On behalf of Discover Work, Dundee City Council is delighted to launch this latest Challenge Fund and is inviting applications to deliver support in a new Employability Pathway programme for five years from 1 April 2024.
The value of the fund is estimated to be £2.6m per annum and is open to eligible organisations who want to realise the strategic vision and goals set out in Discover Work Strategy 2022-2027 and support our Community Wealth Building approach to economic development. We wish to build upon improvements to date with further funding due to be devolved from Scottish Government to Local Employability Partnerships via No One Left Behind.
Our aim is to remove structural inequalities experienced by residents that prevent their access to employability support, and their potential participation and sustainment in education, training, or employment. We ask the network of potential Employability Providers and wider partner organisations to maximise this opportunity for system change and rethink the way we work for the benefit of customers and employers.
Organisations can request a copy of the Challenge Fund Application Pack by emailing partnership@discoverworkdundee.co.uk.
A timetable for the advertisement, application, and assessment process is provided below. All other information is provided in the Application Pack.
| Key Milestones | Day | Date | Days since previous Milestone |
| Advertisement published online | Tuesday | 19/12/2023 | – |
| Last Date for questions to be submitted to Discover Work * | Monday | 12/02/2024 | 55 |
| Closing Date for the Submission of Applications 4pm on | Monday | 19/02/2024 | 7 |
| Assessment and Clarification Process Commences ** | Monday | 19/02/2024 | 0 |
| Assessment and Clarification Process Ends | Friday | 15/03/2024 | 25 |
| Notification of Outcome(s) | Friday | 15/03/2024 | 0 |
| Challenge Fund Award Letter(s) | Monday | 25/03/2024 | 10 |
| Service Inception Meeting(s) | Monday | 01/04/2024 | 7 |