As employers you want to attract the best staff; recruiting and retaining those with the right skills to help your business develop and grow. However, we know that some recruitment practices make it harder for the people with the right skills to apply for, or secure employment.
If you are looking to develop a more inclusive workforce, but aren’t sure where to start, there is a range of support and training available that you or your staff can access. Specialist providers are on hand to help employers recruit individuals who may have had difficulties securing employment in the past due to a disability, their gender, race or being care experienced. There is also financial support available to help employers make reasonable adjustments to enable someone to join or return to the workforce, as well as incentives to encourage employers to recruit individuals who require additional support.
Below, you will find details of the financial, support and training provision that is available to employers in Orkney. You will also find links to websites which will provide more information, and contact details for individuals who will be able to provide you with further support.
All of the programmes below are open to individuals of all ages.
If you are looking to develop a more inclusive workforce, but aren’t sure where to start, there is a range of support and training available that you or your staff can access. Specialist providers are on hand to help employers recruit individuals who may have had difficulties securing employment in the past due to a disability, their gender, race or being care experienced. There is also financial support available to help employers make reasonable adjustments to enable someone to join or return to the workforce, as well as incentives to encourage employers to recruit individuals who require additional support.
Below, you will find details of the financial, support and training provision that is available to employers in Orkney. You will also find links to websites which will provide more information, and contact details for individuals who will be able to provide you with further support.
All of the programmes below are open to individuals of all ages.
Financial Provision
The following programmes offer grants or financial support to employers to help them in creating an inclusive and diverse workforce.
ACCESS TO WORK
Provided by the Department of Work and Pensions, Access to Work is a publicly funded employment support grant scheme that aims to support disabled people start or stay in work. It can provide practical and financial support for people who have a disability or long term physical or mental health condition. Support can be provided where someone needs support or adaptions beyond reasonable adjustments.
Access to Work applications must be made by the individual, but an Access to Work grant can pay for practical support to enable your employee to start or stay in work, or to support you if you are self-employed.
For more information, contact Jobcentre Plus in Kirkwall.
Access to Work applications must be made by the individual, but an Access to Work grant can pay for practical support to enable your employee to start or stay in work, or to support you if you are self-employed.
For more information, contact Jobcentre Plus in Kirkwall.
EMPLOYER RECRUITMENT INCENTIVE
Administered by Orkney Islands Council, Employer Recruitment Incentive (ERI) funding supports those furthest away from employment. The scheme will pay 50% of the individual’s salary costs for 52 weeks.
Employers from all sectors are eligible for ERI and there is no restriction on the size of employer, but an emphasis should be given to private Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and third sector organisations (including social enterprises).
More information can be found on the OIC's website, here. You can also contact Lindsey Johnson, Community Learning and Development Officer, on [email protected] or call (01856) 873 535.
Employers from all sectors are eligible for ERI and there is no restriction on the size of employer, but an emphasis should be given to private Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and third sector organisations (including social enterprises).
More information can be found on the OIC's website, here. You can also contact Lindsey Johnson, Community Learning and Development Officer, on [email protected] or call (01856) 873 535.
Support and Training
These programmes provide training, in-work support or advice to employers to support them in creating an inclusive and diverse workforce.
Apprenticeship Equality Team
This team from Skills Development Scotland (SDS) can provide advice and support to employers to support them in recruiting individuals who face a barrier to employment due to disability, care-experience, gender or race.
For more information and guidance, visit Skills Development Scotland, here.
For more information and guidance, visit Skills Development Scotland, here.
Community Learning and Development Employability Support
Orkney Island’s Council’s Community Learning and Development (CLD) Team have a dedicated all age provision to deliver a more flexible and user-based model of employability support for people from school leaving age up to 67 (Pensionable age) who are identified as requiring more support to enter and sustain employment.
In work support for employers and individuals can be provided to promote and support inclusive, fair and sustainable employment opportunities.
For more information, contact Lindsey Johnson, Community Learning and Development Officer, on [email protected] or call (01856) 873 535.
In work support for employers and individuals can be provided to promote and support inclusive, fair and sustainable employment opportunities.
For more information, contact Lindsey Johnson, Community Learning and Development Officer, on [email protected] or call (01856) 873 535.
Disability Confident
Disability Confident is a scheme from the Department of Work and Pensions which supports employers to make the most of the talents disabled people can bring to the workplace by helping employers recruit and retain great people.
For more information on becoming a Disability Confident employer, visit here. You can also contact Jobcentre Plus in Kirkwall.
For more information on becoming a Disability Confident employer, visit here. You can also contact Jobcentre Plus in Kirkwall.
Disability Employment Gap Public Social Partnership
The Scottish Union of Supported Employment (SUSE) is the lead partner in the Disability Employment Gap Public Social Partnership (PSP).
The Disability Employment Gap PSP is focused on working with Scotland’s employers to help them address gaps in their knowledge and expertise to improve the employment prospects of disabled people. They work with businesses to help them develop their organisation and staff. They do this through support sessions and training courses.
For more information, visit: www.suse.org.uk.
The Disability Employment Gap PSP is focused on working with Scotland’s employers to help them address gaps in their knowledge and expertise to improve the employment prospects of disabled people. They work with businesses to help them develop their organisation and staff. They do this through support sessions and training courses.
For more information, visit: www.suse.org.uk.
LEARNING DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT
Orkney Health and Care’s Employment Support Team supports people with learning disabilities and autistic people to gain and maintain employment.
They can take referrals from employers to work with individuals who need support in the workplace and can provide on-the-job support, working side by side with people to help them learn new tasks or understand workplace requirements.
You can find more information here. You can also contact the team at the details below:
Danny Oliver - [email protected], or call 07342 064 818
Stuart Prestwell - [email protected], or call 07760 414 279
They can take referrals from employers to work with individuals who need support in the workplace and can provide on-the-job support, working side by side with people to help them learn new tasks or understand workplace requirements.
You can find more information here. You can also contact the team at the details below:
Danny Oliver - [email protected], or call 07342 064 818
Stuart Prestwell - [email protected], or call 07760 414 279
PARENTAL employABILITY Support FUND
Orkney Island Council’s Community Learning and Development team have received funding from Scottish Government to support lower income parents access information, advice, and opportunities to enable them access or progress in employment with the overarching target to increase household income and reduce child poverty.
A dedicated Parent Employability Keyworker will work with individuals both in and out of work offering intensive one-to-one or group work support.
In work support such as mentoring/job coaching will be offered to support individuals to maintain and progress within employment.
The team will also work proactively with local employers to promote and develop accessible, fair and progressive employment opportunities for parents.
For more information, email Lindsey Johnson, Community Learning and Development Officer, [email protected], or call (01856) 873 535.
A dedicated Parent Employability Keyworker will work with individuals both in and out of work offering intensive one-to-one or group work support.
In work support such as mentoring/job coaching will be offered to support individuals to maintain and progress within employment.
The team will also work proactively with local employers to promote and develop accessible, fair and progressive employment opportunities for parents.
For more information, email Lindsey Johnson, Community Learning and Development Officer, [email protected], or call (01856) 873 535.
MAXIMUS
Maximus offer community-based support to a diverse range of people who are likely to face barriers to employment, including those with disability, health condition or criminal record. Their support enables individuals to find sustainable employment, develop new skills and transform lives.
For more information, visit: www.maximusuk.co.uk
For more information, visit: www.maximusuk.co.uk
This information has been developed by the Local Employability Partnership.