UNEMPLOYMENT among 16-24-year-olds in East Lothian has almost halved over 12 months.

East Lothian Works was set up three years ago to bring together all employability-related services under the East Lothian One Council approach.

Last Tuesday, members of the local authority’s Policy and Performance Review Committee heard how EL Works was continuing to tackle youth unemployment and inequality.

The committee heard that East Lothian’s economic performance has improved by nine per cent since 2012, with an increase in the number of businesses, an increase in population and a drop in the number of workless households.

According to a report recently issued by Skills Development Scotland, unemployment among 16-24-year-olds has dropped from 502 to 254 from 2014 to 2015.

The number of unemployed people participating in council-funded or operated employability programmes in the last year was 795 and there were 209 unemployed people assisted into work from the programmes over the same period.

Projects and incentives used successfully by EL Works have included working in partnership with the Fort Kinnaird Recruitment and Skills Centre, which supports employers’ recruitment and staff development needs and supports jobseekers in gaining employment.

Forty per cent of the footfall though the centre is East Lothian residents.

EL Works also operates a Supported Employment Service for people with physical or learning disabilities or have a mental health issue.

All are supported in a number of activities, including work experience, training and paid employment.

New Opportunities East Lothian is a long-standing and widely recognised project helping to remove the barriers of returning to employment or starting employment for the first time. Participants are engaged in a short course to help build their personal confidence to learn, help develop their IT skills and provide qualifications in employability, communication and numeracy, emergency first aid and food hygiene.

Councillor John McMillan, East Lothian Council spokesman for economic development and tourism, said: “I am pleased this report was welcomed by the committee, as it clearly demonstrates the work being done to give everyone in East Lothian the chance to further their skills, gain employment or develop their careers – no matter what their social or educational background. East Lothian Works is an essential part of improving East Lothian’s economy in a fully inclusive, innovative way.

“I look forward to further reports on how existing schemes are continuing to support our workforce and to welcoming more projects including the forthcoming Construction Skills Academy which will open in August for secondary school pupils wanting to train for employment in one of our most important employment sectors.

“This also shows fantastic partnership working between the council, Edinburgh College and industry partners.

“This inclusive, partnership way of working is the way forward to achieve our aim of making East Lothian the best place in Scotland in which to live, work and do business.”