Written evidence submitted
by Scottish Sports Association
THE FUTURE
JOBS FUND
AND SPORT
Scottish sport has always prided itself on being
innovative and exciting and with this in mind the SSA wasted no
time organising a bid that offered a multitude of opportunities
for young individuals. The programme offered sport a great opportunity
to increase capacity, offer exciting roles to individuals and
to provide community benefit across Scotland.
Within in a week Scottish sport had created some
100 jobs as a Scottish Sports Consortium ranging from IT to marketing
and coaching to administration. The bid was placed as part of
the SCVO's wider Third Sector Consortium.
The initial co-ordination was undertaken by the SSA
who supported its 14 members through the process. The SSA was
the first organisation to employ an individual on the Future Jobs
Fund in Scottish sport, closely followed by a large number of
its member organisations.
With 35 individuals employed across the sports sector,
Scottish sport has sought to deliver a comfortable working environment
that both stimulates and challenges individuals to invest in and
improve their employability skills.
Not only has sport offered a wide array of posts
that are interesting to young people today but it has also offered
them a real opportunity to gain full-time employment in a challenging
job market.
Working in sport, and the wider Third Sector, is
an opportunity to gain an insight into working in a slightly different
environment. Many of our Future Jobs Fund employees have thrived
in their settings which have been widely recognised by both their
employers and partner organisations.
There has never been a more exciting time in sport
with the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow now only four years away.
Working in sport offers individuals an insight into the build
up to a major sporting event as well as an opportunity to experience
the sporting sector as whole. The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games
will require a massive volunteering force, with many of the Future
Jobs Fund employees already highlighting this as a reason to work
in sport and as a prospect for the future.
Scottish sport's aim is to offer every individual
that joins the sector through the FJF the opportunity to develop
and grow within their post, equipping them with the appropriate
skills to gain full-time employment within or outwith the sector.
EMPLOYER'S
PERSPECTIVE
Scottish sport welcomed the first Future Jobs Fund
employee on 16 November 2009, as the Scottish Sports Association
employed Jaimie Henderson in the post of Administrative Assistant.
Since Jaimie's appointment 35 individuals have succeeded in gaining
a post across the Sports Consortium.
The Sports Consortium has prided itself on the breadth
of jobs on offer and the experience it can provide to its employees.
The range of jobs include, IT, Administration, Communications
and Coaching.
The most prevalent role within the Sports Consortium
has been administration based roles, ranging from coordinating
coaching in the community to membership services. Administration
roles have also seen the greatest success in the uptake of full-time
employment with five FJF employees' now gaining full-time contracts,
four of which are within their original organisations.
Coaching posts comprise a quarter of the total posts
filled to date, nine of which are with Scottish Hockey. To date
one of these coaches has been employed full-time within the Scottish
Hockey team.
The other 75% of posts filled in the Sports Consortium
represent the wide range of jobs available in Scottish sport ranging
from research and communications to facility maintenance.
71% of the employees are still under their Future
Jobs Fund contracts and 9% of those who have completed their contracts
have moved on with no employment identified to date.
However 20% of those employed in sport through the
Future Jobs Fund have gained full-time employment, of which 71%
remained in sport.
Sport's success in delivering the Future Jobs Fund
across Scotland has undoubtedly been made easier due to the diverse
number of jobs on offer. This demonstrates that sport as a sector
has a lot to offer not only to participants but to employees as
well.
As a sector that is fast paced and challenging as
well as fun and rewarding, employees have a great opportunity
to test and develop skills whilst working in an environment that
is both supportive and enjoyable.
The involvement of 14 sports organisations and the
range of jobs on offer are both a testament to sport's ability
to adapt and to rally together in delivering innovative programmes.
Organisations such as Scottish Volleyball seized
upon the opportunity to engage in the Future Jobs Fund. Not only
did they find a six month placement for an individual on the programme
but created the capacity to support this person through the term
of the programme and offered them a full-time post within the
organisation upon completion.
Margaret Ann Fleming, Chief Executive Officer of
Scottish Volleyball, recognises the value of supporting individuals
through the Future Jobs Fund in allowing them "to develop
into a valuable member of staff."
Everyone in sport who has been engaged in the programme
has strived to support and develop individuals throughout their
time with the organisations. Many recognise that to lose an individual
during their appointment to a full-time post may come as a blow,
but more importantly it is the aim of all involved to encourage
this.
