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Supported Employment (specialist services)

These services are for adults with additional support needs who live in South Lanarkshire. All programmes are delivered following the 5 stages of Supported Employment as adopted by the Scottish Government and the Scottish Union of Supported Employment (SUSE).

Key Worker Service

The Key Worker will take time to get to know you by meeting with you regularly and assisting you with setting employment goals and the steps you need to take to achieve employment. When you agree that you are ready, we can assist you in looking for employment or a work placement. You can also join our weekly classroom-based employability skills session. We will support you in the workplace both with work-based tasks, employability skills, life skills and the social aspects of employment. Once in placement, you will receive a training allowance and then negotiate a financial incentive to an employer who wishes to employ you. We can assist with job search, CV building and interview skills. This is a person-centred approach so will look different for each client.

Project EmployAbility

A Scottish Government funded programme for unemployed clients, with a desire to gain paid employment and can travel independently to Hamilton, Hillhouse area. This project will commence in August 2023 and end March 2024. Clients will work towards 3 phases to achieve paid employment of 16 hours or more. Clients will be supported by our Job Coaches and Employment Engagement Officer throughout the duration. 

  • Phase 1 - in a simulated working environment, taking on basic vocational skills to work towards achieving a good work ethic as well as communication and team building skills. This will be in Hillhouse Workshops, Hamilton and potentially on to Strathaven Golf Course.
  • Phase 2 - in a real work placement, taking on the duties of a paid member of staff to highlight the skills and abilities achieved and still to acquire in the hope of moving onto phase 3. Greggs of Scotland, Cambuslang, will be an option or an alternative based on location and occupational interests of the client.
  • Phase 3 - paid employment. Clients will aim to become employed by their placement provider. We may be able to offer an employment recruitment incentive for an agreed period of time depending on terms, conditions and criteria. There is no guarantee of being employed past the funded time frame.

Employability training will be delivered in a class setting with travel training being offered where necessary for phases 2 and 3. All clients will be paid a training allowance for phases 1 and 2, and phase 3 is paid employment. 

Recruitment is now closed for 2023, future Project EmployAbility programmes will be advertised on social media.                       

DFN Project Search

This is a hospital-based project on-site at Hairmyres Hospital in East Kilbride. The partnership consists of us providing an on-site Job Coach to work with interns on a daily basis and our Employer Engagement Officer to support job searching. New College Lanarkshire is the educator who supplies an on-site lecturer to work towards an employability curriculum, with NHS Lanarkshire and ISS Facilities Management as the host employers. The project has the capacity for 8 interns to gain skills and experience within a live working environment, which lasts an academic year and with up to 1-year aftercare support. Each Intern will be enrolled as a full-time student at New College Lanarkshire (at SCQF Level 4) for the academic year. Interns will work towards 2/3 of work placements within the hospital and or with a local employer, with the aim of progressing to paid employment of 16 hours or more as the outcome. Interns would be aged from 18 to 24 years (older applicants of up to 30 years will be considered dependent on circumstances), with the ability to travel independently.

Applications will open early 2024 on New College Lanarkshire’s website

National 4 skills for employment

A partnership programme with South Lanarkshire College on a National 4 Skills for Employment course. This course is designed for adults who require additional support for learning. The focus of the course is to develop core skills and promote independent living, personal development, and employability skills. The partnership consists of us providing an on-site Job Coach, following the 5-step supported employment model with students throughout the year and up to 1-year aftercare support.

Each student will be enrolled as a full-time student at South Lanarkshire College (at SCQF Level 4) for the academic year. Students will have a work placement with a local employer in block 3 (April to June), with the aim of progressing to paid employment of 16 hours or more, progress into another area within Supported Employment Services or into another college course as the outcome.

This course will equip students with the confidence, skills, knowledge and understanding to enter the world of work by developing core and employability skills. To learn elements including customer service, enterprise, problem solving, financial capability and communication.

Applications will open early 2024 on South Lanarkshire College’s website.

Pathways to textile care and warehousing 

A 1-year project where clients are enrolled as full-time students at New College Lanarkshire, attending 2 days per week at Motherwell Campus, and 1 day at ACS Clothing based at  Eurocentral. Advanced Clothing Solutions has more than 150 employees delivering a cleaning, packing, distribution and garment refurbishment service for well-known fashion brands. Students will gain skills and experience in this live working environment whilst working towards aspects of first aid, health and safety in textile care and logistics, as well as employability skills. The main objective is to progress into paid employment or alternative routes being our other Supported Employment projects, training opportunities or further education courses. Our Job Coach will work with students and staff on site to develop and make progress towards goals and support the year end transition with support from our Employment Engagement Officer. Transport from Motherwell College Campus to ACS Clothing will be provided, with a view of travelling independently. Applicants would be aged from 16 to 24 years (older applicants of up to 30 years will be considered dependent on circumstances).

Application for the course will be through New College Lanarkshire’s website.

Further information

The team will support clients/students as well as employers, placement providers, and parents/carers to achieve goals with logbooks, reviews, and evaluations to mark progress, and address barriers signposting where appropriate. 

For more information on the above projects, please contact supported.employment@southlanarkshire.gov.uk, or contact our partnership provider Routes To Work South on the following freephone number 0800 731 0444 or email info@rtws.org.