Tom Buchanan: Collaboration key to offering a future to all

IT’S hugely encouraging to see more school-leavers in Edinburgh securing training, education or employment.

When City of Edinburgh Council launched the “Edinburgh Guarantee” six months ago, our goal was that every school-leaver would secure a positive destination.

Latest statistics show the number of young people a year not entering work, training or education in Edinburgh is down from 538 to 394. That’s great news and thanks in no small part to the tremendous support from businesses across the city.

We’ve had more than 600 offers of support from a wide range of private, public sector and community-based organisations. They include Standard Life, BT, Royal Bank of Scotland, NHS Lothian, Jewel & Esk, Telford and Stevenson colleges, Primark and Scottish Business in the Community.

These and many others are each making a valuable contribution to our target, whether it’s paid work placements for young people, apprenticeships, full and part-time jobs, mentoring, training or skills initiatives. The council itself is creating more than 50 apprenticeships, in areas from business administration to social care.

The Edinburgh Guarantee is just one element of our response to the challenge of youth unemployment. Internally, we’re also implementing a new “Integrated Employability Service” that will work with national agencies to provide a “no wrong door” approach for job seekers across Edinburgh.

Underpinning this is the council’s new five-year economic strategy for the capital, which for the first time makes every council department accountable for jobs and investment.

This robust collaborative approach has already helped us improve our impact on school-leaver unemployment – but we can’t be complacent.

I would urge more businesses to get involved to provide jobs, paid work experience, training or continued education. By collaborating today, we can lay the foundations for tomorrow – and ensure all our residents enjoy a fair share of our future prosperity.

• Tom Buchanan is economic development convener at the City of Edinburgh Council. He can be contacted by e-mail at [email protected]