The City of Edinburgh Council funds third party services to support Edinburgh citizens to access and progress along the Employability Strategic Skills Pipeline, with the goal of securing and sustaining training and employment.

Due to significant changes in the labour market and the new operational context as a result of Covid 19, three of these services are being reviewed using a co-production methodology to ensure they remain fit for purpose and value for money. These services are: the complex needs employability service, targeted and integrated employability service, and supported employment service.  The Council are investigating the possibility of commissioning a blended employability service which meets Edinburgh’s requirements. Although the services are linked, each service has its own distinct requirement:
  • Supported Employment Service (currently All in Edinburgh);
  • Complex Needs Employability Service (currently Encompass); and
  • Edinburgh Targeted and Integrated Employability Service (currently Next Step).
The Supported Employment service follows the Scottish Government’s five stage Supported Employment model and is a pan-disability service.  It ensures a “no wrong door” approach for anybody with a disability or long-term health condition who is looking to secure, sustain and, where appropriate, progress in employment.

The Complex Needs Employability Service is a funded as a partnership between Business Growth and Inclusion (formerly Economic Development), Criminal Justice and Edinburgh Alcohol and Drugs Partnership. The service provides a range of supports to people with complex barriers to accessing and sustaining education, training or employment.  The service is for those in recovery from substance misuse, previous offending behaviour, homelessness and other complex issues.

The Edinburgh Targeted and Integrated Employability Service (ETIES) aims to people who have barriers to employment, including short-term unemployed or facing in-work poverty.  It helps them to secure and sustain employment and upskills unemployed and workless individuals into learning or work with a focus on outreach to the most disadvantaged communities in Edinburgh.

The City of Edinburgh Council are seeking the views of employers as part of the co-production process to understand the most effective way to include the employer engagement aspect of future commissioned services, ensuring that it meets the needs of employers and clients.

We would appreciate you taking 5 minutes to share your views in the following questions to help us inform the development of the specifications of employability services.

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* 1. Have you worked with employability services in the past to help with recruitment, supporting existing employees or developing good working practices? If so, could you provide some details on this:

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* 2. What would you as an employer want to see as part of an employer engagement service?

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* 3. What support would you find most useful from employability providers?

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* 4. Do you think there are any gaps in employability support that you have identified as an employer?

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* 5. Do you have any other thoughts or opinions about the commissioning of future employability services?

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. It will help the City of Edinburgh Council to make informed decisions about future employability services.

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