Support Work pilot project hopes to engage councils in North of Scotland

The Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) is calling on local authorities in the North of Scotland to get involved in a pilot programme which hopes to raise the profile of Support Work and the important role it plays in rural communities. 

Specifically, the pilot will look at:

• what the learning and development needs are for this part of the sector
• career progression
• leadership
• the opportunities and challenges that the integration of health and social services offer this part of the workforce.

An essential part of this work is also to support those who manage support workers and those who are able to influence how the role of support workers can be developed in these increasingly challenging times. This work supports the outcomes of the Social Services Shared Vision and Strategy 2015 -20, the SSSC Leadership Strategy 2013-15 and work that is already underway within health and the private and voluntary sector.

The SSSC are currently working with Fife, Angus, Dundee, Perth and Kinross and Stirling local authorities and are keen to have one other pilot area, preferably in the north of Scotland.

The pilot work will take up too much staff time but we would need a consistent group of staff who could be released to attend an initial day to explore roles, a further day with managers and two other events before the end of March 2016.

Any local authority interested in finding out more, and who might be able to help, should contact SSSC Project Officer, Julie Fisk at [email protected] by December 14.