Introduction To Our New Project -Lone Parent Positive Workplaces
This project is an exciting new initiative funded by Robertson Trust as part of their recent open call for Work Pathways (click here to find out more).
The work will be delivered in partnership with Fife Gingerbread, One Parent Families Scotland and Strathclyde Business School. With additional input from The Collective Scotland.
The first phase of the project will begin in early 2025, and we are currently looking for a Project Manager who can match our enthusiasm and lead this ambitious partnership!
Before you apply this short blog is from Laura Millar, our CEO, to tell you a little bit about the project and our aspirations.
What is the problem we are hoping to solve?
“Without proper investment in urgent action to enable single parents to access high quality, flexible, sustainable well paid work, single parents will remain locked in poverty. Scotland will not only be letting them down, but the Scottish Government will likely fail to meet its own public targets on tackling child poverty.” (Yaqoob & Shahnaz, 2021)
Across Scotland 25% of children are surviving poverty, and this rises to 38% for 144,000 lone parent families. There are inter-sectional links with the other five priority groups with 66% of lone parents being in additional groups (nearly half of which is disability). Lone parenthood is deeply gendered as 90% of lone parents are mothers affected by barriers that impact on women’s labour market participation. This is a diverse family group therefore the project will positively impact on other key poverty populations.
Poverty in Scotland (JRF, 2023) explored in work poverty, high risk industries and vulnerable labour market groups. Highlighting lone parent inequalities as a population more likely to experience challenges such as low pay trap and unemployment. The most common industries for lone parents to be employed are social care, retail & customer services, admin, education and public administration. Jobs are often low paid, but offer the flexibility needed when juggling work and home (Learning & Work Institute, 2023). Additionally, lone parent families were hit disproportionately by the cost-of-living crisis and their financial security is more fragile than ever (JRF, 2022).
Over many years a seemingly endless stream of data has told us the same story describing stark polarisation between lone parents and the world of work. Decisive action is needed. Fair work has the potential to be a preventative measure that changes the trajectory for the whole family. Surviving poverty has far-reaching consequences for all household members as an Adverse Childhood Experience with the ability to exacerbate existing trauma and create new challenges. It is important that we do not allow these cycles of inequality to continue for future generations.
The project will create partnership capacity to provide a multi-faceted response to a complex problem with the infrastructure to deliver a programme of change that will drive the necessary cultural shift.
All too often we focus on ‘fixing’ individuals before placing them into unchanged workplaces. We will transform this approach by delivering co-produced employability interventions in the workplace, and mobilising employers to better understand lone parent poverty, stigma and inequalities. Inspiring employers to change behaviour and practice to connect with an incredible pool of untapped talent. Whilst improving lone parent’s experiences of entering the workplace, successfully sustaining good employment and accessing career advancement opportunities.
What does the project look like?
“To create a lone parent positive pathway for lone parent families seeking to enter, sustain and progress in the labour market in Scotland.” Our Vision
Our vision will be underpinned by outcomes touching on reducing lone parent poverty, testing new approaches to lone parent employability and employment, making evidence-based recommendations for systemic change and mobilising key stakeholders.
To achieve this, we have clear structure with a Project Partnership Board with representation from businesses, anti-poverty voices, the partnership and lived experience. Fife Gingerbread will support the Project Manager in their mission but the post-holder will be accountable and work on behalf of the full Lone Parent Positive Workplaces – Scotland partnership and board. There are three project pillars which will shape the work.
Lone Parent Positive Charter:
We will develop a lone parent positive charter that outlines the workplace changes required to remove barriers, tackle stigma and enable lone parents to access fair work. This will be led by The Collective Scotland who will collate existing research and knowledge, connect with employers, speak to employability providers and work collaboratively with lone parents. Co-production is embedded from the outset of this project, with aspirations to meaningfully involve lone parents throughout the project at all levels/stages.
2. Test & Demonstration:
There will be targeted testing of the lone parent positive charter to change employer behaviour and practice and achieve fair work for lone parents. This will be achieved through the PrOPEL hub, OPFS partnership with Public Health Scotland and the Lone Parents, Poverty & Work initiative in Fife.
Each of these will create an opportunity to evidence the range of fair work outcomes (across the five dimensions) delivered for and with lone parents in different locations and industries in Scotland. Strathclyde Business School will apply formative evaluation tools to enable the partnership to maximise our fair work impact.
3. Business Development & Campaigning:
We will focus on future proofing, big change and campaigning. Identifying opportunities to scale up lone parent positive workplaces and remove structural barriers. Embedding business development activity to build momentum, create a sustainable legacy and improve the lives of lone parents across Scotland. We will be imaginative in our approach to create a powerful social movement to inspire employers, influence Scottish and UK employability and address policy constraints.
This is an exciting project with the potential to achieve big change for lone parents across Scotland, and we are looking for a Project Manager with the skills, experience and passion to meet this challenge head on.
🔗 Interested in joining our team and applying for this role? Check out the full job advert and apply here: Project Manager — Fife Gingerbread