Scottish Objective 3 Programme

The aim of this programme is to develop the skills of the workforce and develop an efficient and flexible labour market, where people have equal access to training, employment and income earning opportunities. The programme covers the whole of Scotland with the exception of the Highlands and Islands and therefore applies only to the Helensburgh and Lomond Area of Argyll and Bute. The programme is managed by the Scottish ESF Objective 3 Partnership. Details of the priorities and measures relating to this programme can be found on the ESF Objective 3 Partnership web site www.objective3.org. The main priorities of the Programme relate to raising employability, addressing exclusion, lifelong learning, creating a competitive workforce, entrepreneurship and addressing gender balance.

The Pathways for the future Project – Employability was awarded just under £60,000 of EU funding. The aim of the project was to improve the employability of the unemployed through environmental improvement training and skills development .A total of 16 beneficiaries went through the project. 7 of the 16 found full time employment and a further 2 went onto further training.

The Helensburgh and Lomond Employability Project was awarded £112,777 of EU funding. A total of 14 Intermediate Labour Market beneficiaries and 82 unemployed residents are involved in this project which seeks to increase their employability opportunities through training and skills development.