Fair Start Scotland

You can contact us directly, just fill in our form and we will give you a call to discuss your circumstances to see if you’re eligible to join the scheme.

Jobseekers who are claiming Universal Credit are referred to us by their local JobCentre Plus Work Coach.

At Fedcap Scotland we work closely with a range of employers across many sectors and industries. We can help you to identify the right opportunities and support your application for vacancies posted on websites and social media. Thanks to the strength of our relationships, we often hear about vacancies before they are advertised, giving you the best opportunity to secure a suitable role.

If you aren’t yet ready for work, we can also partner with trusted employers to secure work placements and trials – providing you with valuable experience that can build your CV and your confidence.

Our support doesn’t stop the minute you secure a new job. We understand that those first few weeks in a new role can be challenging, so we’ll stay in close contact with both you and your employer for up to 12 months to help you settle in.

And, in the unlikely event that things don’t go as planned or you have difficulties with your job, we can help you to look for something more suitable.

Our business start-up programme is designed to help entrepreneurial people develop their business ideas and launch a new venture successfully. Our self-employment team can help you to create a business plan, implement financial forecasting, understand tax and legal requirements, and access workshops to upskill yourself.

In addition to our team of experienced advisers we also have close links with a number of organisations that can provide further professional advice.

Our support doesn’t end when you start trading. We’ll still be on hand to provide aftercare through ongoing coaching, telephone support and tailored advice on areas such as book-keeping and tendering.

Our comprehensive health and wellbeing service includes the following:

Triage – ‘three-way approach’

If you share a health issue with us during your initial meeting, we will arrange a session with your personal adviser and one of our in-house qualified health professionals. This is simply an opportunity to better understand any barriers to employment and enable us to agree a health plan that meets your needs and gets you closer to your employment goals.

One-to-one health support

You’re in good hands with our team of fully qualified health professionals. One-to-one support includes practical guidance and advice to help you develop effective coping strategies. It will also aid you to set job goals and identify local Disability Confident employers who would be a good fit for you.

Workshops (face-to-face)

Depending on what type of support you need to help you back to work, you may be invited to attend a small groups workshops covering a range of health matters – including how to disclose a health condition, how to manage interview nerves and how manage your work–life balance to protect your wellbeing. Your adviser will work with you to decide which workshop will be best for you.

Digital health and wellbeing workshops

If you are unable to take part in a face-to-face workshop then you can join one our digital sessions. These are designed to support you with managing your health and wellbeing such as routine, coping strategies, anxiety management, confidence building, sleep, nutrition and more.

In-work support

We will continue to work with you and your employer during the first weeks of your new role, providing tailored health specific coping strategies to help you acclimatise and thrive in your new role.

Our health and wellbeing offer is only available through StartScotland, not all of our delivery partners may offer this level of support just yet.