EU Structural and Investment Fund Growth Programme Social Inclusion

Marches LEP and area’s voluntary sector infrastructure organisations wish to work together to determine how partnership working can maximise implementation of new Structural Investment Fund (SIF) funding priorities.

In particular to consider cross LEP working to design a commissioning approach that will maximise the delivery of social value and generate an approach to LEP commissioning that will ensure agreed priorities are delivered against the future LEP Strategic Plan.

Introductions  Specialists  DWP  Cabinet Office  Funding Team  Big Lottery

Aims of the workshop  Present key national and regional drivers around social inclusion  Consider the EU Structural Investment Fund priorities relating to social inclusion  LEP commissioning against these priorities  Existing & planned national programmes currently addressing social inclusion  Models of delivery and examples of best/emergent practice  SWOT analysis  Working together  Next steps

EUROPEAN STRUCTURAL AND INVESTMENT FUNDS ESIF

Delivery Track Record: Delivering public services worth £11.2 billion Volunteering as alternative source of value worth £23bn Creating employment opportunities -priority for 30% of SEs Scale and Reach: 900,00 Organisations UK social economy estimated to contribute over 4% of GDP Contributes over 5% employment (more than ICT or Finance & Insurance sectors Partnerships: Used to working with private sector - 47% of Work Programme supply chain Commercial skills and codes of practice Transforming Local Infrastructure Focus: Value driven Tackling some of the most complex, and costly social problems Often in the most (relatively) disadvantaged areas Specialist delivery

Structural and Investment Funds (SIF)

EU Structural and Investment Funds European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Research, innovation, business development (including SE ) and infrastructure investment European Social Fund (ESF) Training, enhancing access to employment and social inclusion 20% Social Inclusion European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), Will be aligned with the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF). This funding should begin to come on stream in mid

Social Inclusion  European Context  The Europe 2020 strategy has a goal of promoting social inclusion, in particular through the reduction of poverty;  To lift at least 20milion people across the EU out of the risk of poverty and social exclusion  National Policy Context  Governments Strategy for Social Justice “ Social Justice: Transforming Lives” sets out the commitment to giving individuals and families facing multiple disadvantage the support and tools they need to turn their lives around.

Social Inclusion: National Policy Context  Focus on Prevention and early intervention Concentrating interventions on recovery and independence, not maintenance Promoting work for those who can as the most sustainable route out of poverty, while offering unconditional support to those who are severely disabled and cannot work Recognising that the most effective solutions will be designed and delivered at a local level Ensuring that interventions provide a fair deal for the taxpayer

Social Inclusion: National Policy Context This strategy is backed up by the Social Justice Outcomes Framework Sets out specific priorities within the Social Justice Strategy which identifies those working at the local community level, from public, voluntary and community, and social enterprise sectors as well placed to identify and drive forward the solutions that are needed Welfare Reform, tax free childcare for working families, Commission on Childcare, Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission, Troubled Families Programme

 The draft 2013 EU Country Specific Recommendations to the UK include:  ‘Step up measures to facilitate the labour market integration of people from jobless households. Ensure that planned welfare reforms do not translate into increased child poverty. Fully implement measures aiming to facilitate access to childcare services.’

Social Inclusion Priorities

EU Structural & Investment Funds Core Themes CORE THEMES Minimum spending levels at national level required by the regulations Less Developed Regions Transition Regions (Shropshire) More Developed Regions Employment At least 60% ESF must be spent on up to 4 sub- priorities within these themes At least 70% ESF must be spent on up to 4 sub- priorities within these themes At least 80% ESF must be spent on up to 4 sub- priorities within these themes Skills Social Inclusion (at least 20% value of ESF)

Thematic Objectives  For ESF (but ERDF can also be used as well)  TO 8: Promoting Employment and Supporting Labour Mobility  TO 9: Promoting Social Inclusion and Combating Poverty  TO10: Investing in Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning  Due to the European requirement for at least 80% of European Social Fund to be focused on four investment priorities in more developed areas (and at least 70% and 60% in transition and less developed areas respectively) for thematic objectives 8,9 and 10, Local Enterprise Partnerships are encouraged to focus on activities that would align with the following investment priorities: 16

Investment Priorities Access to employment for job-seekers and inactive people, including local employment initiatives and support for labour mobility. Sustainable integration of young people, in particular those not in employment, education or training into the labour market. Active inclusion in particular with a view to improving employability Enhancing access to lifelong learning, upgrading the skills and competences of the workforce and increasing the labour market relevance of education and training systems; including improving the quality of vocational education and training and the establishment and development of work-based learning and apprenticeship schemes such as dual learning systems 17

How does it all fit together  Important to remember that Social Inclusion is cross cutting and will fit with other ESIF Priorities:  TO 1- Innovation - skills, technical and higher level workforce  TO 2 ICT- capacity, work placements  TO 3 SME & Competitiveness- internships, specific programmes, HLA  TO 4 Low Carbon- skills/ employment opportunities, land management  TO 5 Climate Change Adaptation training, watercourse, flood, protection  TO 6 Environmental Protection, habitat restoration, NEETS, Active Citizens, recycling  TO 7 Sustainable Transport-skills, drivers, qualifications bespoke training 18

Community Led Local Development Community Led Local Development is a method of using European Structural and Investment Funds in a way which is focused on smaller areas, usually much smaller than the average Local Enterprise Partnership area, and typically through small local community projects. It is based on a partnership of public, private and civil society contributors that come together to form a Local Action Group and deliver change for their area through a Local Development Strategy. This is similar to the Leader20 approach but open to non- rural as well as rural areas. 19

BLF and “opt in” Match Funding All projects resourced from the European Regional Development Fund and/ or the European Social Fund will require “match funding”, as only a proportion of the total project costs will be paid by European funds. The opt-in model works by national programmes/ organisations offering a mechanism for the delivery of Local Enterprise Partnership priorities and/ or the provision of eligible match funding. In relation to social inclusion activities, Government asks Local Enterprise Partnerships to opt-in to the offer from the Big Lottery Fund unless they are able to find and set out alternative sources of match funding for these activities. 20

Local priorities West Midlands data information:  Economy  Employment land  Employment  Housing  Poverty  Health Centre for Local Government – West Midlands May 2013

Discussion Having considered the national and regional drivers, and the EU Structural Investment Fund priorities relating to social inclusion:  What are the implications for the Marches LEP?  What might need to be considered?

Commissioning cycle Understand - recognise local outcomes, needs, resources and priorities and agree what the desired end product should be. Involves shaping with service users and with providers. Plan- map out and consider different ways of addressing the needs identified. How can they be addressed effectively, efficiently, equitably and in a sustainable way? Do – make decisions based on the appropriate action identified in the ‘plan’ section; opportunities for collaboration or partnerships need to be considered Review – monitor service delivery against expected outcomes and report how well it is doing against the plan

LEP commissioning against these priorities POSSIBILITIESPITFALLS ProvidersCommissionersProvidersCommissioners

Addressing social inclusion in the Marches How are we currently addressing social inclusion? What is planned?

BREAK

Models of delivery  How are we currently addressing social inclusion?  What is planned?  What models are known and what best/emergent practice do we know about?  What is not known?  What areas are we unsure of?  Where do we need further research?

Readiness of the VCS to deliver projects STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES OPPORTUNITIES THREATS

Working together  What themes could be worked on together?  Cross LEPs?  Cross boundary?

What next?  What tasks need to be completed/undertaken before engaging more fully with the sector?  Who needs to do these tasks?  What does the LEP need to do next? Identify: Key actions and who will do them.