SUSE 30th Anniversary
SUSE was established in 1995 as a membership organisation representing Supported Employment providers across Scotland. Over the years the role and influence of SUSE has evolved and with the support of member organisations, continues to be a credible voice for Supported Employment in Scotland.
Ian Bruce (Vice Chair of the SUSE Board) outlines where he sees SUSE now.
“Having been part of SUSE’s journey for the last 12 years, through the tenacity of its Staff, Members and Board, I am proud to be part of an organisation that champions inclusive employment. SUSE has built a robust network to bring stakeholders, employers and jobseekers together, creating a collaborative environment where best practice is shared, new ideas tested and evidence gathered to inform both practice and policy.”
Angela Hamilton (SUSE Trustee) tells us about the earlier years of SUSE and how the sector has developed.
“By 2002, key developments catapulted Supported Employment towards an economic rather than altruistic direction as the business case for Supported Employment provision become more widely discussed. Around this time, we had New Deal for Disabled People and Workstep funded by the UK Government, with Scottish Government funding for employment provision made available following the Same as You? a review of services for people with learning disabilities. Growth was evident in the sector and SUSE was strongly influencing standards in delivery. SUSE also started celebrating success through the Scottish Business Disability Awards, now evolved into the Inclusive Workplace Awards.
From my perspective, by 2010, the Scottish Government blueprint for a Supported Employment Framework: A working life for all disabled people, which was produced in consultation with SUSE and CoSLA, rubber stamped existing good practices and recognised the competencies and standards needed to professionalise this provision.”
Jamie Rutherford (Former Chair of the SUSE Board, 2017 – 2021) tells us about the significant contributions SUSE has made to the employability sector.
From instigating the first formal qualification for Supported Employment, and driving change in commissioning of services, to influencing policy and programmes that still have positive implications today.
“I first got involved with SUSE back in 2012 when Kate Storrow was working with Stow College to develop the PDA in Supported Employment. That was a tremendous initiative and it was the first formal Scottish qualification for the practice. We later incorporated it into the mandatory training for ENABLE Works.
I was then involved in Pippa Coutts’ evaluation of training services for disabled people in Edinburgh, which recommended a wholesale change to commissioning Supported Employment services for the city. That led to the formation of ‘All in Edinburgh’, a consortium of Forth Sector, ENABLE Works, IntoWork and The Action Group – which is still Europe’s largest supported employment service.
When I became the Director of ENABLE Works, I joined the board of SUSE and then became Chair, appointing SUSE’s first CEO – and it was a real pleasure being involved at such an important time for employment policy in Scotland.
The SUSE team and its members were able to positively influence the Scottish Government to include provision for Supported Employment and IPS in the newly devolved employment services after the Smith Commission. That led to Fair Start Scotland and today means that so many more people have access to high fidelity ‘place and train’ support than a decade earlier. Truly remarkable.
We were incredibly privileged to secure the PSP for the Disability Employment Gap as part of David and SUSE’s relationship with the Scottish Government – and I am really proud of the SUSE team having established the organisation at the heart of policy making nationally.”
Going Forward
“I think the future of SUSE is bright – it’s really important that whatever comes after the No One Left Behind strategy will include those for whom traditional employment models are not suitable.” Jamie Rutherford.
“There is an opportunity for SUSE to establish and share defined standards, training, qualifications, and competencies for Supported Employment professionals. I believe SUSE could play a future role in assessing and evaluating specialist employment services funded under NOLB.” Angela Hamilton.
“As the future of work continues to evolve, there’s a wealth of exciting directions ahead, with increasing digital transformation and an emphasis on flexible, inclusive practices, SUSE’s role is likely to expand, bringing even more innovation into play.” Ian Bruce.
As a membership organisation we aim to continue to drive meaningful change in the sector by:
- running innovative projects to help build the capacity of service providers and practitioners
- campaigning for quality Supported Employment provision and better services for disabled people in all parts of Scotland
- supporting employers to make workplaces more accessible for disabled people.
