Resources for: Professionals and Learning and Employability
Find out about support available if you are looking for a job or want to find out more about learning opportunities that can help on your journey towards work.
Beyond Your Limits (EY Foundation)
The Beyond Your Limits programme, run by the EY Foundation, supports care-experienced young people to realise their potential. It offers a two-year programme in bite-sized chunks to fit around school or college, with paid work experience, a bursary, employability training, mentoring, and a progression coach.
Phone: 0207 951 3133
Web: eyfoundation.com/uk/en/apply/i-m-a-young-person/beyond-your-limits.html
Developing the Young Workforce
DYW's part of the Young Person's Guarantee, provides easily accessible programmes and packaged activity support to young people at different ages and stages to prepare for the world of work.
Web: www.dywwest.co.uk/Home
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) course
English language courses for learners to develop their communication skills and knowledge of living and working in Scotland.
Phone: 01389 738775
Web: www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/jobs-and-training/working4u/learning/adult-learning/esol
Smart Futures (EY Foundation)
Smart Futures is a 10-month programme from the EY Foundation which includes paid work experience, interactive employability skills training and mentoring for those in Year 12 or S5 in Scotland. The Smart Futures programme is formally recognised and accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Mangement, and will help you develop key skills that are essential in the workplace.
EY Foundation is an independent charity supporting young people from low-income backgrounds get paid work experience, employability skills training and career guidance. Programmes are exclusively for young people who are aged 16 and above, and have been recently eligible for free school meals, a college bursary or Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA). There is also a specific programme designed for young people with experience in care.
Web: https://eyfoundation.com/uk/en/apply/i-m-a-young-person/smart-futures.html
Link Up West Dunbartonshire
A free to access community website helping local people and organisations share skills, spaces and things.
Web: www.linkupwestdunbartonshire.org/
Lomond and Argyll Advocacy Service
We aim to provide independent advocacy to adults in our priority groups: adults with a learning disability, adults who use mental health services, and people over 65.
Phone: 01389 726543
Web: www.laas.org.uk/
MCR Pathways Scotland
Motivation, Commitment and Resilience Pathways Scotland aims to help young people unlock their potential, no matter their circumstances. Working together with our inspiring mentor community and partners, we can help young people to realise their skills and progress onto a positive destination. Our vision is for all young people to experience equality of education outcomes, career opportunities and life chances.
Phone: 0141 221 0200
Web: www.mcrpathways.org/
My World of Work
My World of Work is Scotland’s career information and advice website. The site is designed to support everyone develop their career management skills, no matter what stage you’re at in your career.
Web: www.myworldofwork.co.uk/
National Autistic Society West Dunbartonshire
Help for autistic people and their families. We are dedicated to transforming lives and changing attitudes. National Autistic Society branches can offer support to families who have an autistic child or member.
Phone: 0207 833 2299 (Monday to Friday 9am-12pm and 1-3pm)
Web: www.autism.org.uk/what-we-do/branches/nas-west-dunbartonshire-branch
Reach
For advice about rights to education and support for children in Scotland. REACH can help you understand your rights to support with your learning and your rights to be included, listened to and involved in decisions about your education.
Web: www.reach.scot/
Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood Resource
The national resource for relationships, sexual health and parenthood (RSHP) education for children and young people. The resource can be used in early learning settings, schools, colleges and community-based learning. It is organised to sit within Curriculum for Excellence.
Web: www.rshp.scot/
Salvesen Mindroom Centre
Salvesen Mindroom Centre is a charity that champions all forms of neurodiversity and supports all kinds of minds. Their multi-disciplinary team can offer advice, information and one-to-one support. You do not need a diagnosis to get their help.
Phone: 0131 370 6730
Web: www.mindroom.org/
Scottish Refugee Council
Practical support, advice and a listening ear delivered through a direct services to help people rebuild their lives in a sustainable and meaningful way. The Scottish Refugee Council also works with communities and community groups. They speak out against an unjust asylum system and campaign for policy changes that make a positive difference to people’s lives.
Helpline number: 0808 196 7274
Web: www.scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk/
The Mix
The Mix is a UK based charity that provides free, confidential support for young people under 25 via online, social and mobile.
Phone: 0808 808 4994
Web: www.themix.org.uk/
Tullochan
Tullochan aims to support young people to overcome barriers that impact upon young people engaging in their education, progressing into further training or employment through a range of youth development programmes.
Web: www.tullochan.org/
WD Strategic Skills & Support Pipeline
The Strategic Skills Pipeline is a key element in West Dunbartonshire's employability and employment strategy. The Pipeline provides a route map identifying national and local service provision that is available to support residents into employment through a staged process, at the core of which, is the identification of individual need.
