ESF Innovation, Transnationality & Mainstreaming Evaluation workshop Birmingham, 28 Sep 2010 Getting value from transnationality Toby Johnson AEIDL, Brussels 1

Value of transnationality Commission support 2  Learning for Change 13 networks among ESF managing authorities:  inclusive entrepreneurship, social economy, youth, migrants & ethnic minorities, ex-offenders, age, asylum seekers  empowerment & inclusion, partnership, transnationality, administrative capacity-building, results-based management, gender mainstreaming  Common methodologies 7 chapters: planning, consolidating, online networking, peer reviews, evidence, mainstreaming, evaluation

Value of transnationality Flanders: 3 goals for transnationality 3  To stimulate and support innovations through exchange of research, technical and practical techniques and experience  To validate and disseminate knowledge and experience, as a result of which we can avoid duplication of investments  to increase the capacity of the participating administrations and organisations

Value of transnationality Flanders: 4 types of transnational co-operation 4 1. ESF authorities: exchange of experience, practice and ideas concerning the preparation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all elements of the Lisbon process in general and those of the ESF in particular. 2. Organisations or geographical partnerships: cross-border matters concerning the development of the labour market, but can also relate to broader matters of cooperation. 3. Thematic networking concerning specific topics or problems. Several stakeholders or groups with a specific interest can cooperate on several topical themes. 4. Projects: cooperation such as the one organised under EQUAL in the period individuals?

Benefits for ESF trainees 5  enhanced vocational skills  language and communication skills  understanding training & employment situations in other countries   re-evaluation of their own situation and maybe  higher motivation  higher ambitions  contacts to get work

Benefits for project staff 6  improved methods  new language, communication & problem- solving skills  raised self-confidence  a mirror: raised awareness of strengths & weaknesses of their national systems & own institution   re-evaluation of their own situation

Benefits for project promoters - operational benefits 7  learning new ideas  expert opinions on one’s own products  extending & improving existing courses, materials & methods  pooling expertise to jointly create new products  finding new business partners  acquiring new skills  enhancing capacities through joint research

Benefits for project promoters - strategic benefits 8  build contacts  access to European networks & markets  stay at the cutting edge  benchmarking: contrast approaches in different countries  better understanding of policy developments  status & reputation as open-minded innovators  spin-off: ideas for future projects

Benefits for managing authorities 9  underpins reform in employment & social policy  cost-effectiveness: transfer is cheaper than reinvention impact is maximised (ICDL used in 148 countries)  speeds up social innovation

Value of transnational co-operation among EQUAL projects 10  better understanding of legal & institutional contexts  better dissemination of innovative results  ability to transfer social innovations  develop true European mindset  establish formal & informal networks  Ruth Santos, An investment in Europe’s present and future: the added value of transnational co-operation at project level under EQUAL. Ecotec, 2005

Extracting added value from transnationality 11 Learning Networks Seminar, June 2010, Brussels  be clear with potential partners define what you want to get out of it define what you are able to put into it  link it to a change you wish to bring about this defines what you need to learn

Evidence-based policy Is it scientific? 12  public policy informed by rigorously established objective evidence  issues: complex & changing environmental conditions are irreproducible control groups are difficult to compare ethics (guinea pigs) policy cycle too short

What is “evidence”? Definition & usage 13  “that which can be seen” (Latin)  a physical trace of an event (law)  a fact that enables you to tell whether or not an assertion is true (science)  something that tells you whether or not a policy is working, or is likely to work if scaled up and mainstreamed (policy)

Collecting evidence Types of indicators 14  input or activity indicators costs  output indicators direct effects  result or output indicators consequent changes in behaviour  impact indicators wider socio-economic effects (usually too early to say)

Collecting evidence Relationship among levels of indicators 15

Collecting evidence Collection methods 16  hard evidence = statistics labour market & social statistics on Eurostat press articles previous policy & evaluations number of trainees, hours etc. immediate results  soft evidence = opinion surveys structured interview / call centre / focus group card exercise / exit questionnaire / vox populi online questionnaire omnibus survey

Presenting statistical evidence What is entrepreneurs’ experience of the business support services? (COPIE) 17

Presenting case evidence Scientific data collection  analytical case studies: enforce comparability show up weaknesses many sections can be compiled into a database may be suitable for Wikipedia (neutral, notable, referenced & encyclopaedic in style)  use for working data 18 Learning Networks Seminar, June 2010, Brussels

Presenting case evidence A good story 19 Learning Networks Seminar, June 2010, Brussels

Presenting case evidence Journalistic case studies – content  catchy title  context & problem  main actors & key messages  describe the interesting parts of the activity  how key principles were applied (e.g. in EQUAL: empowerment, innovation, partnership, transnationality & mainstreaming)  use for final publication 20 Learning Networks Seminar, June 2010, Brussels

Presenting case evidence Journalistic case studies – format  not too long  make it easy to select & skip: headline standfirst crossheads keywords  photos & diagrams 21 Learning Networks Seminar, June 2010, Brussels

Presenting arguments Policy brief 22 Learning Networks Seminar, June 2010, Brussels

Presenting arguments Policy brief contents  title  problem  relevance – to policy and to people  the solutions that have been tested what made the difference what underlying principles are proven hard facts & figures  lessons learned  policy recommendation 23 Learning Networks Seminar, June 2010, Brussels

Elevator pitch – 6 steps to proving the value of transnationality 1. define what value you wish to obtain 2. design the project to deliver that value 3. define at the outset what change you wish to bring about 4. work out what evidence will demonstrate that change 5. collect the data (before & after) 6. present it effectively Learning Networks Seminar, June 2010, Brussels 24