Moving Forward: Supporting Edinburgh’s School Leavers to Take Their Next Step

  For some young people, leaving school can feel less like reaching a clear destination and more like stepping into the unknown. As highlighted in The Scotsman by Cyrenians, one of the Moving Forward providers, many young people leave school feeling completely unsure about what comes next.

For employability services, this makes early and effective transition support particularly important. It is also an area where partnership working can make a real difference.

Through Scottish Government No One Left Behind (NOLB) funding, the Edinburgh Local Employability Partnership (LEP) supports Moving Forward, an Edinburgh-wide programme helping young people make successful transitions from school into positive destinations.

Launched in April 2024, Moving Forward is delivered by a network of trusted third sector organisations across seven geographic clusters of the city. The programme supports young people aged 15.5 to 19, and up to 26 for those facing multiple barriers.

Working as a network

Moving Forward is an example of how the LEP network brings together the knowledge, relationships and expertise of different organisations to create more accessible support for young people.

Rather than expecting every young person to navigate services on their own, key workers provide personalised support based on their circumstances, strengths and aspirations. This can include building confidence, exploring education and training, developing employability skills and supporting young people towards employment.

One participant described how important that support from Cyrenians was:

“I genuinely felt like I was the only person feeling this lost. It turns out I wasn’t. So many young people come out of school feeling completely unsure about what to do next.” (Read original article here)

 

The programme recognises that progression does not always begin with a job application. For some young people, the first step might be building confidence, reconnecting with others or understanding the options available to them.

Another participant explained:

“The group has been a really good way to get me oot the hoose. After years of feeling isolated, it’s been a place where I could meet people and learn how to interact with others more easily.” (Read original article here)

Connecting local expertise

Moving Forward’s strength comes from the way organisations across the LEP network work together, connecting their support to create a more joined-up experience.

By working across seven geographic clusters, partners can build on their local knowledge and relationships while contributing to a city-wide approach. This helps ensure that young people can access support that reflects their individual circumstances and the communities they live in.

That is ultimately what the LEP network is working towards: making sure young people have the relationships, support and opportunities they need to take their next step.

For more information on Moving Forward and to refer potential young people visit the Moving forward page.