New Employability Hub to provide key base to support people on their employment journey

“We have been involved in shaping the hub from the start, that makes us feel powerful” – supported planning group

A new space in town – known as The Hub – for Learning, Skills and Work – will provide a key base in Orkney to further enhance partnership working to support local people into employment and other positive routes.

The space has been funded and designed jointly by Skills Development Scotland and the Local Employability Partnership (LEP) to create an area where everyone feels welcome and can access any of the services provided by the range of employability partners working within the Orkney community.

Those at the heart of the new Hub – who are supported by the LEP – have described the space and what it offers as “unique, empowering, optimistic, and a safe place”.

The planning group, who have played a significant role in the development and naming of The Hub, agree that they have grown in confidence as a result and all say they plan to use, and hope to benefit from, the facility in their employment journey.

Nikki, 35, who recently moved to the county, was first introduced to The Hub group by Employability Keyworker, Suzy Fraser.

Nikki has immersed herself in island life, making a positive contribution to the community by volunteering at the Blide Trust and setting up a bereavement group knowing first-hand the trauma of loss following the passing of her mother.

Nikki and other group members say they were keen to “give something back” by helping develop The Hub – in thanks for the support provided by various organisations across the LEP.

“I like working in a team,” Nikki said. “I have got more confidence in myself now. I have put my name down to help others with Maths and English at The Hub.

“Before my mum passed away she was going to set up a hub for young people, so I feel like I am carrying on her legacy and she is part of this. I love helping people. I always have. She would love it. She would tell me she was proud of me.”

Charlotte Winters, 21, from Kirkwall, believes it will be a great space for employability sessions, helping those who require support to write CVs and learn techniques for application form filling among other things.

She said: “My dream job would be to be a proof reader and I hope that with the support of The Hub I can achieve that.”

Charlotte is keen to take up courses that may be offered through The Hub, particularly photography.

“I relate to a lot of people struggling to find the right employment and developing the skills needed but The Hub will be a great help with this. I do not think anyone should be nervous about making the first step to come to The Hub.”

The group will be cutting the ribbon to officially open The Hub which is within the Skills Development Scotland Careers Office at 2 Albert Street, Kirkwall, on Tuesday 28 February.

Community Learning, Development and Employability Team Manager, Lindsey Johnson, said: “The Hub provides a space for employability partners to work collaboratively to support local people move into employment, training or further education and help them develop confidence and transferable skills.

“The Hub will support partnership working and provide a co-working space that can be accessed by a range of services. The space will allow collaborative employability support and provision and hopefully streamline service delivery, making it easier for the individuals we work with.

“The Hub will be available to be used by members of the LEP - for example OIC’s Community Learning, Development and Employability team, Skills Development Scotland, Employability Orkney, Orkney Health and Care, Jobcentre Plus, the VAO Connect Project. They will offer a range of employability workshops and be able to use the space for group work and one-to-one meetings.

“We would also like to work with wider partners to develop a range of regular sessions that could provide information and advice to people such as Citizen’s Advice Bureau, Social Security Scotland, etc.”

The Hub will benefit people of all ages locally who require support to move into employment, further education or training. Partner agencies will also benefit through increased ways of co-working.

There will be set sessions provided for key groups as well as drop-in sessions which will be open to all.

Many of the group members have spent time working at the social enterprise Restart Orkney and heard about The Hub group from there.

Jeepstar Clewett, 21, Holm, has benefited from various courses and work placements since leaving school and successfully gained employment in the past. He’s been working as a van assistant at Restart.

“I wanted more experience, and my confidence has grown since being part of the group involved with The Hub. I am thinking about applying for more jobs now – I like driving so maybe a delivery driver.”

Jeepstar says he particularly enjoyed sourcing ideas for the design of The Hub by looking at the Cathedral “graffiti” – old runic writing. The designs have inspired the group and will be used for some of the outside graphics on The Hub walls.

“We also made clay designs that will be used for displays inside the building. It means we can leave a physical mark on something we have been involved in that is personal to ourselves.

“We have been involved in shaping the hub from the start, that makes us feel powerful.”

Archie Cannon, 21, started work with Restart about a year ago, following a spell at Orkney College where he had taken part in the Stepping Stones programme and employability courses.

He has been enjoying watching their ideas come to fruition.

“Taking part has made me feel pretty good and part of a group. I’ve grown a lot in confidence. Part of being at Restart is that you want to help people and here I feel we are helping others as well. I want to help younger people. These days I feel like people like myself are struggling to look for employment. I feel like a lot of people feel quite lost.”

His message to others who many benefit from The Hub – “Come in, we don’t bite!”

If you would like to get in touch with The Hub, please contact Employability.support@orkney.gov.uk