The West Dunbartonshire Employability Grant Programme aims to support unemployed, economically inactive and low paid people to move towards, into, and within work.
It is an approach which recognises that to help local people to develop the skills and confidence employers are looking for we all need to work together at a local level to provide the best possible services to those who need them most utilising No One Left Behind and UK Shared Prosperity Funding to achieve this.
At this point in time we anticipate a budget of around £700,000 for delivery in 2025/26 however, as funding is not yet confirmed, this figure may change.
Applications must be submitted by Noon on Friday 18th April 2025.
The first round of the West Dunbartonshire Employability Grant programme for 2025/26 will provide funding for delivery of services from 1st April 2025 to 31st March 2026.
Milestone | Date |
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Grant opens for applications |
Wednesday 26th March 2025 |
Information session for potential applicants - please attend one of the sessions. |
Attendees can access the information sessions using the online links below: Monday 31st March 2025, 11.30am on MS Teams. West Dunbartonshire Council - Grant Award Information Monday 31st March 2025 Wednesday 2nd April 2025, 11.30am on MS Teams. West Dunbartonshire Council - Grant Award Information Wednesday 2nd April 2025 |
Application deadline |
Noon, Friday 18th April 2025 |
Assessment panel |
w/c 21st April 2025 |
Application outcomes notified |
w/c 21st April 2025 |
Award letter issued |
w/c 21st April 2025 |
Delivery Starts |
From April 2025 |
Delivery end |
31st March 2026 |
Providers can make multiple applications if they wish to provide more than one project.
Following assessment West Dunbartonshire Council will enter into a Grant Award Agreement with successful bidders.
Third, public, private and further/higher education sector organisations are all eligible to apply.
If you are applying as a partnership, the lead partner should apply, and detail partners involved. The lead partner would be responsible for the overall management and delivery of the project including budget management and monitoring and reporting requirements.
Having undertaken significant engagement with a wide range of stakeholders and analysed local data including the performance of the previous commissioned grant funded programmes, the SEG has identified 7 priority themes that it would like to focus its co-commissioning on through this grants programme.
Priority Group(s) and Themes |
Rationale/evidence of need /useful data |
Pipeline Stages |
Fundable Provision |
1. Ethnic Minorities
People for whom a lack of English language skills is impacting on their ability to progress into work |
Housing, employability, college and community learning services report an ongoing high demand for English language support and waiting lists. Employability services report a significant increase in the numbers of clients from minority ethnic groups engaging often with low English language skills, a key barrier to employment. CLD and the local college deliver ESOL however our needs assessment for employability clients suggest that there is a need for conversational classes/support, both generic as well as sector specific. |
Stages 1-2 |
1. Innovative and effective programmes that develop the English-speaking skills of refugees, asylum seekers, or other minority groups to enable them to access and sustain employment. The key need is to develop participants conversational English in suitable learning environments where participants with a range of abilities can develop confidence and ability. |
2. Disabilities
People with disabilities or long-term health conditions |
Of the 887 individuals accessing employability support from Apr-Dec 2024 the figures below are a snapshot of those recording a disability or long-term condition.
Priority will be given to initiatives aimed at removing barriers to employment, such as providing accessible accommodation, offering skills training tailored to the needs of disabled individuals, and promoting inclusive hiring practices among local businesses. In addition to key worker support, Project Search commenced operation in West Dunbartonshire in 2024-25 and commissioned provision enhances our service offer to those with disabilities/long term conditions. |
Stages 1-5 |
2.1 All stage supported employment programme for people (all age) with disabilities as detailed opposite who wish to progress into paid employment. Support should include in work support as required.
2.2 Other specialist employment programmes supporting people with disabilities and long term conditions into employment.
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3. Community Justice
Justice System experienced residents |
In Scotland, approximately 1 in 3 men and 1 in 10 women of working age have a criminal conviction. Engaging with the community justice experienced population is recognised as particularly challenging. Grant applicants are encouraged to clearly identify how they will do this. |
Stages 1-5
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3. Specialist support for people with experience of the Community Justice system which are impacting on access to employers/jobs. Working closely with Social Work colleagues to identify clients who will benefit from employability support across the justice process. Evidence suggests that access to specialist support and guidance to justice experienced residents and potential employers in relation to convictions and access to appropriate work experience placements will be a key aspect of delivery. |
4. Families facing poverty
Parents/kinship carers including those affected by in-work poverty. |
25.6% of children in West Dunbartonshire are living in poverty. A key focus of our parental employment work is to reach those parents more likely to be impacted by poverty: · Single parents · Families impacted by disability · Parents under 25 · Parents with children under 1 · Parents with 3 or more children · Ethnic minority parents · Experience of the care system We have a team of key workers supporting parents and a key worker presence in all local high schools, provision commissioned will enhance the key worker model. Understanding the prevalence of households likely to be affected by disadvantage is crucial for employability, learning and support initiatives. |
Stages 1-5 |
4.1 Engagement, essential and Life-skills programmes for parents that will help to support the wider development needs of parents including wellbeing and social prescription and will positively impact on their employability journey. This should include 121 support and group work.
