Transcript Diapositiva 1

European Social Fund Evaluation
in Italy
Stefano Volpi
Isfol Esf Evaluation Unit
Human Resources Policies
Evaluation Area
Rome, Corso D’Italia 33
Roma, 03 maggio 2011
ISFOL National ESF Evaluation Unit:
structure and goals

ISFOL is a research institute on human resources development
counselling the Italian Ministry of Labour

The Human Resource Policies Evaluation Area deals with policy and
programme evaluation in the vocational training, labour, educational and
social inclusion sectors.

Inside this Area, the National European Social Fund (ESF)
Evaluation Unit represents the core of the National Monitoring and
Evaluation system for the assessment of the European Social Fund
programme in Italy. It has been analysing and assessing the effects and
added value of the ESF co-financed policies in Italy since 1995.

The main objective of the evaluation activities is to provide ongoing
assistance to national and regional policy makers in their choices for
developing human capital, providing continual information on the main
effects produced by the co-financed interventions and on the factors
that could influence them.
Approach to Evaluation
Our Evaluation Strategy is founded:
on a multidimensional approach….
1.
Multilevel: different levels of programming –
central and local
1.
Multifocus: input, process, output and outcomes
1.
Multidisciplinary: different disciplinary fields
1.
Participatory: involvement of stakeholders and
policy makers
Approach to Evaluation
… based on three key
tools…
1. A central/local
monitoring system
2.
3.
A common set of
indicators
A classification
system for policybased
interventions
… entailing a threestage process
1. Preparatory actions
for constructing the
monitoring and
evaluation system
2.
3.
Implementing
specific evaluations
Actions for
disseminating an
evaluation culture
The activities undertaken
The National ESF Evaluation Unit operates at two levels:
STRATEGIC

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defining common standards to
produce coherent physical
indicators at central and local
level
creating basic knowledge at
central and local level to monitor
programmes and to assess the
effects generated by their
implementation
OPERATIONAL



defining evaluation and
monitoring methods on some Esf
priorities
developing and disseminating
the evaluation culture on a
national and European level


implementation of the National
Evaluation System ex italian QSN
implementation of the National
Monitoring System managed by the
Ministry of Economy
managing National Working Groups
with italian Regions on Esf priorities,
such as physical monitoring of Esf
interventions, evaluation of
occupational impacts, quality
assessment for the vocational training
system
evaluation of Esf interventions to
support workers and enterprises
regular dissemination of the main
results of the acrivities undertaken
(both for policy makers and public
opinion)
Area’s activities in ESF 2000-2006
Evaluation of the European Social Fund

Mid-term and final evaluation of the Objective 3 Community Support
Framework (Northern and Central Italy)

Evaluation of occupational outcomes of ESF-supported interventions for
preventing and remedying unemployment

Impact assessment of ESF-supported training for workers

Evaluation of interventions for promoting equal opportunities between
men and women
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Evaluation of quality of the vocational training system

Evaluative survey on outcomes of higher training courses in Southern
Italy
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Analysis of progress of ESF cofinanced policies nationwide

Monitoring of public calls for tender and announcements issued by
central, regional and provincial administrations

Participation in the National Evaluation System promoted by the Ministry
of the Economy and Finance (southern Italy)
SOME RESULTS OF FINAL EVALUATION CSF OB. 3
Differences among beneficiaries of the interventions
Gender

Equal proportion of men and women participating in the interventions

Less women participated in the social inclusion policies and in the policies
for fostering the competitiveness of employers and employees.
Other features of the target-groups (age, level of education, occupational status)
The European Social Fund gives opportunities to different users, such as:
•
People less than 19 years old to over 44
•
People with a low level of education
•
Students, unemployed and workers
People over 44 participate less
SOME RESULTS OF FINAL EVALUATION CSF OB. 3:
ACHIEVEMENT OF STRATEGICAL PRIORITIES

Achievement of equal opportunities and social equity (target
analysis)

European Social Fund interventions have benefited 16% of
people looking for a job and 24% of young people risking
dropping out (coverage rate)

66 % of people (and 63 % of women) who participated in ESF
interventions are employed in the labour market after one
year from the end of the interventions (analysis of placement)

Increased job opportunities for people involved in ESF
interventions (first impacts)
Main results at system level

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Operational evaluation system at both a
central and local level
Evaluation system tailored to policies and
effects to be considered (input, output,
outcomes, impacts)
Evaluation activities based on the partnership
principle (national working groups)

Promotion of an evaluation culture among all
actors involved
ESF Programming Period 2007-2013
The National ESF Evaluation Unit participates in national working
groups dealing with monitoring and evaluation:
the National Evaluation System as indicated in the National
Strategic Framework (QSN), common indicators, ESF monitoring,
Evaluation design and ESF Permanent Table, etc.
The National Operational Programme (PON):
- puts much emphasis on monitoring and evaluation of ESF as well
as of all human resources development policies.
- entrusts ISFOL with the technical coordination and
methodological proposals and tools in the field of monitoring and
evaluation as well as evaluation activities of ESF cofinanced
interventions.
Evaluation functions during the 2007-2013 period
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There are no rigid deadlines for evaluations and it is not
necessary to evaluate all OPs.
On-going evaluations will be carried out according to the
Managing Authorities and the European Commission needs.
The two main functions are:

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Strategic: evaluating the contribution of OP’s to reaching the social
and economic cohesion objectives (policy objectives)
Operational: “evaluation linked to monitoring”, when monitoring
systems will identify problems.
The National Evaluation System according to the QSN
In the paragraph on “Organisation of the methodological support to the quality
of the evaluation process” the QSN states that…
The National Evaluation System (NES) towards a joint regional policy:
supports the quality of the evaluation processes in order to build an evaluation
capacity and to held disseminate an evaluation culture;
offers guidelines on the evaluation and self-evaluation organisation and processes, on
the evaluation plans and on the dissemination of results through meetings, debates,
and document production;
supports the definition, revision and implementation of the evaluation plans and
sustains the evaluation and self-evaluation processes upon request of the
administrations and of their institutional or social partners;
monitors the evaluation processes and reports on the results of those activities on a
regular basis;
promotes, commits, carries out and pursues studies on the evaluation themes;
stimulates an high level debate between actors responsible for regional policies and
for their evaluations together with other actors (public, private and non governmental)
operating in the national and international debate on evaluation and development.
Thanks for your attention
Stefano Volpi
Isfol – Human Resources Policies Evaluation Area
Tel. +39 06 85447216
e-mail [email protected]