WELCOME TO THE EMPLOYABILITY ORKNEY WEBSITE

What is Employability Orkney?

Employability Orkney was a project originally launched and funded by a partnership between Orkney Islands Council, HIE Orkney, Jobcentre Plus and Orkney Disability Forum. The remit of this partnership was to focus on the employment barriers being faced by socially excluded people in the Orkney community. This is a broad remit including individuals with a learning disability, physical disability, mental health needs, alcohol/substance misuse needs, ex-offenders, care leavers, long-term unemployed and anyone who experiences a disadvantage in entering the labour market.

In order to develop and promote employability amongst those furthest from the labour market in Orkney, Employability Orkney was established as an independent organisation in November 2005. Employability Orkney is now a recognised Scottish charity, and company limited by guarantee.

Current Projects:

Employability Orkney currently runs a supported employment agency which was established in April 2006, and a furniture re-use social enterprise, Restart Orkney, which has been in operation since October 2006.

EO is also piloting a Gardening Project - Short Cut, and ‘Fab Pads Orkney’ a socially inclusive home maintenance service.

Interagency/Partnership Working:

In order to deliver as effective and wide reaching a range of services as possible, Employability Orkney takes an innovative approach to partnership working, with a focus on co-planning, and shared responsibility for service design and delivery.

Partnership working allows Orkney’s third sector services to be delivered in a joined up way. This has benefits both strategically, in terms of providing a well balanced service, and operationally in terms of combining resources.

EO’s key partner agencies are Orkney Islands Council, Orkney Housing Association, Careers Scotland, Crossroads, Enable, Job Centre Plus, Orkney Blide Trust, Orkney College, Support Training, St Colm’s Day Centre, and Voluntary Action Orkney.