Spotlight on Highland Thrive CIC
In our latest member spotlight, we’re delighted to welcome Luke Watson, Managing Director at Highland Thrive CIC.
What does your social enterprise do, and why do you do it?
Highland Thrive CIC is a Highlands-based social enterprise focused on workforce development, inclusive employment and supporting sustainable communities across the region.
We work with employers, public sector organisations, community groups and individuals to address employment barriers, workforce challenges and social inequalities that impact people living and working in rural communities.
The Highlands face a unique combination of challenges, including population decline, skills shortages, transport barriers, limited local opportunities and increasing pressures on businesses and communities. Our work is designed to respond to these challenges by helping create more inclusive, resilient and sustainable local economies.
We believe meaningful employment, strong partnerships and community-led solutions are essential to creating long-term positive change. Through collaboration, innovation and practical support, Highland Thrive works to improve outcomes for individuals while helping organisations and communities build capacity for the future.
What products, services and/or experiences do you currently offer?
Highland Thrive delivers a range of employability, prevention and community support services across the Highlands, working closely with public sector partners, employers, communities and third sector organisations.
Employment Support Across Sutherland
On behalf of The Highland Council, Highland Thrive delivers employability support services across Sutherland. This work focuses on supporting individuals facing barriers to employment and helping people move towards sustainable work, training or further opportunities.
Our approach is person-centred and tailored to individual circumstances. We support people with:
- CV development and job applications
- Interview preparation and confidence building
- Identifying skills, strengths and career pathways
- Accessing training and qualifications
- Overcoming practical barriers to employment
- Connecting with local employers and opportunities
- Ongoing in-work support where needed
We understand that people’s journeys into employment are rarely straightforward, particularly within rural communities where transport, confidence, health, caring responsibilities and limited local opportunities can create additional challenges. Our role is to provide practical support, encouragement and guidance that helps individuals progress at a pace that works for them.
Planet Youth Delivery in Dornoch
Highland Thrive also leads the local delivery of Planet Youth in Dornoch.
Planet Youth is an internationally recognised, evidence-based approach focused on improving outcomes for young people by strengthening protective factors within communities. The model places a strong emphasis on prevention, wellbeing, positive relationships and creating healthy environments where young people can thrive.
Our work involves bringing together schools, families, young people, community organisations, local services and wider stakeholders to better understand the experiences of young people locally and identify practical ways to improve outcomes.
This includes:
- Community engagement and consultation
- Supporting youth voice and participation
- Building partnerships across sectors
- Using local data and evidence to inform action
- Developing community-led responses to identified needs
- Encouraging stronger connections between young people, families and their communities
The long-term aim is to help create healthier, safer and more connected communities where young people feel supported, valued and able to reach their potential.
Supporting Employers and Organisations
Alongside direct delivery work, Highland Thrive supports employers, community organisations and partner agencies across a range of workforce and organisational challenges.
We work collaboratively with organisations to help strengthen capacity, improve inclusion and develop sustainable approaches to workforce and community development.
This support can include:
- Workforce development and recruitment support
- Inclusive employment advice and supported employment development
- Partnership building and stakeholder engagement
- Organisational development and strategic support
- Community engagement and consultation
- Funding strategy and bid development
- Collaborative project design and delivery
Our approach is rooted in partnership working and helping organisations identify practical, locally relevant solutions that create positive long-term impact for both communities and employers.
What’s your personal motivation?
The motivation behind Highland Thrive comes from a belief that people and communities across the Highlands deserve access to the same opportunities, support and quality of life regardless of geography or circumstance.
Too often, rural communities face barriers that can leave people feeling disconnected from opportunity, employment, services and support. Through both personal and professional experience, it became clear that many of these challenges are interconnected and require collaborative, community-focused solutions.
Highland Thrive was created from a desire to do things differently, to build stronger partnerships, create practical opportunities and support people in ways that are person-centred, inclusive and sustainable.
A key part of our story is recognising the incredible strengths that already exist within Highland communities. There is resilience, creativity and potential within local people, organisations and businesses, but communities often need the right support, collaboration and opportunities to help that potential grow.