Kim Atkinson, Policy Director of the Scottish Sports
Association highlights this point "the success of sport in
helping Future Jobs Fund employees into full-time work is fantastic.
20% of all employees have gained employment both within and out
with the sector. Whether through participation or employment,
sport helps to develop key life skills from team work and communication
to working well under pressure and confidence."
The Future Jobs Fund has not only supported those
individuals who have gained valuable experience, but it has also
enriched the experiences of the wider public. Through initiatives
such as Scottish Hockey's FJF coaching programme the wider public
have had increased access to quality hockey coaching.
Scottish Hockey's nine coaches have been based across
Scotland's Local Authorities. Supporting the work of Hockey Development
Officers, individuals engaged through the FJF have trained in
Scottish Governing Body recognised qualifications allowing them
to deliver lessons alongside development officers. Working closely
with Local Authorities helped to build confidence in Future Jobs
Fund employees and allowed communities across Scotland to participate
in sport at a local level.
FROM THE
EMPLOYEES
The Scottish Sports Association undertook a series
of questionnaires with individuals employed through the Future
Jobs Fund to best capture their experiences of working in sport.
87% of employees enjoyed their job always/most
of the time with the same value identifying that they made
a worthwhile contribution to the organisation/wider community.
Individuals employed through the programme have acknowledged
that their placement has offered them valuable work experience
with 87% stating they feel that their experiences have made them
more employable in the future.
Applicants highlighted that "work experience
in a relevant field" was most important to them. Those who
were not specifically interested in sport detailed "the opportunity
to gain very recent experience in a challenging environment"
would help them in the future.
Of those employed 80% responded saying they would
definitely work for their current organisation again with
the other 20% responding with maybe. Despite only 60% of
the employees regarding the sector as the main reason they applied
for the post, six months later 87% responded that they would definitely
want to work in sport again and a further 7% responding maybe
to the same question.
Encouragingly, out of the 35 individuals who were
employed in sport 80% of them responded positively to the question
would they consider working in the wider Voluntary Sector.
Employees were asked to consider their role as volunteers
in sport in the future. A massive 87% of feedback from the individuals
said they would consider taking part in sport in a voluntary capacity
following their Future Jobs Fund employment in sport.
The Future Jobs Fund of course is ultimately aimed
at individuals who have been unemployed to help them back into
employment in the future. With this in mind Scottish sport has
been very focussed on offering the individual an exciting yet
realistic role within their organisation giving them both confidence
and relevant experience to aid them in their search for full-time
employment.
Sports' success in delivering a programme that is
worthwhile and enjoyable for individuals is evident with 95% of
employees rating their job as enjoyable.
Furthermore 87% of all employees regarded their Future
Jobs Fund post as having a positive effect on their ability to
source future employment.
Future Jobs Fund employees recognised and highlighted
the opportunity to gain "very recent experience in a different
working environment" would help them in their search for
future employment.
Other candidates acknowledged the wide variety of
opportunities on offer within sport. One individual stated "I
have worked in an office before, however that was more telephony
based, so this [job] will give me a lot more experience with having
to do a greater variety of office tasks."
Sport, much like the greater Third Sector, believes
strongly in partnership working, and all Future Jobs Fund employees
have been introduced to the multitude of organisations, public
and non-public bodies and individuals that operate across the
sector. The skills developed within sport not only allow individuals
to work within Governing Bodies but across these organisations
as well. One individual enjoyed working in sport because, "it
is part of a wide range of opportunities, including schools, national
championships and the Commonwealth Games."
Sports Governing Bodies have endeavoured to ensure
that individuals employed through the Future Jobs Fund are given
as much insight into the workings of their organisations and are
introduced to as many partners as possible.
Future Jobs Fund employees from Scottish Squash,
Snowsport Scotland and the Scottish Sports Association were part
of a Future Jobs Fund delegation that met Shona Robison Minister
for Public Health and Sport at the Scottish Parliament.
Christine Dunlop (Snowsport Scotland), Ross Cairns
(Scottish Squash) and Jaimie Henderson (Scottish Sports Association)
all had the opportunity to meet with the Minister, a number of
Government Officials and partner organisations to discuss the
positives of the programme and how their experiences of working
within sport and their relative organisations have had a positive
impact on them.
CASE STUDY
ONE - SCOTTISH
CYCLING
Scottish Cycling has employed two individuals through
the Future Jobs Fund in Administration and Communications posts.
Both these posts are directly linked to the success of their current
strategic plan.