4.2 Other programmes supporting parents into employment or improved employment.
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5. Vulnerable Young People
School leavers, unemployed or economically inactive young people including care experienced young people and young people who are neurodiverse. |
Key workers support young people, and commissioned provision enhances the range of options available to help young people progress towards and into work. This includes transition key workers in schools and ‘Thrive’ and ‘Ready to Thrive’ personal development programmes. The Working4U ‘Thrive’ and ‘Ready to Thrive’ Programme is a stage 1 personal development programme supporting young people aged 16 – 24 to progress towards a positive destination of their choice.
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Stages 1-4
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5.1 Personal Social Development programmes for school leavers/ young people up to 29 years which provide training; essential skills development, qualifications, employment related skills and include work experience.
5.2 Programmes specifically for young people aged 16-29 years including foundation skills; industry specific training; work experience; job matching; access to Apprenticeship programmes (please detail the frameworks training aligns with) and in work support. |
NOLB/UKSPF activity to support residents across the priority groups |
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6. Vocational Activity
Residents requiring vocational skills and work experience to progress into employment |
The LEP recognises the need to provide vocational skills training in sectors where there are likely to be vacancies over the coming year. The aspiration of the SEG is to support those gaining vocational skills to progress into related and sustainable work opportunities in West Dunbartonshire, or within other travel to work areas. We have an all age offer in Working4U with people requesting vocational training. (Working4U has the ability to offer vocational training in customer care and social care). Some of this can be met through accessing training on an individual basis however we require a wide range of relevant vocational courses for groups of clients to meet client and employer needs. This support should offer progressions for residents participating in wellbeing and personal development programmes.
|
Stages 3-4 |
6. Delivery of 4 -12-week vocational skills programmes/sector-based work academies, which are linked to local employers and evidenced work opportunities.
Programmes must include industry recognised qualifications/certificates; a minimum of 2 weeks work experience and guaranteed interviews.
Much of what we commission will be all age and open to all target groups however we need to ensure our provision meets the specific needs of our priority groups who may benefit from a more targeted and bespoke programme, in particular: Parents – who need training provision and jobs with school /parent friendly hours and conditions. School leavers up to 29yrs who require vocational programmes adapted to meet their specific needs and job opportunities including apprenticeships.
Applicants may opt to deliver vocational programmes for all ages (no specific target group) and/or courses bespoke for parents or young people. |
7. Health and Wellbeing support |
52% of those engaging with employability services from Apr-Dec 2024 report a health issue including mental health. Evidence suggests the most common issues relate to mental health and that these issues impact on clients’ ability to engage and progress towards and into employment.
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n/a |
7. Delivery of wellbeing courses/programmes that will positively impact on participants employability journey. |
This guidance document and the associated grant application form outlines the West Dunbartonshire Strategic Employability Group intentions, principles and priorities to be met through the new West Dunbartonshire Employability Grant Programme supporting employability and skills provision in 2025/26.
The Grant Guidance will help inform your application.
To find out more about this round of Employability Grant Funding in West Dunbartonshire, the type of applications we are looking for and how to apply, please come along to one of our online Information Sessions on the MS Teams platform as detailed below.
Attendees can access the information sessions using the online links below:
Monday 31st March 2025, 11.30am on MS Teams.
West Dunbartonshire Council - Grant Award Information Monday 31st March 2025
Wednesday 2nd April 2025, 11.30am on MS Teams.
West Dunbartonshire Council - Grant Award Information Wednesday 2nd April 2025
The closing date for applications is Noon Friday 18th April 2025.
Bids must be submitted using the appropriate application forms below:
Bids must be submitted to West Dunbartonshire Council using this email address: WDC_NOLB_Grants@west-dunbarton.gov.uk
Bids submitted in any other format will not be accepted.
West Dunbartonshire Council Employability Grant Award is a competitive process and West Dunbartonshire Council will not enter into discussions with bidders.
We try to ensure that all the required information is provided in the grant guidance. However, below you will find some questions that have been asked that may not be covered within the grant guidance document, with associated answers:
Question | Answer |
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Can signatures be typed in on the application or do you require a hard signature then a scanned copy via email? | Please do not submit scanned copies of applications. Completed applications should be submitted as a word document attachment to an email.Please sign your application using a digital signature. |
Is there a cap on the financial award per organisation? | The cap will be based on the overall funding available. |
Can an organisation bid for more than one programme? | Yes, however a separate application has to be submitted for each. |
We deliver services in specific geographical areas, is it ok to continue this under this funding? | Yes, it is down to you to tell us what, where and how you propose to deliver your programme. |
Can a programme deliver more than one cohort during the funding period? | Two cohorts of the same programme can be included in the one application as long as the overall programme meets the grant delivery start/end date timescales within the grant guidance. |