What continues to motivate our work is seeing the difference that meaningful support, strong relationships and local action can make. Whether it is helping someone move towards employment, supporting young people through preventative work, or bringing organisations together around shared goals, the most rewarding part is seeing people and communities grow in confidence and feel more optimistic about the future.
At its core, Highland Thrive is about creating positive long-term change that helps people, organisations, and communities not just cope, but genuinely thrive.
What is next on the horizon for your social enterprise, and how do you plan to get there?
Highland Thrive is focused on developing and delivering innovative pilot projects that respond to some of the key social and economic challenges facing Highland communities.
We recognise that many rural communities are experiencing interconnected challenges including workforce shortages, social isolation, declining population, youth disengagement, limited local opportunities and increasing pressure on services and employers. Addressing these issues requires collaboration, long-term thinking and a willingness to test new approaches.
Over the next few years, we want to build on our existing work by developing practical, community-led pilots that explore new ways of improving employability, supporting young people, strengthening community resilience and helping employers respond to workforce challenges.
This includes:
- Expanding preventative and early intervention approaches through initiatives such as Planet Youth
- Developing innovative employability and workforce support models for rural communities
- Strengthening collaboration between employers, communities and public sector partners
- Supporting projects that improve participation, inclusion and long-term wellbeing
- Exploring new partnership approaches that create sustainable local opportunities
We plan to achieve this through strong partnership working, community engagement and evidence-led development. Collaboration is central to our approach, and we believe meaningful change happens when organisations, communities and local people work together around shared goals.
We also want to ensure that successful pilot projects can be scaled, replicated and embedded into longer-term strategies that create lasting impact across the Highlands.
What’s the hardest thing you’ve had to overcome in your social enterprise journey?
One of the biggest challenges has been navigating the complexity of delivering meaningful impact within rural communities where resources, infrastructure and opportunities can often be limited.
Balancing ambition with sustainability requires persistence, flexibility and strong collaboration. Like many social enterprises, we have had to build partnerships, trust and momentum gradually while responding to changing community and economic needs.
The experience has reinforced the importance of resilience, adaptability and staying focused on long-term impact.
What is your most satisfying achievement so far?
One of the most satisfying achievements has been building strong partnerships and creating opportunities that make a tangible difference to people and communities across the Highlands.
Whether supporting individuals into opportunities, helping organisations strengthen their capacity or contributing to collaborative community projects, it is rewarding to see positive outcomes develop through partnership working.
For Highland Thrive, success is measured by lasting impact, stronger communities and improved opportunities for local people.
How has being a member of Social Enterprise Scotland helped you?
Being part of Social Enterprise Scotland has been invaluable, particularly in the early stages of establishing TSPN Enterprise as its own identity distinct from the charity. Our CEO, Mandy, has been able to connect with peers navigating similar challenges, and that sense of community has been grounding. The events and webinars at SES have given us practical insight into areas we were finding our feet in, from governance to trading, and having a credible network to refer back to when navigating the often unfamiliar world of social enterprise has genuinely helped build our confidence and credibility. It’s reassuring to know there’s a community that understands the tension of running a mission-led business.
Who in the social enterprise community inspires you and why?
One organisation that has been particularly inspiring is For You Training.
Their approach demonstrates the real value of community-led, person-centred support and the positive impact that social enterprise can have when it is rooted in lived experience, inclusion and genuine partnership working.
What stands out is their commitment to helping people build confidence, develop skills and access meaningful opportunities while creating supportive environments where individuals feel valued and empowered.
Like many of the best social enterprises, they understand that lasting change is not achieved through one-size-fits-all solutions. It comes from listening to people, building trust and creating services that respond to real community needs.
Their work reflects many of the values that also drive Highland Thrive: collaboration, inclusion, resilience and creating opportunities that lead to long-term positive impact.
What top tips would you give to other social enterprises?
- Build strong partnerships and collaborate wherever possible.
- Stay connected to the needs of your community.
- Recognise the value of lived experience and local knowledge.
For more information about Highland Thrive CIC, please visit their website, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Want to read more Member Spotlights? Visit our blog. If you’d like to be featured, please email membership@socialenterprise.scot.