Cycling has looked to create posts that are both
innovative and challenging and therefore attractive to a younger
age group. They have sought to give people an opportunity to develop
in a comfortable yet challenging environment that affords the
employees a chance to grow and gain real experience in the office
and sport setting.
Sine Munro, Corporate Services Manager, for Scottish
Cycling said, "these brand new posts have added to the corporate
structure at Scottish Cycling, obviously this presents many challenges
however the ability to use these fully funded posts to help reach
corporate goals is twinned with the organisations role in developing
and supporting previously unemployed youngsters."
The programme has not been all plain sailing for
Scottish Cycling, Sine Munro pointed out that, "there were
issues related to recruitment. Application forms were poor presented
and the information detailed was often wrong or insufficient.
There may be scope for better support for youngsters whilst filling
out applications by the job centre."
Richard Ferguson, Communications Officer and Future
Jobs Fund employee, said the programme was, "highly innovative
and very attractive to youngsters." He continued to say that,
"the opportunity to work in an office like Scottish Cycling
was a very attractive and exciting opportunity, it wasn't the
usual volunteering picking up litter or anything like that, it
was a real office, paid job that allowed you to feel you were
contributing to something greater."
Richard was clear that, "the fact that the job
is paid is important. I am not getting up to volunteer or forced
to volunteer. I have had the opportunity to apply for a job that
I might not have been able to in the past. The feeling when you
get paid at the end of the month is amazing; it is a morale boost
and a sign that you have done a good job."
Richards only criticism is, "it would be better
to be a one year funded post. 6 months work is good, but a year
would look far better on a CV, the time you get settled and trained
up you are starting to look elsewhere. If I had the chance to
work here for a year in a funded post, it would make a fair greater
difference to me and my CV."
CASE STUDY
TWO - SCOTTISH
VOLLEYBALL
Scottish Volleyball is a small governing body consisting
of three full-time members of staff. Margaret Ann Fleming, Chief
Executive, got involved in the Future Jobs Fund because, "it
offered the organisation and opportunity to increase its capacity
and support a young employee in the process."
The post created was directly linked to Scottish
Volleyball's corporate plan and was aimed to help reach the goals
and targets involved. Volleyball however did not have the funding
to create the post and therefore the opportunity to support a
young individual through a fully funded post was perfect.
Scottish Volleyball are in fact one of the organisations
who have managed to source the funding to create a full-time post
for their Future Jobs Fund employee upon on completion of her
six month contract.
Stephanie, Former Future Jobs Fund employee and now
full-time Administrator at Scottish Volleyball, said, "the
Future Jobs Fund has helped me greatly, without the six month
experience I would have struggled to gain this post, but because
of my experience and corporate knowledge I was able to successfully
gain full-time employment."
Stephanie highlighted that, "whilst working
here on the Future Jobs Fund, I knew it was a paid post, it was
volunteering or work experience, it was real work, and I had a
duty to work to the best of my abilities. Everyone in the office
was very helpful and supported me in the role and it has allowed
me to develop and eventually gain full-time employment."
Margaret Ann, highlighted that, "with the creation
of a one year fully funded post, Future Jobs Fund employees would
have a far greater advantage in gaining full-time work. Organisations
would be far better placed to deliver training, experience, and
support. If the programme was one year many organisation in the
third sector and especially sport would have a better chance to
work up a business case to keep and fund the post created. This
would benefit everyone involved."
CONCLUSION
The Scottish Sports Association and its 13 partner
organisations were extremely disappointed by the recent Government
announcement to end the Future Jobs Fund programme. Although the
programme will run till March 2011, Scottish sport had developed
a highly successful programme delivering a fun and sociable environment
with the opportunity to hone lifelong and employability skills.
Although Scottish sport undoubtedly benefits from
the programme, when it ends it is our unemployed young people
who will lose out on the unique opportunity the programme has
provided for them to work within the sector.
Scottish sport however recognises and welcomes the
value of the programme to date, and seeks to demonstrate its value
across the sector and also to the wider public.
The Scottish Sports Association recognises and praises
the enormous success of the Future Jobs Fund throughout sport
and thanks our partners for their positive and enthusiastic contributions.
The FJF has provided significant benefits for individuals, organisations
and communities and the SSA hopes the programme will be allowed
to continue, and indeed expand, to further these benefits.
The Scottish Sports Association would be happy to
present oral evidence to the Work and Pensions Committee if the
committee sees fit and is happy to contribute more evidence up
on their request.
10 September 2010
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