{"id":41119,"date":"2026-02-25T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/?p=41119"},"modified":"2026-02-24T12:54:32","modified_gmt":"2026-02-24T12:54:32","slug":"creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/","title":{"rendered":"Creating Opportunity Where it Matters Most"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Growing Up in Muirhouse<\/h3>\n

Growing up in one of Edinburgh\u2019s most deprived communities, James Marshall<\/a> knows how easily life can take a different direction. Today, he is using that experience to help create opportunities for young people through his connection with Spartans Community Foundation<\/a>, with support from colleagues at OCS.<\/p>\n

As a teenager in Muirhouse, crime and violence were part of everyday life. There was constant pressure to make choices that could limit future opportunities. For James, sport became a way forward. It gave him focus and a positive outlet for his energy at a time when many around him lacked that support.<\/p>\n

\u201cSport kept me out of trouble,\u201d James says. \u201cIt gave me something to focus on when many other things around me could easily have pulled me the wrong way.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/section>\n\n\n

\n

The Conversation That Changed Direction<\/h3>\n

One conversation, at the right moment, proved decisive. When James was 15, he was determined to leave school and join the Army. During a few days spent rewiring a motorhome with his uncle, an electrician who later became a lecturer, the conversation turned to what lay ahead.<\/p>\n

\u201cI told him I wanted to be an electrician in the Army,\u201d James recalls. \u201cHe just asked, \u2018Why not do it here?\u2019 I didn\u2019t even know that was an option. School never showed us that path.\u201d<\/p>\n

With his uncle\u2019s guidance, James booked his SECTT test and secured an interview with a local firm. He was offered the job before taking his exams and started work two weeks after leaving school. \u201cThat one conversation completely changed my direction,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n <\/section>\n\n\n

\n

Discovering Spartans Community Foundation<\/h3>\n

Spartans Community Foundation was not part of James\u2019s childhood. He first encountered the organisation at 19, hiring a five-a-side pitch with friends on Friday evenings. Only later, through his work and by watching his nephews benefit from Spartans\u2019 programmes, did he begin to understand the role it plays in the community.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey weren\u2019t around when I was growing up,\u201d he says. \u201cBut seeing what they do now, it\u2019s hard not to wonder how different things might have been for some of us if that support had been available earlier.\u201d<\/p>\n

What stands out most to James is the environment Spartans creates. Within the gates, young people are safe, supported and treated with respect. Practical needs are met, routines are in place, and there is a clear sense of belonging.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor some families, knowing their child will be welcomed and fed makes a real difference,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s not complicated, yet it matters.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/section>\n\n\n

\n
\n \n \n \n \"Two\n <\/picture>\n\n <\/div>\n
\n \n \n \n \"A\n <\/picture>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n
\n

Reconnecting Through Work<\/h3>\n

James reconnected with Spartans in 2017 through his work as an electrician, supporting the site as part of his role. When he later joined OCS, the future of the Spartans contract was under review. James felt strongly that the relationship should continue, not because of its size or commercial value, but because of what it represented.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t about the contract,\u201d he explains. \u201cIt was about recognising what Spartans does and finding a way to continue supporting that work.\u201d<\/p>\n

With the backing of senior colleagues, the relationship was maintained as a social value partnership, enabling James to explore how the business could offer practical support alongside the Foundation\u2019s existing programmes.<\/p>\n <\/section>\n\n\n

\n

Opening Doors to Work Experience<\/h3>\n

One early example of what this support can enable came through Coady, a 17-year-old who joined OCS for a short work placement via Spartans. Over five days, Coady shadowed a range of roles, from electricians and plumbers to account management, gaining a clearer picture of the careers<\/a> available in facilities management<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat impressed me most was his attitude,\u201d James says. \u201cHe asked questions, wanted to learn, and made the most of the time he had. It wasn\u2019t the end of his journey, but it was a start.\u201d<\/p>\n

The experience also highlighted what needs to be in place to make these opportunities sustainable. Structure matters. Clear processes, preparation, and ongoing support help build confidence, particularly among young people who may already feel uncertain about stepping into a working environment.<\/p>\n <\/section>\n\n\n

\n

Consistency and Support<\/h3>\n

The challenges facing young people supported by Spartans<\/a> are varied. Some have been excluded from school, while others live with autism or face difficult home circumstances. There is no single story. What connects them is the consistent support Spartans provides.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat consistency is huge,\u201d James says. \u201cIt\u2019s a place that keeps showing up for them, even when they don\u2019t yet believe in themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n

