Fair Start Scotland Evaluation Report - Year 6: Phone Survey with Service Participants - March 2026

Chapter Seven: Outcomes and Motivation to Return to Work

This chapter explores participants’ motivation to return to work and any impact that FSS has had on their motivation. It also describes the issues preventing

participants from working, how confident participants felt about certain job search activities, as well as giving an indication of their progression within their job. This chapter then explores improvements to indicators relating to work performance and pay, before looking at participants’ overall job search skills. Findings in this chapter focus on outcomes for the 2023-24 cohort.

It should be noted that for those who were in-work at the time of the survey, the survey did not ask how participants obtained these jobs. It is therefore not possible to say whether those who were in-work found their job as a direct result of FSS support or obtained their job independently (including after having left the service). This should be taken into account while interpreting the findings in this chapter.

Key findings:

• most participants who were not working or working less than 16 hours per week expressed a strong desire to return to work. Over half reported increased motivation to find work since receiving support from Fair Start Scotland
  • participants with limiting health conditions were less likely to report increased motivation to return to work compared to those with non-limiting conditions
  • early leavers were also less likely to report increased motivation to return to work compared to those who completed FSS support
• help with Curriculum Vitae’s (CVs) and application forms was the most commonly cited support that made a difference to participants
• around seven in ten participants felt their job search skills had improved, and that FSS had a positive impact on their wellbeing
• there were some early indications that the 2023-24 cohort were moving towards higher quality employment since taking part in FSS:
  • over half of those in work had accessed training or development opportunities, and many had received a pay increase since joining FSS^[37]
  • a notable share had taken on additional responsibilities (39%) or moved to a job that better suited them (22%)
• overall job satisfaction was high, with most participants feeling their job offered flexibility, though fewer felt their pay was sufficient or that their role aligned with their career aspirations
• early leavers were less likely to report positive progression outcomes, including pay increases and access to training
• participants with limiting health conditions were also less likely to report having received training opportunities
• participants in work reported being highly satisfied with their job, but were less likely to feel that their job reflected their career aspirations or provided them with enough income

Views on returning to work

At the time of the survey, 58 per cent of participants were not in work (or working for fewer than 16 hours per week). These participants were asked about their motivation to return to work. The questions were phrased as either ‘returning to work’ or ‘returning to full-time work,’ depending on whether they were not working or working less than 16 hours^[38].

As shown in Figure 28 below, the majority of participants (87 per cent) wanted to return to work (full-time), with 61 per cent saying they wanted to return ‘to a great extent’. Only four per cent of participants said that they did not want to return at all.

Source: IFF Research telephone survey of FSS customers. E2: To what extent would you like to return to (full-time) work in the future? E8: To what extent would you say your motivation to find (full-time) work has increased or decreased from when you began receiving support from the Fair Start Scotland service? Base: All 2023-24 cohort who work fewer than 16 hours per week (271). Note: Results are presented with answers the following answers combined: (Increased a lot and Increased a little), (No effect, Decreased a little, Decreased a lot)

Impact of Fair Start Scotland on motivation

As shown on the right of Figure 28, the FSS service had a positive effect on motivation to find employment for the majority of participants who were not in work or working less than 16 hours at the time of the survey. Over half of participants (56 per cent) reported that their motivation to return to work (full-time) had increased since they began receiving support from FSS, comprising a third (33 per cent) who reported that their motivation had ‘increased a lot’, and around a quarter (23 per cent) whose motivation had increased ‘a little’.

Just over two in ten participants (23 per cent) reported that their motivation had not changed since receiving support from FSS, while just over one in ten (12 per cent) said that their motivation had decreased.

Participants who were limited by their health condition were less likely to report an increase in motivation than those with a non-limiting health condition (42 per cent limited by their health condition reported no/decreased effect on motivation, compared to 10 per cent of those with a non-limiting health condition).

Early leavers were less likely to report an increase in motivation compared to those who reported not being an early leaver (45 per cent of early leavers reported increased motivation, compared to 61 per cent of those who were not early leavers).

Overall change in motivation levels as a result of support did not differ significantly between other subgroups.

The impact of FSS support on work outcomes and confidence

Participants were asked an open text question about what part of the support they received made the most difference to them. The most commonly mentioned elements of support were help with CVs and application forms (15 per cent), one-to-one support (12 per cent), and help with interview technique (6 per cent). Around one in twenty participants also mentioned help with job searches (6 per cent), regular contact and a consistent advsior (5 per cent), and finanical support (4 per cent).

