Those who are easiest to support are being targeted rather than those struggling most
Some of the most vulnerable young people in Scotland are not getting the support they need to help them into work, Barnardo’s Scotland has blasted.
The children’s charity claims programmes such as the Work Programme are favouring those young people who are easiest to support, leaving those who need more help “parked” on a programme with little prospect of getting a job.
Barnardo’s, which prides itself on working with children furthest from the labour market, made the call in a submission to the Scottish Parliament’s Welfare Reform Committee.
It is calling for the parliament to make use of the proposed devolution of the Work Programme and other Westminster funded employability programmes in the Scotland bill to create a separate employability programme to be designed for young people who require intensive support to get into, and stay in a job.
There is an incentive to concentrate on those young people who it is relatively straightforward to get into work whilst those who need more support are overlooked
Martin Crewe, director of Barnardo’s Scotland, said: “Our experience of working with young people tells us that for too many of the most vulnerable or those with additional needs the current Work Programme is not fit for purpose.
“The payment model for this programme means there is an incentive to concentrate on those young people who it is relatively straightforward to get into work whilst those who need more support are overlooked.”
In its submission Barnardo’s Scotland highlights that the "redesign of employability support should be used as an opportunity to develop tailored services rather than simply relying on generic programmes, and therefore a separate tailored approach for disadvantaged and vulnerable young people is needed".
Crewe continued: “We have a real opportunity in Scotland to make sure that the support we provide to those young people who have additional needs is the right support.
“The best way to do this is to take young people out of general programmes and into programmes that are based on and meet their needs.
“The time for them being at the back of the queue when it comes to getting into work should be over.”
