21 November 2011 Unlocking Effective EU Resources How to maximise the use of ESF Sandra Turner

Content ESF : overview Accessing ESF The way forward post

ESF in England Monetary Value Over £2.5 billion ESF + £2.5 billion national funding Convergence Objective in Cornwall & Isle of Scilly (£164 m) Regional Competitiveness and Employment Objective for the rest of England (£2.4billion) CO- FINANCED by national CFOs e.g. DWP, Skills Funding Agency and NOMS & local CFOS (e.g. local authorities) To support: The unemployed & most disadvantaged enter and remain in the labour market Workforce skills development CSOs participation in the programme through Technical Assistance funds Innovative solutions through the ITM programme Small CSOs through Community Grants Programme The reduction of poverty and promotion of social justice

England : Priority 1: extending employment opportunities; Priority 2: developing a skilled and adaptable workforce; Priority 3: Technical Assistance Cornwall: Priority 4: tackling barriers to employment; Priority 5: Improving the skills of the local workforce; Priority 6: Technical Assistance

ESF & changing policy context Lisbon Strategy for Growth and Jobs ( ) Focus on growth, competitiveness and 80% employment rate Close alignment with domestic strategies on employment and skills Explicit focus on efficiency (hard outcomes vs. soft outcomes) From direct bidding to co-finance to Open Competitive Tendering The economic crisis (2008) Increased participation of those closer to labour market (JSA) vs. those furthest away (IB/IS ) as a direct result of the recession Europe 2020 (2010) for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth Cohesion policy: strategic report 2010: Progress on delivering the priority of social inclusion is slow ESF focus on Workless Families and Child Poverty reduction (NRP)

ESF : what opportunities for CSOs to engage? 1) As Sub-Contractors or a consortia DWP, Skills Funding Agency and NOMS Some opportunities through local authorities 2) Direct Access to ESF Community Grants Programme Some Opportunities through local authorities 3) Technical Assistance to support the sector participate but there is the on-going challenge of sourcing local match funding

Accessing ESF : national CFOs Skills Funding Agency aims to improve the employability and skills of employed and unemployed people by supporting education and vocational training schemes and learning for adults and young people (NEET) Department of Work and Pensions supports disadvantaged people claiming Incapacity Benefit or Income Support through voluntary participation in the Work Programme and the Programme for Families with Multiple Problems National Offender Management Service (NOMS) aims to enhance the employability prospects of offenders by bridging the existing gaps between offenders and mainstream education, skills and employment services before, during and after release from custody

Accessing ESF Procurement mechanisms: Skills Funding Agency Approved College and Training Organisations Register (ACTOR) & lead contractor model (Minimum Contract Value £500K) DWP Related Support Services Framework (ERSS) & prime contracting model National Offender Management Service (NOMS) procures funds through the prime contracting model

Accessing ESF Community Grants - Grants of £12K to help people access the labour market for small voluntary and community sector organisations Supporting a range of activities, aimed at assisting the disadvantaged or excluded to move closer to the labour market, focusing on individuals who have difficulty accessing ESF or mainstream provision outcomes Based on progression rather than achievement of jobs or qualifications Activities include first contact engagement, confidence building, help with basic skills, taster work experience, volunteering,training, advice, counselling, job search

Current issues in accessing ESF Larger contracts limit opportunities to access Imperfect relationships between primes and subs (contract design, capacity building, delays in payments, length of contracts, referrals volumes…) Demanding due diligence processes Provision narrow, prescriptive limited room for innovation Cherry picking, creaming and parking Payment by results model puts strain on cash flow Not enough rewarding of soft outcomes Risk of becoming mission-drift Difficulties in sourcing match funding for Technical Assistance

ESF The way forward Distinctive Place for CSOs in the Structural Funds A Social Inclusion Priority in ESF Targeted interventions & appropriate outcomes for those furthest away from the labour market Local Development, Social Innovation and Transnational dimension Enable more flexibility outside CFOs and the Work programme (e.g. Wales and Scotland) Enabling Funding Environment for direct access to the Structural Funds Expanded Global Grants Programme; Volunteer time as match funding in kind; Smaller contract packages Strategic involvement of CSOs in design, implementation and evaluation of the funds Accessibility of Technical Assistance Quality of Partnership Improved evaluation

21 November 2011 Unlocking Effective EU Resources Get in touch! Sandra Turner