Our Board
Our Board provide us with guidance and direction and makes sure we’re working, developing and growing in accordance with our goals.
Staff Team
Our staff come from diverse backgrounds and bring different skills and knowledge to the organisation. They are committed individuals, keen to do the best they can for their clients and the organisation.
Senior Manager
I joined Into Work in December 2018 as the Senior Manager. I am passionate about the empowerment of disabled people and the role of supported employment in achieving inclusion and equality. I am so impressed by Into Work’s track record of delivering supported employment services and employer engagement work. We have a very experienced and talented team delivering these activities and I am keen to see this work develop and grow so we have a greater depth, reach and impact. Policy wise it is exciting to be involved in playing our part in halving the disability employment gap within the Fairer Scotland for Disabled People plan. I have over 25 years of working in person centred services for disabled people, 15 years of those have been spent as the lead officer with two Scottish charities as well as volunteering as a trustee for two other Scottish charities. I hold qualifications in leadership, voluntary sector management and social work.
Service Delivery Managers
I started with Into Work as a Specialist Employment Adviser in 2005 progressing to a Service Team Leaders in 2014. In 2018 I became a Service Delivery Manager. Since starting I have supported people with all disabilities and health conditions, focusing for a few years on the support of those with Acquired Brain Injury. I now manage advisers in Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian as well as Into Work’s Welfare Rights Officer. Into Work is my first voluntary sector employer. Prior to this I worked in the private sector as a Recruitment Consultant in Edinburgh for 8 years and I have also worked in a client-facing public sector role with East Lothian Council.
I’ve have worked in the supported employment arena for over 26 years, mostly in the voluntary sector but have also worked as a Vocational Rehabilitation Consultant within the private sector for a 4-year period specialising in severe injury cases. I joined Into Work in 2000. I was instrumental in setting up our dedicated service for clients on the autistic spectrum. I have extensive experience of taking a holistic approach to supporting people with a wide variety of disabilities and health conditions. I also manage our Project Search sites within the NHS and the City of Edinburgh Council. I currently manage a team of Employment Advisers in our Edinburgh office.
Employment Advisers (Edinburgh)
We have 7 Employment Advisers based at our HQ at Albion Road in Edinburgh – in no particular order, Islay, David, Matt, Lee, Brian, Ross and Laura.
Employment Adviser (Midlothian)
Kim is our part-time adviser and is based in Midlothian – in the centre of Dalkeith.
Employment Adviser (East Lothian)
Gary is based within the team at East Lothian Works in Haddington. This is an East Lothian Council project providing similar services to Into Work.
Welfare Rights Officer
Alan is our Welfare Rights expert. He supports our Edinburgh and Midlothian teams by providing welfare rights advice to jobseekers, including the financial implications of starting work. Alan also works one day a week with East Lothian Council, providing support to people with any employment-related benefit or welfare rights issues. Alan can also support people if they need to challenge decisions made by DWP about their benefits.
Project SEARCH Job Coaches
Project SEARCH provides employment and learning opportunities for young people with a disability. It is a partnership between the City of Edinburgh Council, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh College and Into Work. James, Heather and Alison are based at the City of Edinburgh Council. Trish and Greig are based at the Western General Hospital.