, health, literacy or numeracy support; to those for whom complex barriers and/or disabilities require more specialised support to help them find and sustain employment.

4. The Programme
The Scottish Government’s approach to employability is founded on the 3 key values, underpinned by six key principles that are integral to creating a fairer Scotland. Key Values Value 1: Dignity and respect Value 2: Fairness and Equality Value 3: Continuous Improvement These values have underpinned the approach taken by Momentum and our partners in delivery of this programme.

5. The Programme
Through this provision, The Scottish Government are looking to support a minimum of customers over 3 years. These customers will be in receipt of a reserved UK out of work benefit, unless they are disabled and will be either:
Aged 18 years old and over, out of work and living in Scotland, or
Aged 16 and 17 years old and either disabled or in receipt of ESA/Universal Credit (work focused interview group, work prep group or no work requirements)

6. The Programme The Service will target:
Disabled People (as defined in the Equality Act 2010).
Those who are long term unemployed (those reaching 2 years on Job Seekers Allowance/ Universal Credit equivalent).
People on the Employment and Support Allowance Work Related Activity Group.
People with convictions (someone who has completed a custodial sentence or a community sentence) or offender (someone who is completing a community sentence).
Care Experience Young People (allows care experienced young people to be eligible for support until age 29 (i.e. up to, but not including, their 30th birthday).
Lone Parents.
Refugees.
Ethnic Minorities.
People in the 15% most deprived Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) areas.
People with a health problem which presents a barrier to employment.

7. ‘One Team’ Approach
We have devised a ‘One Team’ approach whereby we will offer the services of any and all delivery partners to meet the needs of Fair Start Customers irrespective of Strand or geographic location across the East Lot
FSS Advisors and Customers will work as ‘One Team’; doing the right things with, not to, the Customer and ensuring the Customer’s voice is heard and that they are treated as individuals throughout.

8. Developing Partnership
In the delivery of FSS we are looking at developing our partnership with other available services to which we may refer in order to meet Customer needs, we aim to be able to link to services from a wide range, for example:
Mentoring for those at risk of offending
Part time courses related to job goals
Services and organisations to provide health information
Support for customers to engage in physical activities
Specialist support to overcome barriers e.g. Customers recovering from drug and alcohol addiction Support to address housing issues for tenants and Housing Associations
Assisting Customers who are technically homeless and /or looking to exit the private rented sector
Supported Employment businesses to provide work experience and work trials for Customers; enabling our delivery staff to identify issues and barriers in a working environment and set revised actions and goals to overcome them
Our partnerships will be aimed towards covering rural localities that enables uptake from rural communities, not just those within the city.

9. Engaging Your Customers
Customers or Referrers may wish to discuss FSS with a provider prior to the referral. This is acceptable and will be accommodated, the purpose of the warm handover is to:
encourage effective working between the Referral Agencies and the Service Providers;
improve the standard of referrals, in terms of appropriateness of referral and background information provided;
establish the customer willingness to engage with the Service;
enable a collective assessment between customer, JCP and Service Provider of the support needs of the individual; and agree a start date with the customer to commence the Programme.
Preferably, the warm handover will be done face-to-face but it may be completed by telephone, Skype, etc. depending on local arrangements and equipment availability agreed with the Service Provider and referrer. Any travel costs incurred by the customer will be the responsibility of the Service Provider

10. Engaging Your Customers
As part of the warm handover, a provider will determine from the customer if they are claiming a Working Age Benefit or not, depending on the outcome of this there are then two routes available:
Customer not claiming a Working Age Benefit
Provider will check eligibility
If eligible, provider will complete a referral through Scottish Government SETS
Scottish Government reviews the referral and SETS and transfers to the provider
Customer does claim Working Age Benefit
Provider completes a Referral Request Form and sends to relevant JCP office
JCP Work Coach conducts a eligibility check and if applicable submits referral on LMS
If the customer is not eligible JCP Work Coach informs the provider

11. Service Guarantee Initial Engagement (Day 1)
Initial contact within 5 working days of referral to arrange first interview.
A face to face initial assessment within 10 working days of referral to confirm eligibility and an action plan for the Discovery and Planning phase (see below) of the Programme.
Allocation to a named key worker who will be your adviser for the duration of the Programme
Agreement of a Participation Agreement, setting out the commitments of each party.

12. Service Guarantee Discovery and Planning Phase (1 to 8 weeks)
Weekly interventions with key worker
Face to face monthly review with key worker;
Baseline assessment of employability skills;
Better Off in Work calculation and financial planning; and
Planning for additional support to be provided by external or partner services;
Development of a detailed personalised Employment Action Plan which sets out agreed activities and timescales to help you into work including activities for overcoming barriers including engagement with external services, current skills, employment history, vocational training needs, employment aspirations, monitoring and review arrangements and in-work support plan.
Vocational Profiling leading to an individual action plan

13. Service Guarantee Pre Work Support (9 to 52 weeks)
Minimum of 3 hours weekly contact with key worker;
1 to 1 coaching by key worker as necessary;
Face to face formal monthly review with key worker;
Quarterly distance travelled assessment and feedback;
Employability activities as detailed in the individual Employment Action Plan;
Engagement with external or partner services as detailed in the individual Employment Action Plan;
Monthly workplace reviews (if on work placement);
Weekly job search activities;
Employer engagement including support for interviews and negotiations of reasonable adjustments; and
Financial guidance.

14. Service Guarantee In-Work support (Job entry date + 52 weeks)
An In-Work Support Action Plan, detailing timeline for workplace reviews with employer, future training and career development goals and actions;
Minimum of weekly contact with key worker, fading as appropriate;
Minimum monthly workplace review with employer, reducing over time as appropriate
Workplace induction; Support at workplace training (if necessary);
Support to develop workplace relationships;
Financial guidance; Advice for employer, training for employer’s staff (as necessary); and
Individual exit planning in the final stages of the Programme

15. Contract Period
The period of the contract will be 3 years; from 03 April 2018 to 2 April Referrals can be received from 13 March 2018 to 2 April 2021.

16. Questions/Feedback? Contact – Tracy Connerton 07873300974