For James, working with Spartans has also shaped how he thinks about his role more broadly, reinforcing the idea that creating opportunity often begins with listening to colleagues, understanding local context, and acting where support can make a practical difference.<\/p>\n <\/section>\n\n\n

\n \n \n \n <\/g>\n <\/svg>\n
\n

\n When colleagues bring forward opportunities that matter to their communities, our role is to listen and support. This partnership shows how we can help open doors for young people in a practical way. <\/p>\n

\n \"avatar\"\n
\n

\n Nick Maggs <\/p>\n

\n Managing Director \u2013 Hard Services, OCS UK & Ireland <\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n

\n

Looking Ahead<\/h3>\n

For James, Spartans represents hope. Having once benefited from the right conversation at the right time, he is now focused on helping ensure others have the chance to find their own way forward.<\/p>\n <\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From Muirhouse to Spartans Community Foundation, discover how OCS is helping create practical opportunities for young people.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":78,"featured_media":10000025979,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[323,55,291,54,326,19],"tags":[235,52],"country":[237,262,405,267],"class_list":["post-41119","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-careers","category-community","category-hard-services","category-our-people","category-social-value","category-news-type","tag-careers","tag-community","country-ireland","country-northern-ireland","country-scotland","country-uk"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nCreating Opportunity Where it Matters Most - OCS - UK<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"From Muirhouse to Spartans Community Foundation, discover how OCS is helping create practical opportunities for young people.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Creating Opportunity Where it Matters Most\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"From Muirhouse to Spartans Community Foundation, discover how OCS is helping create practical opportunities for young people.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"OCS - UK\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-02-25T07:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"kelsiebutton\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"kelsiebutton\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"kelsiebutton\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/cb57bf554656cf93490869be2e5aea30\"},\"headline\":\"Creating Opportunity Where it Matters Most\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-25T07:00:00+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/\"},\"wordCount\":6,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OCS-Hard-Services-Spartans-FC.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Careers\",\"Community\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Careers\",\"Community\",\"Hard Services\",\"Our People\",\"Social\",\"Type\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/\",\"name\":\"Creating Opportunity Where it Matters Most - OCS - UK\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OCS-Hard-Services-Spartans-FC.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-02-25T07:00:00+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/cb57bf554656cf93490869be2e5aea30\"},\"description\":\"From Muirhouse to Spartans Community Foundation, discover how OCS is helping create practical opportunities for young people.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OCS-Hard-Services-Spartans-FC.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OCS-Hard-Services-Spartans-FC.jpg\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Creating Opportunity Where it Matters Most\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/\",\"name\":\"OCS - UK\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/cb57bf554656cf93490869be2e5aea30\",\"name\":\"kelsiebutton\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Creating Opportunity Where it Matters Most - OCS - UK","description":"From Muirhouse to Spartans Community Foundation, discover how OCS is helping create practical opportunities for young people.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Creating Opportunity Where it Matters Most","og_description":"From Muirhouse to Spartans Community Foundation, discover how OCS is helping create practical opportunities for young people.","og_url":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/","og_site_name":"OCS - UK","article_published_time":"2026-02-25T07:00:00+00:00","author":"kelsiebutton","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"kelsiebutton","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/"},"author":{"name":"kelsiebutton","@id":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/cb57bf554656cf93490869be2e5aea30"},"headline":"Creating Opportunity Where it Matters Most","datePublished":"2026-02-25T07:00:00+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/"},"wordCount":6,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OCS-Hard-Services-Spartans-FC.jpg","keywords":["Careers","Community"],"articleSection":["Careers","Community","Hard Services","Our People","Social","Type"],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/","url":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/","name":"Creating Opportunity Where it Matters Most - OCS - UK","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OCS-Hard-Services-Spartans-FC.jpg","datePublished":"2026-02-25T07:00:00+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/cb57bf554656cf93490869be2e5aea30"},"description":"From Muirhouse to Spartans Community Foundation, discover how OCS is helping create practical opportunities for young people.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OCS-Hard-Services-Spartans-FC.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/app\/uploads\/2026\/02\/OCS-Hard-Services-Spartans-FC.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/news\/creating-opportunity-where-it-matters-most\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Creating Opportunity Where it Matters Most"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/#website","url":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/","name":"OCS - UK","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/#\/schema\/person\/cb57bf554656cf93490869be2e5aea30","name":"kelsiebutton"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41119","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/78"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41119"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41119\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42489,"href":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41119\/revisions\/42489"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41119"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41119"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41119"},{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocs.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=41119"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}