October 2007

Unemployed people in Fife will soon be able to build their teamwork and communication skills, through football coaching, to help them get a job.

Jobcentre Plus is teaming up with Raith Rovers Football Club in association with Careers Scotland and Triage Central, to bring Support Employment to Fife . Support Employment - Raith Rovers FC was launched on Saturday (20 October) by Fife MP John MacDougall, at the Beveridge Park Hotel, Kirkcaldy and was attended by around 90 Fife employers and partnership organisations.

Support Employment is an innovative way of helping people who are further from the labour market, to move into suitable, sustainable employment. Soft skills such as teamwork, communication and motivation feature in sport and are transferable to the workplace. Support Employment is delivered over a 10 week period and a key feature is the participation of local employers, including access to vacancies, work placements and visits.

Support Employment has been delivered very successfully in partnership with a number of Scottish football clubs, including Celtic, Rangers, Hearts, Hibs, Falkirk, Dundee , Dundee United and St Mirren. So far, around 70% of disadvantaged people have been helped into suitable jobs or training, leading to jobs. Raith Rovers FC have a strong community base and aim to build on this track record.

Key elements of Support Employment - Raith Rovers FC are outlined below:
Football coaching delivered by coaches from Raith Rovers FC, motivating individuals and building the skills needed for working with people/teams;
Career planning and employability support from Careers Scotland;
Personal development coaching;
Dedicated Personal Adviser support from Jobcentre Plus;
Support from Triage Central Advisers;
Careers talks by employers.

Raith Rovers Chairman, David Sommerville, who welcomed everyone to the Support Employment launch said; "Raith Rovers is delighted to be involved in Support Employment and to be able to make a real difference to people's lives, in their local community. Support Employment kicks off at Raith Rovers, with an Open Day on 14 November. With the support of employers in Fife , we like to think we can at least match the achievements of the other 8 Football Clubs involved in Support Employment, by helping more people into jobs."

This launch also gave employers the chance to hear about Local Employment Partnerships, established to engage local employers in their community and to show their commitment to working with Jobcentre Plus, to help long term unemployed people back to work.

Earlier this year, 5 major retail employers, Tesco, B&Q, Sainsbury's, Asda, and Marks & Spencer jointly committed with the Prime Minister, to a Local Employment Partnership approach, country-wide. MGt is the first employer in Fife to commit to a Local Employment Partnership Agreement. Moira Brown, Director of Human Resources at MGt and John MacDougall MP signed a Local Partnership Agreement at the Support Employment Launch.

Moira Brown said; "MGt is very pleased with the help that Jobcentre Plus has given MGt in their recent recruitment exercise. The signing of this Local Employment Partnership Agreement marks a great opportunity for an expanding business such as ours, to help local people back into the workplace and a great chance to help make a difference, in our local community. I encourage other Fife employers to consider a Local Employment Partnership Agreement, as the way forward for their recruitment arrangements."

Fife MP John MacDougall, who also presented an Award to MGt and to 2 of their employees, who had been recruited from welfare benefits, through Work Trials said; "Support Employment was developed to break down the barriers which prevent people from getting suitable jobs, and holding onto them, and I'm delighted to give it my support. I'm also delighted to sign up MGt, a dynamic and expanding company, to the first Local Employer Partnership in Fife . These Partnership Agreements will make a real difference in opening up job opportunities for people who have been out of work for too long. I would also congratulate Raith Rovers on becoming involved with Support Employment. This demonstrates the commitment of the club to the wider community and to supporting people into employment."

Anyone requiring further information about what Support Employment can offer, should contact 01786 432694.