National Youth Work Training Seminar, Edinburgh

"A Kaleidoscope of Youth Work Training" seminar will be held on 30 September at Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh.

This one day seminar will provide an opportunity for the Youth Work sector to engage in a national discussion on workforce development with all the key stakeholders and to share practical knowledge on youth work training routes.

Cost: £60 +VAT = £69.00
Closing date: 18 September - Book now to avoid disappointment!
Contact: Susan Symington, phone: 0131 313 2488 or email: ssymington@youthlink.co.uk

Find out more or book online

Scottish school leaver destination results published

The recently published follow up survey on school leavers from school year 2007/08, indicates that:

• The proportion of school leavers in sustained positive destinations was 84.0% in March/April 2009, approximately 9 months after leaving school. This compares to 87.0% of school leavers in positive destinations in March/April 2008.


• The proportion of school leavers in further or higher education rose from 47.9% in March/April 2008 to 51.0% in March/April 2009.


• The proportion in employment in March/April 2009 fell to 28.5% compared to 34.4% in March/April 2008.


• The proportion unemployed increased from 12.5% in March/April 2008 to 15.4% in March/April 2009.

Read the report for more detail.

Latest unemployment and Jobcentre vacancy figures published

The latest unemployment and Jobcentre vacancy figures are out today for West Lothian (Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) based figures).

• The number of JSA jobless in West Lothian for June is 4,573 . This is an increase of 31 on the May 2009 figure .
• West Lothian's unemployment rate of 4.3% is higher than both the Scottish (4.0%) and Great Britain (4.1%) rates. West Lothian's unemployment rate is the same as South Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire.
• There were 8 46 notified Jobcentre vacancies in June - a net increase from May 2009 of 41 vacancies.
• There has been an improvement on last month, with approximately 5 jobseekers for every vacancy advertised in West Lothian jobcentres. In comparison, Scotland's ratio is 5.8:1, Great Britain is 5.9:1 with Clackmannanshire having the highest ratio of 14.7:1 (15 jobseekers for every vacancy) of claimants to vacancies of Scottish local authorities (see attached excel sheet).

JSA based unemployment figures do not provide the full picture. However, the headline JSA figure does help to indicate the latest trend or change at a national or local level and whether the economic down turn is beginning to bite. The Government's favoured method of measuring unemployment - the ILO method does not readily translate into up-to-date local area estimates.The Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) is payable to people under pensionable age who are available for, and actively seeking, work.

Access2Employment Spring/ Summer 2009 newsletter

West Lothian's latest update (Spring/ Summer 2009) on the employability services delivered by West Lothian Council and its partners is now available.

70,000 new green jobs if councils tackle climate change

At least 70,000 jobs could be created across England and Wales if councils slashed climate-changing emissions by insulating homes and businesses and fitting green energy to buildings, according to recent independent research released by Friends of the Earth.

The research - by leading advisors to councils on climate change Carbon Descent - was published to launch a new nationwide campaign calling for local councils take urgent action to cut CO2 emissions.

Find out more