Into Work
Employability | Support
Newcastleton & District Community Trust (NDCT) is a community-led organisation focused on regeneration, tackling poverty and isolation, building local wealth, and improving the environment in Newcastleton – a remote rural village ranked 54th for rural isolation and within the lowest 10% SIMD deciles.
Since our formation in 2015, NDCT has led the transformation of neglected assets into vital community facilities. These include the installation of unmanned fuel pumps with EV charging – helping retain local spending – and the restoration of a Category C-listed building, now home to a thriving community centre. This hub is sustained by a 14-bed bunkhouse and a commercial laundry, both operated through our social enterprise arm, Newcastleton Community Trading CIC. These ventures are built on sustainable models and form the foundation of our long-term vision for a rural circular economy.
We work to improve access to education, employment pathways, and skills development; reduce isolation through creative and social engagement; and support those experiencing food and fuel poverty. We also signpost individuals to wider support services via a strong network of partners.
As part of our commitment to employability, we have delivered a wellbeing-based employment support programme through the Scottish Government’s No One Left Behind scheme. This initiative focused on supporting long-term unemployed individuals to re-engage with work by building confidence, improving skills, and providing tailored pathways into employment or training opportunities
We received support to deliver dedicated sessions on CV writing, job searching, and interview practice, providing participants with practical guidance, one-to-one support, and the skills needed to present themselves confidently to employers. We have also been given vital network opportunities to discuss our program with others.
Before Borders Community Action became involved, NDCT was operating under significant pressure due to both organisational capacity constraints and the complex needs of our community.
While we had a clear strategic vision and a proven track record of delivering impactful projects, several barriers were limiting our ability to progress effectively:
Increasing community demand and rising complexity of need
As a remote rural village facing high isolation and poverty indicators, the number of individuals seeking support particularly around wellbeing, employability, and household hardship continue to grow. Without additional support, our capacity to expand or redesign programmes was constrained.
Lack of dedicated specialist support
We were in the early stages of developing or program but lack the specialist knowledge required to deliver certain areas such as preparing a CV.
Limited access to networks and sectoral insight
Although NDCT has strong local partnerships, we were operating largely in isolation when it came to regional networks and sector-specific knowledge. This limited opportunities for shared learning, collaboration, and benchmarking with other community organisations.
Pressure on core funding and long-term sustainability
Like many rural organisations, we faced uncertainty around core and project funding. This impacted our ability to invest time, resource, and staffing into planning for future resilience rather than simply maintaining current services.
As a result of Borders Community Action’s involvement, participants experienced increased confidence and motivation, particularly in relation to employability and progression. Individuals reported feeling better equipped to present themselves through improved CVs, stronger job-search skills, and greater confidence in interview settings.
Through BCA program delivery it was identified quickly that lack of computer hardware was a key barrier to success. This enabled us to discuss the issue with SBC who provided a laptop for each client who took part.
We are better equipped to support individuals through more targeted and higher-quality employability sessions, including CV development, job searching, and interview preparation – something we were previously limited in delivering consistently.
The support provided by Borders Community Action has been extremely valuable, offering practical guidance, encouragement, and expertise at a time when it was most needed. Their approach is supportive, responsive, and tailored, ensuring that advice and interventions are relevant and achievable rather than generic.
Others would benefit from working with Borders Community Action because they combine professional knowledge with a genuine understanding of local challenges. They work collaboratively, empower organisations to develop sustainable solutions, and provide the tools and confidence needed to move forward successfully.
I would also like to highlight the friendliness and approachability of all staff at Borders Community Action. From the beginning, they created a welcoming and supportive environment, making it easy to ask questions, seek advice, and engage openly.
The team consistently demonstrated a willingness to go the extra mile to support us, often offering additional guidance, reassurance, and flexibility when needed. This level of commitment made a significant difference to our experience and reinforced the value of working with Borders Community Action.
