EQUAL Final Conference Promoting the Lisbon agenda: partnership, transnationality and innovation Walter Faber June 19, 2008

What is EQUAL? A 6 years programme Objective: to overcome social exclusion and discrimination: in the workplace, in accessing employment A 6 years programme An ESF investment of more than € 3bn More than 3,000 partnerships with more than 20,000 partners Reached over 200,000 disadvantaged people

The innovative design of EQUAL Social innovation Learning from other countries Gender mainstreaming Partnerships

The Lisbon reform Agenda calls for partnerships at all levels " to facilitate and speed up delivery of the reforms needed to boost growth and employment". Partnership "must bring solid added value if it is to produce tangible and swift results". Factors for success - Mobilise the different players to work together - Ensure that the reform objectives and issues are taken on board by all stakeholders

Innovation Results in Shared problem view Confidence in the advantages of innovative solutions Tested good practice Acceptance, mobilisation and commitment of key stakeholders

What innovative partnerships between strategic stakeholders achieved Sustainable bridges and interfaces to facilitate transition between institutions and work environments school  apprenticeship  work unemployment  work prison  (self-) employment inactivity/parental leave work informal work  self-employment migration work full-time work  part-time work form caring family members/ friends work and training work retirement combining work with lifelong learning reconciling work with family/private life

Sustainability of Innovations Sustainable innovations have to demonstrate that they are suitable approaches feasible solutions acceptable to the assisted target groups, administrations and stakeholders Continuous encouragement and support - EQUAL results should not be stored in an ESF museum!

Transnational cooperation under the ESF 2007 -2013 Total budget of dedicated priorities: 1,43 billion € Estimated total budget for transnational and interregional cooperation: 3 billion € Popular themes for transnational cooperation: disadvantaged, discrimination, diversity gender and work/life balance LLL in firms, entrepreneurship and innovation promoting partnerships Improving human capital: Reforms in education and training systems