A Scottish charity which helps “disengaged” young people into sustainable employment has hailed a “transformational” £1 million partnership with the charitable foundation of investment giant abrdn.
The three-year partnership will see WorkingRite roll out its employability model, Rite to Work, on to the national stage. It aims to take the programme into 18 secondary schools in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and Glasgow over the next three years, boosting the prospects of more than 300 young people.
Rite to Work is held up as a proven employability model for 15 to 17 year olds who are struggling at school. It spans the last year of school with the first year of work to produce a “seamless and sustainable pathway into meaningful work and careers”. Pilots in Edinburgh and East Ayrshire are said to have consistently achieved success rates of higher than 75% in placing young people into jobs, apprenticeships, or college over the last three years.
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As part of the partnership, abrdn will take part in volunteering and supporting WorkingRite as it advocates for the national system change that Rite to Work represents.
Graham Robertson, chief executive of WorkingRite, said: “Our partnership with abrdn is an absolute game changer in terms of our ability to now roll out our Rite to Work programme in three key areas across Scotland.
“We have already run an incredibly successful pilot of the project and to be able to extend this to young people across the country is a huge step forward for us as a charity.
“WorkingRite’s mission is to support and mentor young people as they make the transition to adulthood, from school to the working world. Times have rarely been tougher for young people, so Rite to Work focuses on early intervention, with pupils who for various reasons are struggling with the traditional education system and offers them an alternative route to success in work and in life.
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“Rite to Work supports them to overcome the various barriers in their lives and helps them fulfil their undoubted potential and move into positive destinations such as an apprenticeship or long-term employment.
“We are absolutely delighted to be able to announce our partnership with abrdn and to be able to do what we do best – supporting the hardest-to-reach young people and helping them become confident, happy adults who contribute positively to society.”
Sarah Moody, chair of abrdn Charitable Foundation, said: “Employability programmes like WorkingRite’s are essential to bridge the gap between education and meaningful work. Many young people continue to face systemic barriers that impact on their pathway to employment, such as limited education or training opportunities, experience of childhood poverty, and the associated factors.
“Acknowledging and addressing these challenges is essential if we want tomorrow’s generation to fulfil their potential.”
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