Recently at SSF, we’ve worked closely with On Route to support twelve young people who had disengaged from education and were seeking pathways into training, college, or employment.

Many of these individuals faced challenges such as social anxiety, low confidence, and uncertainty about their future. Through our tailored training within On Route’s LifeSkills programme, we provided a safe, structured environment where participants could build confidence, develop essential life skills, and work toward nationally recognised qualifications.

Across three programme cohorts, all twelve young people successfully achieved SCQF qualifications—each one representing a significant personal milestone and a meaningful step forward for individuals overcoming substantial barriers. These outcomes demonstrate the power of flexible, person-centred support in empowering young people to take control of their futures.

In addition to the LifeSkills programme, we were invited to deliver training to a group of young New Scots, many of whom spoke English as a second language. With up to seven different languages represented, this presented unique challenges in ensuring inclusive and accessible delivery. Working collaboratively with On Route, we adopted a flexible, person-centred approach— taking time to understand individual needs, deploying additional support staff, and using tools such as Google Translate and speech-to-text software.

As a result of these adaptations, all nine participants successfully achieved their SCQF Level 4 Communication qualification. This experience highlighted a core strength of the SSF Education & Training programme: the ability to adapt delivery methods to meet diverse learner needs while maintaining national standards.

If you’d like to know more about our flexible approach and our training modules you can find the info here.