Long Term Unemployment Placements

Supporting people into the labour market

Shetland Amenity Trust (SAT) offered two placements as part of the Long Term Unemployment Scheme (LTU) which supports people who face the greatest inequalities and challenges in entering the labour market. This was facilitated by strong partnership working with Shetland Islands Council’s (SIC) Employability Pathway, and both placements have now resulted in employment for the participants.

One individual had been volunteering with SAT for a number of years. With support from SIC Employability Pathway, funding was secured for a work placement. This person had faced a number of challenges which, prior, had made it difficult to integrate into full-time employment. Her placement was so successful that she has now been offered full-time employment. When asked what impact the placement had, she said:

“The support gave me the opportunity to get into the workplace in an area of work that is of real interest to me…as a result of the placement I got my driving licence and have now been offered a full time job. The impact on my mental health has been life changing, it has reduced my stress and gives me some certainty and confidence about my future that I didn’t have.”

SAT were approached to support a further placement due to their positive working relationship with SIC Employability Pathways. An individual who was struggling to find work due to a long term occupational injury, was offered a placement in SAT’s Visitor Experience team. His confidence and wellbeing have developed, and his placement has been a real benefit to the team and how they work. He said:

“This is one of the best work experiences I have had…meeting visitors from around the world has been really interesting…what takes my work from exceptional to extraordinary though is the colleagues I work with - they are so welcoming, supportive and just such a lovely team.”

The Employability Support Worker, commented,

“Despite his many attributes and skills, he was in a very difficult place as a result of his disability. The SAT possessed the vision to be able to be flexible and accommodating of his needs.”

The Long Term Unemployment Placements link to our ‘People’ and ‘Money’ priorities. The placements look to reduce the number of disadvantaged people and households in Shetland as a result of people being enabled and empowered to address the issues they face. It also enables people to access employment in innovative ways designed to minimise barriers to involvement, and looks to ensure people can access the support they need to maximise their income potential.