Who we are
C: Collective will be a Community Interest Company (CIC) set up to support fair access to work for people with convictions. We will operate as the trading arm of Next Chapter Scotland SCIO, our parent charity and will be legally owned by the charity in full. This will ensure that all of our work, revenue and impact prioritise community benefit, not private gain.
Staff working on NC: Collective activities are employed by Next Chapter Scotland, meaning that our personnel, safeguarding commitments, HR systems, and organisational values are grounded within the charity. The CIC structure gives us the flexibility to work directly with employers in a responsive, practical and collaborative way, while maintaining alignment with the mission and ethos of the charity.
We work alongside employers to build confident and stigma-aware hiring practices that create real opportunities for people affected by the justice system. We also engage people with lived experience of convictions as leaders in shaping solutions not as case studies or tokens. Their insight is invaluable in building approaches that are safe, respectful, realistic and hopeful.
At our core, we believe that access to meaningful work supports stability, dignity and belonging and that employers can be powerful partners in enabling that change.
“When we reduce a person to their past, we overlook their potential. Real change begins when employers see people not through the lens of their worst moment, but through the skills, insight and humanity they carry forward.”
How we work
NC: Collective acts as a connector, linking employers with real business needs to talented associates who bring skill and capability. We maintain a growing network of individuals with backgrounds in areas such as graphic design, administration, casework, writing, analysis, social media, customer service and data entry. Many of these people face barriers to employment due to historic convictions, but possess strong professional abilities that organisations can benefit from.
We take time to understand each employer’s requirements, ensuring that any placement or task matches clearly defined expectations. This includes role scoping, responsibility shaping and ensuring that both the employer and associate have clarity and support built into the process. Our model emphasises safe collaboration, where the focus is on skill, contribution and respect rather than past labels or experiences.
NC: Collective manages all core communications, scheduling and coordination. Employers work through NC: Collective, not directly with the associate, ensuring boundaries, clarity and safeguarding for everyone involved.
We also provide ongoing wraparound support where needed, including communication facilitation, check-in points and trauma-aware guidance for both parties. We never pressure associates to disclose personal histories and we help employers foster environments where talent can be recognised without stigma.
By partnering with NC: Collective, employers gain access to a motivated and highly capable workforce, while associates have opportunities to apply their strengths, build their portfolio, and progress in employment with dignity and confidence.