Efforts to support some of Aberdeen’s most vulnerable young people into education, training, and work have seen Aberdeen City Council’s ABZWorks employability service shortlisted for a national award.
Care experienced young people face considerably more barriers to education, sustained employment, and other positive life outcomes than their peers. Recognising that more needed to be done to support Aberdeen’s care experienced young people as they transition into adulthood, ABZWorks developed a series of employability projects to help them achieve their potential.
This work has seen ABZWorks recognised as one of the top three employability programmes in Scotland in the SURF Awards Removing Barriers to Employability category.
ABZWorks, which provides a broad range of support to people across the city, developed a series of projects specifically to support care experienced young people into quality, sustained employment, education, and training, resulting in a more than eightfold increase in the number of care experienced young people engaging in employability activities – from 9 in 2019 to more than 70. Of those more than 20 have secured employment (including two who received seed funding to set up their own businesses), six have secured college places, and 34 continue engaging positively with employability services.
The projects, funded using No One Left Behind and Young Person Guarantee monies from Scottish Government, include:
- RiteWorks – a partnership with Working Rite providing intensive employability support for care experienced young people, including training and work experience with local SMEs;
- ABZWorks Cares – a paid 12-week internship with supportive teams in Aberdeen City Council, matched to the career aspirations of the young person, and paid at Real Living Wage rate;
- A nine-week project designed by care experienced young people, for care experienced young people with the support of an ABZWorks officer; and
- A guaranteed interview scheme for Aberdeen’s care experienced young people aged 16-29 applying for any Council job they meet the criteria for.
Aberdeen City Council co-leader Councillor Christian Allard said: “We know that our care experienced young people often face greater challenges in life and lack the family support that so many of their peers have, and many are impacted by adverse childhood experiences. We also know they are full of potential and deserve the support to access opportunities to set them on the path to a stable future.
“It is essential that we acknowledge their views and expertise gained through lived experience to create the appropriate support. The increase in the numbers of care experienced young people engaging in and progressing through employability programmes from nine four years ago to 75 today demonstrates the value of the approach being taken.
“I particularly welcome efforts to support our young people into fair work and the payment of the Real Living Wage for our care experienced interns.
“A motion has been raised in Scottish Parliament highlighting this programme of valuable work and I would like to congratulate the team and the young people for the progress they have made. Of course, I hope the team brings home a prize from the SURF Awards, but the outcomes we are seeing for our young people are the biggest prize.”
Councillor Martin Greig, Convener of Education and Children’s Services Committee added: “Aberdeen City Council is a proud corporate parent with responsibility for supporting our care experienced young people resting with every colleague across the organisation. The projects developed and delivered by ABZWorks alongside teams and individuals across the Council and partner agencies are key to helping our young people achieve and sustain positive outcomes. I am delighted to see that work, with the voices of our young people at the heart, being recognised at national level.”
Aiden Smith, 17, who completed an internship in the ABZWorks team, said: “As someone who had never worked, I found it really easy to transition into this job. It’s a lovely environment, I’ve learned all about employability, developing social media material which has been published, and helping out at an ABZWorks jobs fair.
“I already feel like I know a lot more about work, about how I should be treated in a workplace, and confident about my future and being able to go to college, university, and then into social work.”
The 2023 SURF Awards winners will be announced on 1 December.
Aberdeen residents seeking employability support can call the ABZWorks helpline on 01224 346100 or email abzworks@aberdeencity.gov.uk