Scottish Business in the Community shares the objectives of the Scottish Government and our members to promote economic growth and reduce disadvantage and inequality across Scotland. One of the main ways that SBC supports these aims is by working with the private sector through Education and Employability initiatives.

With the changing economic environment and different skills required to succeed in the workplace, business is increasingly recognising their role in helping to support young people into employment. Linking with their Corporate Responsibility agenda, businesses are becoming more actively engaged with schools and in particular, those young people that have less opportunities and career prospects.

A number of high profile SBC members are driving forward this agenda and influencing Scottish Government policy and direction. It is estimated that 500,000 job opportunities will be available in Scotland by the end of 2008, at the same time that up to 35,000 - around one in seven – of 16-19 year olds are not in education, employment or training. Addressing this gap and supporting those young people not in education employment or training (the NEET Group) is therefore a priority for SBC.

The SBC Youth Employability Programme will enable SBC to work strategically, and on the ground with employers, to build on the work that the public sector and other agencies are doing in getting young people ready for employment. It will focus more intensively on those young people that have been identified as at risk of falling into the NEET group.

The work will compliment the Determined to Succeed (DtS) programme led by the Hunter Foundation and the Scottish Government. DtS aims which is operating in schools across Scotland aims to help Scotland’s young people develop self-confidence, self-reliance and ambition to achieve their goals - in work and in life. DtS goes to the heart of the vision for a smart, successful Scotland.