Parental Employability support fund

Access Data works is delivered by Access to Industry, and is aimed at parents residing in Edinburgh who are interested in training or re-training for jobs in the data sector. The client group will be unemployed or experiencing in-work poverty (and for whom access to re-training will enable a step up or a career change).

Emphasis will be on engaging parents who meet the priority groups: Parents with a disability or have a disabled child; from a minority ethnic background; women. 

The project also works with parents who may not fit the above criteria but have 3+ children; who have a child under 1; who are under age 25. 

Dean and Cauvin will support care-experienced parents who are engaging in their residential or community-based support programmes. 

Key Workers will offer support with employability skills on a 1:1 basis via weekly drop-ins and, alongside a peer mentor, will assess and address the barriers facing parents in finding employment.  

This support is holistic so will complement the practical, wellbeing and social support parents receive from their Key Worker(s), to support  positive transition to independent life and to provide the best ongoing care for their child(ren). 

One Parent Families Scotland are running a Childcare Connecter Service. As well as holding information about the availability and funding for a wide variety of pre-school and wraparound childcare, one-to-one support is provided to parents to help them navigate the childcare landscape, make decisions that are right for them, and feel confident about the transition.  

Stepping Stone North Edinburgh offers parents the opportunity to re-engage with learning opportunities, explore aspirations and goals, remove barriers to education and employment and take part in short courses. 

Childcare is provided for children aged 5 and under to allow parents to take part in this opportunity. 

Stepping Stone will support parents to grow confidence, record their achievements and link in with opportunities which can further their progression towards employment. 

Into Work offers in-person workshops focused on income maximisation,  where parents will also receive some 1:1 time to focus on their own personal circumstances. It is likely that parents will achieve direct financial gain in some form, via benefits or grants that they are eligible for, as well as budgeting skills, childcare help and income maximisation calculations when seeking employment. 

LIFT supports parents facing poverty, offering a dedicated employability keyworker alongside other in-house support services that families may need. 

The employability key worker will help parents to develop new skills and remove the barriers parents may face in finding employment or moving into education.