1. Hazel Benza
Employability and Third Sector Secondment Overview

2. Overview Background / Policy Context Purpose of secondment role
Approach
Overview of first 6 months & key themes
Next Steps
Get involved
Questions

3. Background / Policy Context
2014 Cambridge Consultants review
Cluttered landscape / Lack of alignment
Devolved employment support powers April Opportunity to align services
Fair Start Scotland rolled out from April 2018, but wider look at provision also essential
More joined up and straightforward employability needed
Wider programme of alignment and integration
Cluttered = National progs, local delivery, LAs, ESF, third sector
What does integration and alignment really mean? = Integration of delivery AND alignment of money – First step, how to align funding.

4. Background / Policy Context
Focus on delivery of services for those furthest from labour market (Health, addictions, criminal justice)
Not just programme development, but systematic change
Move to system built around individuals
No-one Left Behind – Innovation and Integration projects
Test local approaches
Long term agenda – Continual evaluation of lessons to be learned
No-one left behind – 13 projects, 18 LA areas, £2.5 million innovation and integration fund
Test local approaches – Linking employability support with health, social care, criminal justice and housing services
Recognition by Scot Gov that still at an early stage and that systematic change takes time
Continual learning process and openness to learn

5. National Performance Framework
Our Purpose
To focus on creating a more successful country with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish through increased well being and sustainable and inclusive economic growth .
Our Values
We are a society which treats all our people with kindness, dignity and compassion, respects the rule of law, and acts in an open and transparent way.
Access the National Performance Framework NPF at
It includes 11 National Outcomes that set out the kind of country we want to be, and 81 National Indicators that will be used to track and measure progress towards achieving them. It was approved by the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 24 May 2018.

7. Policy Principles - No One Left Behind
Dignity and respect, fairness and equality and continuous improvement
Provides flexible and person-centred support
Is straightforward for people to navigate
Integrated and aligned with other services
Provides pathways into sustainable and fair work
Driven by evidence including data and the experience of users
Support more people to move into the right job, at the right time.
No One Left Behind: next steps for employability support plan sets out the next steps to take to deliver more effective and joined-up employability support across Scotland and was published in March 2018

8. Supporting People Into Work
Delivering Employability and related Services
Halving the Disability Employment Gap
Working in partnership with LAs and others to create a truly person-centred system

9. A more integrated and aligned system
Published Employability Review and signed Joint Working agreement with Local Authorities.
Built on a collaborative approach to getting the right support to people at the right time.
Focus on supporting individuals
Aligning funding streams and integrating provision across wider services – with the right accountability.
New partnership agreement with LAs will be critical to process
Managing cultures, move to being open and engaging, collaborative approach – this takes time
Work streams being created to support this process
Aligning funding to local need – aligning national and local budgets
Moving away from mechanisms that push organisations apart, instead find new ways to pull together

10. Purpose – Secondment
Third sector voice within Scottish Government - Influence integration and alignment of services
Review and improve third sector engagement
Raise understanding of third sector within Scottish Government
Evidence based third sector perspective – Effective commissioning and delivery models
Support Scottish Government in development of next employability programme
My background – experience of working for various third sector orgs, most recently homelessness
Bring passion for third sector, understanding of values and challenges
Scot gov welcome expertise from sector to influence from within

11. Approach
Partnership
Research
Development

12. Partnership
Relationship building, gaining knowledge of services and consultation
Third Sector Employability Forum (TSEF) working group
Engagement across third sector – Small and large organisations / Urban and rural / Variety of services
Engagement with local authorities and third sector interfaces
Co-working within Scottish Government – Policy, local authority team, service delivery team, wider third sector division, analytical team
Central to role
Working alongside TSEF
Recognition that it is important to be as inclusive as possible – wide engagement
Embedding third sector values within scot gov as widely as possible

13. Research
Third sector engagement review – current engagement, best practice, key mechanisms, digital engagement
Local authorities – Value of third sector locally, best practice, case studies
How can value of third sector be better measured? – Measurement and outcomes
Effective commissioning and procurement
What is the ask of the third sector to Scottish Government?
First priority is comprehensive third sector engagement review
Establishing effective communication channels and mechanisms that support this = TSEF / LEPS / Local forums (TSIs)

14. Development
New or improved mechanisms for engagement between Scottish Government and third sector
Contribute to new measurement and outcomes framework
Bring third sector voice to planning of next iteration of employability programme
Influence development of co-production, commissioning and procurement processes
Work with local authority team to support third sector involvement in development of local employability model
Tangible outcomes

15. Overview of First 6 months
Build foundation / relationships
50 visits approx. across sector
Visits to third sector organisations, TSIs and Local Authorities
Identify key themes
Presenting at forums and events to raise awareness
This role is about third sector – encourage to get involved

16. Overview of First 6 months
Linking with third sector division and internal policy teams
Identify interdependencies / internal work streams
Creation of work plan
Draft 6 month progress / check in report
Supporting TSEF review
This role is about third sector – encourage to get involved

17. Key themes Fair Start Scotland Funding
Procurement / Performance management
Insecurity of regional approach / COSLA partnership agreement
General issues third sector / local authorities
Engagement / influence with Scottish Government
No-one Left Behind
Lack of accessible information / mapping of local services
Good practice – what works locally?
Value of third sector
Third Sector Employability Forum (TSEF)
This role is about third sector – encourage to get involved

18. Next steps
Comprehensive engagement review, looking at local and national engagement mechanisms
Supporting TSEF review in line with engagement review
Supporting work of employability stakeholder group
Going forward more focus on commissioning, procurement, measurement and outcomes – Further consultation with sector
Working with local authority team to determine action plan for third sector involvement
This role is about third sector – encourage to get involved

19. Get involved Arrange a visit Attend a focus group
Take part in consultations
Contribute to case studies and best practice examples
Share local knowledge and contacts
Hazel Benza
Third Sector Partnership and Engagement Advisor
Tel: Mobile:
This role is about third sector – encourage to get involved

20. Questions