Self Employment

Woman working from home with a child in the background

Start up support

If you’ve got a business idea and want to become your own boss, our dedicated self-employment team is on hand to provide the advice and support that can help your start-up grow into a success.

Whether it’s performing market research, establishing a pricing strategy or developing a plan for recruitment, we can offer a combination of one-to-one coaching, workshops and insights from established entrepreneurs to get you in good shape for launch.

And don’t worry, we won’t disappear the day you begin trading. We’ll continue to support you for as long as you need to help you achieve your goals. After all, we know the first 12 months in business are often the hardest.

Welcome to Fair Start Scotland

Donna is one of our engagement consultants who’ll talk you through what to expect. You’re one step closer to getting back into work.

What to expect from Fair Start Scotland

We have an experienced team of employability and health and wellbeing experts to provide all the support and assistance you need to get closer to your self-employment goals. Your first point of contact throughout your journey will be your dedicated adviser. They will take the time to find out more about you: what your current situation is, where your skills lie, what motivates you and what might be holding you back from starting your new business.

Our Support

Our support is flexible, too. We can work around your availability and preferred methods of communication.

Face to Face

Phone Calls

Virtual Sessions

Signposting

Application window closed

New referrals to Scottish Government’s national Fair Start Scotland (FSS) employability service have ended.

Current Fair Start Scotland customers will continue to receive the full range of employability support they need from Fedcap to move into work, which could include up to 18 months pre-work and up to 12 months in work support (depending on your circumstances).

From 1 April 2024, No One Left Behind, Scottish Government & Local Governments’ shared approach to delivering an all-age, place-based, person-centred model of employability support in Scotland, will receive referrals previously referred to Fedcap.

To find out more about No One Left Behind local employability support where you live, including single points of contact details for all-age services, employability related information and more, visit Employability in Scotland for details.

Fair Start Scotland FAQs

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.

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