Vision: Ian Gray

Edinburgh-based social enterprise Social Print and Copy CIC (SP&C) aims to create up to 30 jobs in Glasgow after opening its first office in the city.

As well as being a training provider, SP&C supplies copier and print solutions to the Third Sector in Scotland.

The move will give unemployed youngsters a route into work, SP&C delivering a two-year apprenticeship training course it has developed for people aged 16-24 based on feedback from participants in the UK Government’s Kickstart scheme.

The new facility is located within Enterprise Park, the office complex in Castlemilk developed on the site of the former furniture manufacturer H. Morris & Company.

“The G45 postcode in Glasgow is an area of particular deprivation with employability issues for young people and a lack of opportunity,” said Ian Gray, founder and CEO of SP&C, which was recently awarded £250,000 from Social Investment Scotland (SIS) to aid growth plans.

“That was key to our decision in moving to that area as it hits the values and vision of our organisation. We’re a training centre delivering services for the third sector and local government organisations.

“We kept hearing from young people that the Kickstart scheme gave them nothing of real benefit so that’s why we looked at a two-year programme, incorporating a variety of disciplines in the first year and then a more specialised approach in year two.

“The funding of £250,000 from Social Investment Scotland, along with the wider support of social enterprise within Scotland, has been key to us delivering on this project.

“The aim is to see 25 people complete the course and I’d like to retain around 50% of those within the business. The greater our success the more jobs we will create.”

Chris Jamieson, head of investment at SIS, said: “It’s great to be supporting Social Print and Copy with its expansion, not only into a new city, but with growing its team, too. The social enterprise is creating valuable apprenticeship opportunities for young people in the local community and will play an important role in supporting the future careers of its new recruits.”