Confidence in job search activities

Participants in the 2023-24 cohort were asked how confident they felt conducting specific job searching activities compared to when they first started receiving support from FSS (this question was not asked for previous cohorts). As shown in Figure 29 below, three in five (60 per cent) said they felt more confident making a good list of all the skills they had which could be used to find a job. A similar proportion (59 per cent) felt more confident in completing a good job application and CV compared to before they started receiving support. Around half of participants (49 per cent) reported feeling more confident about contacting and persuading potential employers to consider them for a job.

Source: IFF Research telephone survey of FSS customers. F3Nw. Compared to when you first started receiving support from Fair Start Scotland, how confident do you feel? Base: All 2023-24 cohort (464)

There were some differences amongst subgroups of participants around the change in confidence with job searching activities compared to before receiving support, as follows:

• female participants aged 50 and above were more likely to feel more confident completing a good job application and CV compared to male participants aged 50 and above (73 per cent compared to 47 per cent)
• minority ethnic participants were more likely than white participants to feel more confident conducting most job search activities^[39], for example
  • they reported feeling more confident talking to others about potential employers (65 per cent compared to 51 per cent)
  • and more confident talking to others about job openings (67 per cent compared to 48 per cent)
• male minority ethnic participants were more likely to feel confident talking to others about potential employers who need their skills compared to male white participants (71 per cent compared to 49 per cent)
• participants aged 16-24 were more likely to feel more confident searching for jobs online compared to participants aged 25-65+ (64 per cent compared to 49 per cent)
• participants with a health condition which did not limit them or no condition were more likely to feel more confident
  • talking to friends and other contacts to find out about potential employers who need their skills (67 and 62 per cent respectively compared to 43 per cent among those with a limiting condition)
  • talking to others about job openings (65 and 59 per cent respectively compared to 42 per cent among those with a limiting condition)
  • contacting and persuading potential employers to consider them for a job (62 and 60 per cent compared to 38 per cent among those with a limiting condition)
• participants who lived in areas classified as among the 15 per cent most deprived were more likely to feel more confident
  • talking to others about potential employers compared to participants who lived in areas classified as among the 85 per cent least deprived (60 per cent compared to 49 per cent)
  • talking to others about job openings (59 per cent compared to 48 per cent), and contacting and persuading potential employers to consider them (56 per cent compared to 45 per cent)
• in terms of employment before FSS, participants who worked in the last 5 years were more likely to report they felt more confident in conducting all job search activities compared to participants who had not worked in the last 5 years
• parents were more likely to feel more confident about
  • completing a good job application and CV (70 per cent compared to 58 per cent among participants who were not parents)
  • contacting and persuading potential employers to consider them for a job (64 per cent compared to 47 per cent among non-parents)
  • making the best impression and getting their points across in a job interview (69 per cent compared to 53 per cent among non-parents)
  • applying for jobs online (60 per cent compared to 48 per cent among non-parents)
• male parents were more likely to feel more confident about conducting all job search activities (except searching for jobs online), talking to others about potential employers who need their skills and making a list of their skills compared to males who were not parents
• those who were not early leavers were more likely to feel confident conducting most job search activities compared to early leavers, for example they felt more confident
  • that they could make a good list of skills they had (64 per cent compared to 49 per cent)
  • talking to contacts to find out about potential employers who need their skills (56 per cent compared to 41 per cent)
  • talking to others about job openings (55 per cent compared to 40 per cent)
• re-joiners were
  • more likely to feel they could make a good list of skills they had (68 per cent compared to 55 per cent among those who were not re-joiners)
  • more confident talking to contacts to find out about potential employers who need their skills (61 per cent compared to 49 per cent among those who were not re-joiners)
  • more confident contacting and persuading potential employers to consider them for a job (58 per cent compared to 45 per cent among those who were not re-joiners)
  • more confident making the best impression and getting their points across in a job interview (63 per cent compared to 52 per cent among those who were not re-joiners)
• participants in a priority family were more likely to feel more confident
  • completing a good job application and CV (68 per cent compared to 56 per cent among those not in a priority family)
  • contacting and persuading potential employers to consider them for a job (62 per cent compared to 46 per cent among those not in a priority family)
  • making the best impression and getting their points across in a job interview (67 per cent compared to 51 per cent among those not in a priority family)
  • applying for jobs online (59 per cent compared to 48 per cent among those not in a priority family)
• those with a degree or above were more likely to be more confident applying for jobs online compared to those with no qualification (58 per cent compared to 36 per cent)

Job search skills

Participants were asked to rate the extent to which they felt that their overall job search skills had improved as a result of participating in FSS. Overall, 69 per cent of participants agreed that their job search skills had improved, whilst 12 per cent disagreed, as shown in Figure 30 below.

