CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
The Relocation Advisory Service
1.1 The Relocation Advisory Service ( RAS) is the operational arm of the Scottish Government's Fresh Talent Initiative. It was set up in October 2004, initially for a pilot period of 3 years, but was recently extended to the end of October 2008.
1.2 Its main aim is to provide information and advice to people looking to relocate to Scotland.
1.3 The RAS office is situated in a Scottish Government building in central Glasgow. It currently employs 8 people, including one person who is seconded part-time from Highlands and Islands Enterprise and is based in Fort William.
1.4 Most customer contact is by email, but customers can also telephone and face-to-face meetings (usually to provide help in completing visa or work permit applications) are also held in the RAS office. RAS also undertakes promotional activities, including presentations or stalls at fairs or events aimed at employers, students, graduates and workers. These activities are undertaken both in the UK and, less often, abroad. RAS also has a presence on the www.scotlandistheplace.com website and is responsible for much of the content of that site.
Background to the evaluation
1.5 BMRB and DTZ Pieda Consulting were commissioned to undertake an evaluation of the first year of RAS's operation. Their report was published in 2006. 2 Ipsos MORI were subsequently commissioned to undertake an evaluation of the second and third year of the pilot service, and an overall evaluation of the first three years. This is the report of that evaluation.
1.6 The evaluation is based primarily on the following evidence:
- an online survey of RAS customers (See Appendix A)
- an online survey of users of the www.scotlandistheplace.com website (See Appendix B)
- a telephone survey of 'associated bodies' ( i.e. international student advisors and careers advisors in Scottish universities and colleges, and staff responsible for recruitment in Scottish businesses and recruitment agencies) (See Appendix C)
- qualitative interviews with 16 RAS customers (See Appendices D and E)
- qualitative interviews with 10 key partners (See Appendix F and G)
- qualitative interviews with the present and former Heads of RAS (See Appendices H, I and J)
- qualitative interviews with other members of RAS staff (See Appendix K)
- desk research on services provided by other countries.
1.7 Details of the methodology used for each of these elements are contained in the appendices.