A pilot scheme within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) to help people into work has been hailed a success by everyone involved.
In its role as an anchor organisation, NHSGGC is committed to acting on behalf of the communities and local areas it serves to positively benefit the population of Greater Glasgow and Clyde and beyond.
One of its key areas of focus is working to support local people into secure employment, and the pilot was the latest in a range of initiatives to help achieve that.
It offered six-month work placements to two people from East Renfrewshire, funded through the Scottish Government’s Child Poverty Practice Accelerator Fund.
The two successful candidates were the first people to benefit from NHSGGC’s commitment to widening access through Local Employability Partnerships (LEPs), based in all local authorities. The pilot involved engaging with the East Renfrewshire LEP, and once that was in place the LEP was able to access the Accelerator Fund and provide funding for the two placements.
And because of the success of the pilot, NHSGGC is planning to link up with LEPs in all its partner local authorities with a view to giving more young people the opportunity to build a career with the NHS.
One of the successful applicants, 22-year-old Raiyan Mehmood, was placed with the Centre for Integrated Care (CIC) at Gartnavel.
Linda Kelly, Administration Manager for the CIC, said: “During interview, Raiyan stood out as the ideal candidate for the CIC. He’s been here five months now, and he’s fitted in well. In fact the team will be sad to lose him when his placement is over.”
Linda said the CIC team found being involved in the pilot has been a positive experience – so much so that she has submitted a request to be involved with the next cohort of placements.
Shantelle Kirkpatrick, Administration and Waiting List Manager in Plastics and Burns at NHSGGC, was involved with the other placement, Mariusz Maliszewski, and she is also positive about the process.
“We’d 100% do it again,” she said. “Being part of the pilot was a steep learning curve, but the experience I and the whole team gained would stand us in good stead for the next time.”
Raiyan, from Neilston in East Renfrewshire, got involved with the pilot after struggling to find work when he graduated.
“I’m delighted to have been given such a positive opportunity,” he said. “I’d signed up with Work EastRen – East Renfrewshire Council’s employability service – and it was through them I was able to apply for this placement.”
Moira Macdonald, Head of Learning and Education at NHSGGC and the health board’s Anchor Workforce Lead, said: “We would like to thank East Renfrewshire Council and colleagues at the Scottish Government’s Child Poverty Practice Accelerator Fund for their support with this pilot.
“The project has shown how effective approaches like this can be and we look forward to working with all Local Employability Partnerships across NHSGGC, to ensure that future collaborations will be even more positive for all those involved.
“We wish Mariusz and Raiyan every success in their careers.”
NHSGGC offers a wide range of high-quality careers for people of all interests and academic backgrounds, and this pilot is the latest success story in the health board’s ongoing efforts to expand access to employment.
Moira Macdonald said: “As well as the more traditional routes for university graduates, we offer a range of apprenticeships, and work closely with colleges and secondary schools in our area to encourage people of all ages to consider a career with NHSGGC.
“In many roles we are looking for more than a simple qualification, so we would advise people to take a closer look at the opportunities on offer.”
For more information on working with NHSGGC, go to: NHSGGC – Careers with NHSGGC
For more about NHSGGC’s work as an anchor organisation, go to the NHSGGC website.
