All in Glasgow has been unveiled in Glasgow following successful pilots.
A programme piloted across Scotland to guide people into employment will this week be rolled out across the country’s largest city.
All in Glasgow, co-ordinated by Enable Works, follows success stories in Edinburgh, Dundee and Moray and will aim to help 1,500 people facing various barriers – including poverty, disability, homelessness, offending or substance misuse – to gain qualifications and opportunities that lead to long-term employment.
It is hoped the scheme will result in an improvement in employment rates in Glasgow, an increase in job retention rates in the city, a better-informed workforce, and employers promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace and avoiding zero-hours contracts.
All in Glasgow represents a one-stop shop for anyone of any age struggling to gain a foothold on the employment ladder.
Enable Works forms the umbrella for 17 Glasgow charities to deliver three specific services – Training for Work, Progress for Parents and Supported Employment.
The multi-charity partnership ensures that those accessing any service can be signposted to another, more appropriate avenue without having to start the application process again or repeat a difficult-to-tell background story.
Enable Works director, Ashley Ryan, said: “All in Glasgow recognises that people seeking support to access employment often face a wide range of barriers. By bringing together many specialist organisations, we can ensure people can access the right support to help them enter – and thrive in – the world of work. The aim is to make it as simple as possible for people to engage with us. No matter what age people are, or where they live in the city, they will be able to access that support.
“The aim is to improve employment rates in Glasgow and improve job retention rates, focusing on sustainable employment for the long term. The service is based on the principles of fair work and we offer specialist welfare rights and guidance to ensure people are able to make informed choices about work and are better-off financially. We work with employers to avoid inappropriate use of zero-hours contracts and promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace.”
All in Glasgow will help people into work through a number of charities, including Enable Works, Barnardo’s, The Prince’s Trust, and Street League.
Leader of Glasgow City Council, Cllr Susan Aitken, said: “Ensuring that all of our citizens have the pathways and the skills to make positive choices and to play their part in the wider life of this city has been a long-standing commitment of Glasgow’s.
"The All In Glasgow programmes help translate those commitments into action, helping many of those who can be hard to reach overcome what are often deeply complex and challenging barriers to training, securing qualifications and fair work. I am confident that All In Glasgow can make a huge contribution to our shared agenda of addressing social and economic inequality, delivering inclusive growth and ensuring a fairer, healthier and more prosperous Glasgow."
