Tattooist Steven is leaving his mark on Kirkcaldy

Steven is a single father with sole custody of his daughter. Finding employment that accommodated his childcare responsibilities was a significant challenge, as he needed the flexibility to manage school drop-offs and pick-ups each day.

Originally from Alloa, Steven has limited family support locally and, as he doesn’t drive, he also needed opportunities that were accessible and close to home. These barriers made securing suitable employment particularly difficult.

Despite these challenges, Steven was highly motivated to build a career that aligned with his interests while allowing him to provide stability for his daughter.

Connected Parents is delivered alongside Opportunities Fife as part of Scotland’s No One Left Behind employment initiative, helping parents and guardians develop skills and build a better future.

“We explored employment and self-employment options that would provide the flexibility Steven needed. During our discussions, Steven expressed a strong interest in the tattoo and piercing industry and shared his aspiration of eventually running his own business,” said Gillian, Key Worker.

Steven had been teaching himself tattooing and demonstrated considerable artistic talent. After reviewing his work, it was clear he had strong potential to develop a successful career within the industry.

To support him in progressing towards his goal, we identified opportunities to build his qualifications, confidence, and understanding of self-employment.

Steven completed a piercing course, where his tutor described him as a "natural" and recognised the practical experience he had already gained through informal practice.

Steven identified an opportunity with a local business that was looking for a self-employed piercer to join their team. Following discussions with the business owner, Steven was offered space within their premises in Kirkcaldy to rent and operate from.

In addition, the business agreed to support his development as a tattoo artist, enabling him to build upon his existing skills while continuing to grow professionally.

“I would recommend this opportunity, as without it I would still be unemployed. I am really enjoying my role and the business. Although very new, it’s doing well and I am starting to build a book of clients, getting repeat business.”

By becoming self-employed, Steven has been able to create a working pattern that fits around his childcare responsibilities, allowing him to reliably manage school drop-offs and pick-ups. This flexibility has reduced stress and created greater stability within the family home.

“It’s allowed me to work on my appointments around dropping off and collecting my daughter from school; that (flexibility) was important to her and me.”      

Professionally, Steven has gained new qualifications, increased his confidence, and developed the knowledge needed to build a sustainable business. He has moved from unemployment into meaningful work that aligns with his skills, interests, and long-term ambitions.

“Without the support I received from Connected Parents, I would not have been able to follow my passion and work towards becoming a qualified piercer and tattooist. Their support helped me gain a qualification and rent space alongside another tattooist, giving me the opportunity to continue learning about the tattoo side of the business.”

Overall, the support has helped Steven move from unemployment into a sustainable and flexible career, improving both his wellbeing and his family's quality of life.