News / Moving On receives funding boost
A SHETLAND project that helps people with health problems back into employment is to receive more than £220,000 in funding from the European Social Fund (ESF)
The Moving On Employment Project, based at the voluntary sector’s headquarters at Market House, will now be able to reach more people in need of supported employment schemes.
The project aims to help people facing multiple barriers to employment by providing them with supported short term work projects throughout Shetland.
Chair of the project’s board of management, Karen Eunson, said the funding allocated for the next almost three years was a tremendous boost for all involved.
She said it enabled to plan and develop the service in the long term as it will match existing funding from Shetland Islands Council, the Fairer Shetland initiative as well as funding for a number specific project.
At present Moving On supports around 90 people with tailor-made employment placements in local industry. This number of clients will increase to 110 over the next few years.
Ms Eunson said Moving On had a 75 per cent success rate meaning that after a period of supported employment three out of four clients would move on either into further education, part or full time employment depending on circumstances.
“We are delighted to get confirmation of this funding. The job crews have been proven to work over the last few years in Shetland.
“Staff can now go on and do their good work, supporting 110 people into positive outcomes. The board would want to congratulate staff for all the hard work they did to get the ESF funding,” she said.
Moving On employs seven full time and two part time staff.
The funding of £222,109 was announced on Monday morning by Alex Neil, the Scottish government’s cabinet secretary for infrastructure and capital investment.
The Moving On funding is part of £5.3 million of European funding going to 15 projects in the Highlands and Islands.
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