A former library in Ayrshire is to be repurposed in an effort to help young unemployed people find a route back to the workplace.
The former Netherthird library, in Cumnock’s Ryderston Drive, will become a new employability hub named SL66.
Once operational, the hub will deliver learning and training opportunities to help local young people to progress into, and sustain, employment.
The hub is an extension of skills and learning 33 (SL33), in Kilmarnock town centre, which is a purpose-built space designed to meet the employability training needs of unemployed young people and school learners at risk of “disengagement”.
It is led by the education service and the hub provides a ‘one-stop shop’ where partners and national training providers work with a range of local authority services to deliver learning and training opportunities.
Although young people attend SL33 from across East Ayrshire, it's felt the new hub in Cumnock will add value to the current opportunities available to young people in the area and provide the same ‘one door’ service which has been a success in Kilmarnock.
Councillor Elaine Cowan, cabinet member for lifelong learning, education and skills and culture, said: “This local hub in Cumnock ties in with the aspiration of the local employability partnership to deliver an equal employability offer for every resident across East Ayrshire.
“SL66 will become part of the local community and will provide valuable services within that community to help young people into employment.
“Its strengths lie in the partnership approach it takes, and by working with our employability service and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), the hub team will ensure positive routes to engagement for local young people while also supporting employers to develop and offer work experience, apprenticeships and job opportunities through existing partnerships with Developing the Young Workforce Ayrshire, the Ayrshire Chamber of Commerce and local and national businesses.”
She added: “Now, more than ever, we need to support our young people into work and help them to become the best they can be.
“SL33 has been a great success and I look forward to seeing SL66 follow in its footsteps to deliver real change in the Cumnock area.”
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