Job support not targeted at women
Women locally shouldn’t expect any specifically targeted support despite bearing the brunt of job losses in retail and hospitality.
Stirling Council leader Scott Farmer spoke recently of his confidence in the current local support available to help all people get back into the workforce.
His comments came after Bannockburn ward independent councillor Maureen Bennison highlighted that women were being disproportionately affected by the economic downturn caused by the pandemic.
She highlighted the recent closures of major stores such as Debenhams and Top Shop.
At a recent full council meeting, she asked what action the council and its partners were taking to mitigate the job losses and what support was in place for former employees, particularly women.
The meeting heard that the council’s learning and employability team represents the local authority at Forth Valley PACE (Partnership Action for Continuing Employment) which is coordinated by Skills Development Scotland. The group coordinates support to access further employment for employees within the Forth Valley area who are either facing redundancy or who have been made redundant.
Specifically in relation to Arcadia and Debenhams, the PACE partnership was said to be working closely with the administrators and management of both to ensure that all staff in Scotland were made aware of the free comprehensive and confidential redundancy support available to them.
But, said Councillor Farmer: “There has been no additional gender specific activity as there has to be equality of opportunity for all.
“In addition to the PACE support, two posts are currently being advertised by Stirling Council, funded by the Scottish Government, to further increase the support available locally to individuals affected by redundancy. This resource will provide a single point of contact role for referrals and provide vital key worker support for individuals to be supported back into employment.”
Councillor Bennison said: “Following the collapse of Arcadia Group and Debenhams stores leading to store closures, women will bear the brunt of the mass redundancies. Nationally four in five of the Arcadia Group workforce were women. Research has also shown there is real concern that the pandemic could reverse years of women getting back into work.
“I’m a bit disappointed there’s nothing specifically aimed at women in this way because if you do a quick Google search you will see women are at higher risk of job losses in retail and hospitality and bear the brunt of redundancies during Covid.”
Councillor Farmer said: “Having been an employment adviser myself and having dealt with both males and females, and myself having went through redundancy, it has a devastating impact on individuals and families but it is not gender specific.
“There are situations where women have gone through some difficulties in their lives when it’s appropriate that they are supported by a female oneto-one or other issues to be dealt with such as confidence building and self esteem.
“The point about the proportion of women in the retail sector is well made but the scheme and support from the Scottish Government is second to none.
“Where there are specific issues relating to females then that would be taken up by the advisors. Certainly a message we can take back to our employability service is that a degree of sensitivity with some females, not all, is appropriate, but in terms of overall issues of training, CV building, looking at transferable skills and looking at available options within the labour market, that’s a generic service and one that’s well placed so people can use the skills they already have or learn new skills to reenter the labour market.”