The Opportunities Fife Partnership (OFP) is a strategic, decision-making partnership which is responsible for delivering elements of the Plan 4 Fife's "Inclusive Growth and Jobs" theme.
The Overall mission of the OFP is: "To influence and drive innovative approaches to skills and employability services that reflect the current and future needs of individuals and employers."
Key Activities
Through effective partnership working, supported by four Delivery Groups (concentrating on Young People, Adults, those with health and disabilities, and employer engagement), the OFP delivers a range of employability and skills training services through the Fife Employability Pathway. The Pathway is part-funded by European funding and targets support at unemployed people with multiple barriers to employment, who are further from the job market and particularly those living in Mid-Fife.
A new innovative approach to Workforce Modelling will form the basis of the OFP’s on-going employer business engagement strategy and through strong partnership links with Fife College and Skills Development Scotland, has informed the curriculum planning and planning of training, skills development and education provision that is delivered by the providers on the Employability Pathway.
Benefits and Impact
The OFP have commissioned providers to deliver activity will support clients from a range of key target groups:
- Long-term unemployed (6 months + for 16-24 year olds and 12 months + for those 25 and over)
- Those with literacy and numeracy issues
- Those facing digital exclusion
- Those with health and disability issues
- Young people in danger of being NEET
- Looked after young people/leaving care
- (Ex-)offenders
- Those with family and/or caring responsibilities
In addition to these groups there is a commitment to engage with and deliver services more locally, particularly for those living in Mid-Fife.
Learning
An independent review of Fife’s Employability Pathway was conducted by Professor Alan McGregor from the University of Glasgow’s Training and Employability Research Unit in 2013. The report provided the OFP with outstanding feedback on what had been achieved previously and made strong recommendations to improve and enhance the Pathway activity.
The review highlighted that:
- The Fife Employability Pathway benchmarks positively against acknowledged best practice
- It is a solid achievement brought about in a true partnership setting
- Substantial numbers of people have been supported since the pathway was introduced
It also highlighted that:
- We could do better in terms of achieving Positive Outcomes (at the time 37% of clients achieved a positive outcome, only 24% of them accessing employment or self-employment)
- Only 27% of registrations were residents of our most deprived areas
This review was followed up by Professor McGregor in 2017, to help develop a new strategic plan for the OFP going forward to 2022. The strategic plan outlines five key Outcomes for the OFP:
- Increased Employment opportunities for Fife residents
- More people with employability issues in secure, healthy, paid employment
- Fife's youth employment rate exceeds the Scottish Average
- Fife has a better qualified workforce with the relevant skills for work
- Fife's key sectors are better supported in terms of skills and employment.
Further Information
Further information on the OFP and the Fife Employability Pathway and providers can be found at: www.opportunitesfife.org
For further information on this case study, please contact
Adam Dunkerley
Opportunities Fife Partnership Manager
Fife Council
adam.dunkerley@somecouncil.gov.uk
03451 55 55 55 ext 440327