In 1986 the Social Work Services Group of The Scottish Office provided funding to enable Apex Charitable Trust to conduct a feasibility study into the need for a specialist agency in Scotland to address the employment and training needs of ex-offenders and, if sufficient need was identified, to propose a range of services to be provided by a specialist agency. At that time Apex Charitable Trust had been providing services of this nature in England for approximately 20 years.
During the feasibility study evidence of need was provided by numerous statutory and voluntary agencies and organisations including local authority social work departments, Scottish Home and Health Department Prison Groups, SACRO, SCVO and Church of Scotland.
As a result, Apex Charitable Trust proposed the development of key services which together would form an integrated strategy designed to address the employment related needs of offenders in the community and at the pre-release stage for those serving custodial sentences.
SWSG agreed to provide core funding for Apex Charitable Trust in Scotland for three years until 1990 to enable them to begin to develop the range of services proposed in the feasibility study. Additional funding for some elements of service delivery was to be sought from other agencies and bodies.
Initially Apex Trust (Scotland) was part of the operation of Apex Charitable Trust UK, with a Scottish Operations Committee which held powers delegated to it by the Board of Apex Charitable Trust, and with its chairman as a member of that Board.
The Trust’s work in Scotland developed rapidly and clear distinctions began to emerge in strategy and service delivery between Apex Charitable Trust (based in England) and Apex Trust (Scotland).
Following discussions with the Board and Chief Executive of Apex Charitable Trust, agreement was reached to separate the organisations and Apex Scotland was created as a separate Scottish Charity in January 1989 with its own Board of Directors.
During the course of 2010, discussions between the Board and Chief Executive led to Apex Scotland becoming an incorporated body and the organisation was registered as a company limited by guarantee in October 2010.