Source: IFF Research telephone survey of FSS customers. F2k. To what extent do you agree or disagree that your overall job search skills have improved as a result of participating in Fair Start Scotland? Base: All 2023-24 cohort (464)

Those who had a health condition that was not limiting were more likely to agree that FSS had improved their job search skills than those who were limited by their health condition (88 per cent compared to 66 per cent). Early leavers were less likely to agree with the statement (53 per cent compared to 73 per cent of those who were not early leavers).

There was no significant difference in agreement between participants with different levels of qualifications, between male and female participants, between participants from different ethnic backgrounds, or by level of deprivation.

Progression and job satisfaction

Participants who were in work were asked about their experience of employment and quality of their job(s) since receiving support from FSS. As shown in Figure 31 below, over half (58 per cent) said they had received opportunities for training or development and just under half (46 per cent) said their pay rate, salary or income increased. Almost two in five (39 per cent) said they had been given additional responsibilites. Almost one in five (18 per cent) said they had moved to another job with increased pay, while 15 per cent of participants reported they had received a performance related bonus, and 12 per cent said they had received a promotion.

Source: IFF Research telephone survey of FSS customers F1d. Thinking about your work since receiving support from Fair Start Scotland, do any of the following apply? Base: All 2023-24 cohort currently in work (197), statements relating to promotions, bonuses and additional responsibilities asked to those in work excluding self-employment (210)

There were some differences amongst subgroups of participants, as follows:

• early leavers were more likely to report they did not receive an increase in pay rate, salary or income compared to participants who did not leave FSS early (77 per cent compared to 47 per cent), and did not have opportunities for training or development (59 per cent compared to 37 per cent)
• participants with a health condition that limited them were more likely to report they did not have opportunities for training or development compared to participants with no health condition (53 per cent compared to 30 per cent)

There were no significant differences across all measures of progression for other subgroups.

Participants who were employed, self-employed or who had worked in the week prior to the interview were asked how much they agreed with a range of statements about their current job. As shown in Figure 32 below, the majority of participants were satisfied overall with their current job (80 per cent), with more than half that number feeling strongly about this (43 per cent). In addition, most participants agreed that their job offered them the flexibility to manage family and household responsibilities (81 per cent). Satisfaction was also strong around the kind of work participants do day-to-day (81 per cent). Fewer participants felt that their current job paid enough for them to support themselves and their family (68 per cent), and that their job reflects their professional aspirations (59 per cent).

Source: IFF Research telephone survey of FSS customers, A10 To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about your current job? Base: All employed, self-employed or have worked in the last week (218)

There were some differences amongst subgroups around participants’ satisfaction with their current job, as follows:

• participants with a health condition that limits their daily activities were less likely to be satisfied overall than participants with no health condition (67 per cent compared to 83 per cent), and less likely to feel like their job reflects their career or professional aspirations (41 per cent compared to 64 per cent)
• female participants were more likely than male participants to feel their job reflected their skills and experience (80 per cent compared to 67 per cent), to feel their job reflects their career and professional aspirations (70 per cent compared to 53 per cent), and to feel their job offered flexibility to manage their family and household opportunities (91 per cent compared to 75 per cent)
• participants aged 50 and above were less likely than participants aged 25-49 to feel their job reflected their skills and experience (58 per cent compared to 75 per cent)
• male participants with a health condition that limits them were less likely to feel their job offered flexibility to manage their family and household responsibilities compared to male participants without a health condition (62 per cent compared to 83 per cent)

Job satisfaction did not differ significantly between participants of different ages, education or employment status, ethnicities, levels of deprivation, priority family groups and between new joiners and re-joiners.

The impact of Fair Start Scotland on wellbeing

Participants were asked the extent to which they agreed that taking part in FSS had a positive impact on their general wellbeing. Around seven in ten participants (71 per cent) agreed that it had had a positive impact, one in ten (10 per cent) disagreed and two in ten (19 per cent) didn’t feel strongly or didn’t know, as shown in Figure 33 below.

Source: IFF Research telephone survey of FSS customers. F3. To what extent do you agree or disagree that taking part in Fair Start Scotland has had a positive impact on your general wellbeing. Base: All 2023-24 cohort (464)

There were some notable subgroup differences, as follows:

• female participants aged 50 and above were more likely to agree that FSS had a positive impact on their wellbeing than male participants aged 50 and above (84 per cent compared to 66 per cent)
• participants with a health condition that was not limiting were more likely to agree that FSS had a positive impact on their wellbeing than those who were limited by their health condition (87 per cent compared to 66 per cent)
• early leavers were less likely to agree that taking part had a positive impact on their wellbeing than participants who did not leave FSS early (54 per cent compared to 76 per cent)
• re-joiners were more likely than those who were not re-joiners to agree that FSS had a positive impact on their wellbeing (78 per cent compared to 69 per cent)

There were no significant differences in agreement between participants of different levels of education or employment status, ethnicities, levels of deprivation and priority family groups.