Employability support for young people is life-changing

A teenager who started his route into work through the Council’s Employability service has praised the support he has received.

Callum Stevenston, 19, made contact with the team from the Council’s Employability Service – which is called Working North Ayrshire - by going along to the Youth Hub in Stevenston Library.

The Hub opened in 2024 to encourage young people to consider getting into the workplace, onto a college course or to start an apprenticeship. The team offers guidance, CV workshops, support with communication skills and interview preparation.

Following his initial visit to the Hub, Callum, who is autistic, has been supported by an adviser from Working North Ayrshire’s Equal programme.

The Equal programme is a supported employment service that guides people with long-term health conditions and disabilities into work and training.

Calum benefitted from an Equal 13-week work experience programme called Heads Up, which offers participants an SQA qualification alongside sector-based work experience.

The Dreghorn teenager went on to secure a full-time job as a Warehouse and Delivery Operative with Irvine company Thistle Help, which specialises in mobility aids and equipment that help people maintain their independence.

He does deliveries, repairs, order and sales floor support, and explained: “The support has really helped my confidence and I was able to get a job through an Equal Reverse Jobs Fair, which is where lots of different companies come and talk to young people and try to get them involved with their companies.

“Luckily enough, Laura Hays who is a director at Thistle Help, came along and asked if I would like a week’s trial. Since then, my confidence has grown and I have been going out to people’s houses to repair their wheelchairs, powerchairs and scooters.”

The Council follows the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) to ensure that all children’s rights are respected and that they are free to learn, play and develop.

The Convention has 54 Articles, covering all aspects of a child’s life, including Article 23, which states that every child with a disability should enjoy the best possible life in society. Working North Ayrshire’s Equal programme is a great example of this.

Callum, who was a runner-up in the Young Person of the Year category in the Council’s Employability awards in 2025, added: “I would – one hundred per cent – definitely advise other young people to contact the team for help. I was able to get a job within two or three months.

“I have been getting support from the Council’s Employability service since I was 17 and it has been top-notch.”

The Council’s Employability Service delivers a range of support through its Working North Ayrshire programme.

There are a wide range of partners delivering Working North Ayrshire and each organisation contributes to delivering a wide range of support to help individuals prepare and progress into employment.

You can find out more about the Council’s employment support for young people on this dedicated web page.

You can also email the team for guidance and follow the team on Facebook at Working North Ayrshire.

For further information please go to the Working North Ayrshire website.

The Hub is open every Tuesday from 9am to 1pm and 2pm to 5pm, and on Fridays between 9am and 1pm and 2pm and 4pm in Stevenston Library, 1 Main Street.

You must be aged between 16 and 24, and be claiming benefits, to get help from the Hub’s advisers. You can simply drop in during opening hours and don’t need an appointment.

Published: 29 July 2026