Web: https://westdun.wixsite.com/sspipeline/skillspipeline
WDC Working 4U
West Dunbartonshire Council Working4U service was established to improve the quality of lives of West Dunbartonshire residents by assisting them to overcome barriers to social and economic inclusion. Working 4U help people to access a wide range of employment, training and learning opportunities designed to help them overcome barriers, develop their skills and assist them in their journey towards work
Phone: 01389 738296
Web: www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/jobs-and-training/working4u/
Dyslexia Scotland
Empowering people with dyslexia to reach their full potential.
Web: www.dyslexiascotland.org.uk/
National Trauma Training Programme
Being ‘Trauma Informed’ means being able to recognise when someone may be affected by trauma, collaboratively adjusting how we work to take this into account and responding in a way that supports recovery, does no harm and recognises and supports people's resilience. This is a set of resources to promote and implement trauma informed practice within Scotland.
Web: https://transformingpsychologicaltrauma.scot/
Skills Development Scotland
Skills Development Scotland provide a wide variety of information, advice and tools to help you get a job from their centres based in Dumbarton and Clydebank.
Phone: 0800 917 8000
Web: www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/
The Scottish Refugee Council
A charity dedicated to supporting people in need of refugee protection.
Helpline number: 0808 1967 274
Web: www.scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk/
Scottish Centre for Conflict Resolution
SCCR is a charity based in Edinburgh, Scotland with expertise in mediation. Their award-winning digital resources and free training and events improve understanding of conflict and emotional needs, to transform relationships and lives. The SCCR focuses on early intervention with young people and their families experiencing difficulties and conflict.
Web: https://www.scottishconflictresolution.org.uk/
Enquire
Enquire is the Scottish advice service for additional support for learning. Providing easy to understand advice and information about additional support for learning legislation and guidance for families and professionals.
Helpline number: 0345 123 2303
Web: https://enquire.org.uk/
Connecting Scotland - Digital Skills
A collection of resources covering digital literacy, how to stay safe online, and how to report harmful content.
Web: https://connecting.scot/digital-champions/digital-skills/families-children-and-young-people
Be Internet Legends
A free programme that empowers young children to use the internet safely and wisely. Includes a Be Internet Legends Curriculum for teachers to download lesson plans to deliver in class, including classroom activities.
Web: https://beinternetlegends.withgoogle.com/en_ie/
UK Safer Internet Centre
Helping children and young people stay safe online. Including guides and resources for a range of audiences
from parents, education, social work, healthcare, and more.
Helpline number: Professionals Online Safety Helpline 0344 381 4772
Web: https://saferinternet.org.uk/
Working Families
Working Families is the UK’s national charity for working parents and carers. Their mission is to remove the barriers that people with caring responsibilities face in the workplace.
They provide information and free legal advice to parents and carers on their rights at work.
Helpline number: 0300 012 0312
Web: https://workingfamilies.org.uk/
SACRO
Sacro is a Scottish community justice organisation which works to deliver life-changing services that empower people, give hope and protection, and help to build safe communities. Sacro provides a wide range of direct, innovative services in Community Justice, Community Safety and Public Protection. All our services are designed to help build safe communities by reducing conflict and offending. The organisation works with a broad range of people, including those harmed by crime and those responsible for that harm.
Phone: 0131 6247270
Web: https://www.sacro.org.uk/
Street League
Street League supports young people holistically, recognising the inextricable links between wellbeing, health and employment. They use the power of sport to help young people, aged 14 to 30, who face personal barriers to employment to improve their wellbeing, secure employment and have a brighter future. They work in schools, communities, and with employers to equip young people with the confidence, motivation, essential skills and qualifications needed to succeed in the world of work.
Phone: 0800 331 7600
Web: https://www.streetleague.co.uk/?
Play Scotland
Play Scotland promotes and supports play for all children and young people in Scotland. Find practical ideas, resources, information and events to help create more opportunities for play. Through play, children create and establish friendships. The extent to which they feel part of a group is linked to their opportunities to play with other children. Playing freely with others helps children learn how to see things from differing points of view through cooperating, sharing, helping and solving problems.
Web: https://www.playscotland.org/
Swan Scotland
SWAN is a place for autistic women, girls and non-binary people to understand themselves better, connect with others, and learn from and support one another, without the stress of masking to fit in.
SWAN runs a range of events and activities, both in person and online, including local meet-up groups, online peer support, pre-and post-diagnosis groups, and wellbeing webinars.
All SWAN staff and volunteers are autistic and work hard to make SWAN a safe, welcoming and stress-free place for autistic women, girls and non-binary people.
Web: https://swanscotland.org/?