Transcript Slide 1
Network for Europe
European Funding - Good Practice and
Preparing for the Next Programme event
Tuesday 3 July 2012
EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND
James Ritchie
Senior Policy and Publicity Manager
European Social Fund Division
ESF in England 2007-2013
£2.5 billion focused mainly on two priorities:
extending employment opportunities
employability & skills for disadvantaged people
families with multiple problems
community grants
developing a skilled & adaptable workforce
training low skilled workers, especially in SMEs
Civil Society participation
National level
strong focus on delivering localised, specialised, voluntary
services
2007-2010 phase – 211 voluntary sector organisation subcontractors in DWP ESF CFO provision (60% of subcontractors)
2011 ESF Community Grant delivery
over 800 grants awarded
average value – c. £10,000
participants supported – c. 22,000
networks to raise awareness, involvement and achievements
ESF 2014-2020 thematic objectives
European Commission proposes enhanced focus
on Europe 2020 growth strategy:
• promoting employment & labour mobility
• investing in education, skills & lifelong learning
• promoting social inclusion & combating poverty
• enhancing institutional capacity & efficient public
administration
European Commission investment priorities
18 investment priorities including:
Access to employment for job-seekers and inactive people, including local
employment initiatives and support for labour mobility;
Sustainable integration of young people NEET into the labour market;
Adaptation of workers, enterprises and entrepreneurs to change;
Active and healthy ageing;
Improving the quality, efficiency, and openness of tertiary and equivalent education
with a view to increasing participation and attainment levels;
Enhancing access to lifelong learning, upgrading the skills and competences of the
workforce, and increasing the labour market relevance of education and training
systems;
Combating discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief,
disability, age or sexual orientation;
Active inclusion;
Promoting the social economy and social enterprises.
European Commission delivery options
Options in regulations to encourage local
engagement:
• Integrated Territorial Investments
• Community Led Local Development
• Role of cities
New financial instruments to encourage social
investment
ESF 2014-2020: initial policy thinking
Focus on disadvantaged groups, particularly those not eligible
for, or not well served by existing mainstream provision.
Opportunities to support recently published Social Justice
strategy.
Groups likely to include: young people not in employment,
education or training; troubled families; ex-offenders; unskilled
people.
Also scope to support growth agenda through funding selfemployment and entrepreneurship, and upskilling employees,
particularly in SMEs.
ESF 2014-2020: delivery issues
Existing arrangements are effective:
coherence with national policy priorities – ensures that ESF
complements and does not duplicate or support local alternatives
to the Work Programme or skills strategy;
match funding comes from national programmes;
delivery is efficient (low national overheads);
sound financial management through standardised national
procurement and control systems.
But are they responsive enough to local needs,
particularly given Government’s localism agenda and
focus on cities ?
ESF 2014-2020: challenges
How can we get more local input into strategic planning of
how the funds are spent ?
What advantages could closer alignment of funds
(especially ESF and ERDF) bring ?
Are there arguments for different local delivery models ?
Which sub-national organisations have the capacity and
capability to make a difference and take on financial risks ?
If some national elements remain, can we put in place
effective mechanisms for local engagement ?
ESF 2014-2020: possible options
Separate Operational Programmes for (a) Helping
disadvantaged groups; and (b) Supporting Growth, with
the second aligned with ERDF (and therefore
“regionalised”).
Different arrangements for engaging Voluntary and
Community Sector, particularly in delivering social
inclusion activities ?
Some core cities having greater local control. Is London
a model to copy ?
Improved procurement arrangements through CFOs, with
greater local consultation.