ESF Community Learning Grants in the North West Information Event: Lancaster 11 February 2014

ESF Community Learning Grants in the North West Welcome & Introductions What is the European Social Fund? What is the WEA? Overview of ESF Community Learning Grants Programme Application Process Dates Q&A Contact Details

What is the European Social Fund?

The European Social Fund (ESF) is the main financial tool through which the European Union translates its strategic employment policy aims into action. The European Social Fund (ESF) was set up to improve employment opportunities in the European Union and so help raise standards of living. It aims to help people fulfil their potential by giving them better skills and better job prospects.

ESF aims to improve employment opportunities in the European Union by providing financial support towards running costs of vocational training schemes, guidance and counselling projects, job creation measures other steps to improve the employability and skills of both employed and unemployed people

How ESF is managed The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has overall responsibility for ESF funds in England DWP manages the England ESF programme at a national level and liaises with the European Commission in Brussels Each region has its own ESF allocation to fund projects to address its regional jobs and skills needs, within the framework of the two priorities in the England ESF programme

European Social Fund: funding priorities Priority 1 - Extending Employment Opportunities The objective of Priority 1 is to increase employment and to reduce unemployment and inactivity. It will help to tackle barriers to work faced by disadvantaged groups such as people with disabilities and health conditions, lone parents and other disadvantaged parents, older workers, ethnic minorities, and people with no or low qualifications. It will also aim to reduce the numbers of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET).

European Social Fund: funding priorities Priority 2 - Developing a Skilled and Adaptable Workforce: The objective of Priority 2 is to develop a skilled and adaptable workforce by; reducing the number of people without basic skills; Increasing the number of people qualified to level 2 and, where justified, to level 3; Reducing gender segregation in the workforce Developing managers and workers in small enterprises There will be a particular focus on the low skilled

Target Groups In Priority 1 resources are focused on helping people who are unemployed or have become inactive in the labour market. In particular, it focuses on people who are most likely to face disadvantage or discrimination. In Priority 2 resources are focused on people in the workforce who lack basic skills or good qualifications. In particular, it focuses on those who are least likely to receive training. ESF Community Grants are part of Priority 1

More information about ESF:

ESF Community Learning Grants in the North West Ian McHugh Project Manager, WEA (Grant Coordinating Body) February 2014

What is WEA?  WORKERS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION  National charity with committee democratically elected by members- established in  UK’s largest voluntary adult educational provider  Each year we run over 10,000 courses with over 100,000 enrolments.  We deliver all our courses through community partnerships.  Our NW region – Cumbria, Lancashire, Cheshire, Merseyside and Greater Manchester with offices in Manchester, Liverpool & Workington.

What is ESF? European Social Fund - 2 main priorities  1) extending employment opportunities: helping those furthest from labour market to get into work  2) developing a skilled and adaptable workforce: improving skills and productivity of those in work

WEA role as ESF Grant Coordinating Body  Develop & manage ESF Community Grants Programme in NW on behalf of the Skills Funding Agency (SFA)  In partnership with Locality, VOLA & Community Matters  Develop & publicise application process: ensure programme supports and reaches the communities and individuals who most need it

ESF Community Learning Grants  Grants of between £1,000 - £13,500  To support some of the hardest to reach communities and individuals  To help people access further learning or training that could lead to employment  Available from January 2014 until July 2015, with 3 funding rounds  Merseyside - £728,000 (£266, )  Rest of NorthWest - £2,860,000 (£1,482,000)

Who benefits?  Unemployed individuals – access to learning and support that improves employability (progression towards the labour market)  Organisations who apply – ESF Community Learning Grants can be a route to developing your ability to deliver employment and skills activities

Who can apply for funding?  Aimed at small constituted community and voluntary groups, registered charities & and charitable companies (limited by guarantee).  Organisations with income of no more than £300,000 per year (excluding donations and other fundraising) in last financial year….  And employing no more than 9 FTE staff  Social enterprises such as Community Interest Companies (CIC) can apply so long as surpluses used for community benefit.

What activities can the grants pay for?  Help with developing basic skills  Confidence building  Personal development  Taster work experience  Voluntary work  Training, advice and guidance  Job search assistance  Accredited learning

Some examples of projects so far  Training kitchen for homeless young people (Macclesfield)  Film and media training for women with low self esteem (Barrow)  Training in furniture workshop for people with learning difficulties (Bury)  Support in overcoming barriers for prolific ex-offenders (St.Helens)

ESF Target Group & Priority Groups  The ESF Target Group – unemployed or economically inactive people 19 years & over from hardest to reach communities.  Not limited to particular geographical areas - pockets of need throughout the region  Within the target group, 5 particular priority groups identified

ESF Priority Groups  Women  People with disabilities or health conditions (including learning difficulties, mental health, drug & alcohol dependency)  People aged 50 & over and seeking employment  Lone parents  Black & Minority Ethnic communities However, applications need not be limited to those groups – could be e.g , homeless, ex- offenders, other adults underrepresented in labour market

ESF Community Learning Grants in the North West Alycia Hanson Project Administrator WEA (Grant Coordinating Body) February Application Process (Round 5) 2.Capacity Building

1.1 Application process Eligibility Assessment online Application by (electronic version) by 9am Monday 31 March 2014 Hard copy application including supporting documents – by recorded delivery post by 4pm Friday 4 April 2014 Gateway – checking for incomplete or ineligible application forms

1.2 Application process Supporting Evidence Required – 6 items Constitution Previous year’s accounts Annual Report Health & Safety Policy Equality & Diversity Policy Adult Safeguarding Policy Scoring Process – 5 Independent Panels Recommendations to Project Steering Group

1.3 Common Application Mistakes Not meeting the eligibility criteria Not fully completing the forms Not enough evidence of demand for proposed activity Budget not clearly defined Learning activity to be delivered (or benefit to learner) not clearly identified Looking for contribution for existing work – must be seen as something ADDITIONAL

1.4 If you are not successful We will offer:  Outline feedback from panel on why not successful  Advice available from our partners  Access to Capacity Building support

1.5 If you are successful  Visit to your Learning Venue  Induction Workshop  Grant Offer Letter  Learner records  Financial records  Report, Evaluation & Case Studies  Capacity Building Support

2.What is Capacity Building ? additional support up to £1,500 on offer to both funded groups and unsuccessful applicants  Training for organisations rather than individual beneficiaries  To ‘improve delivery to ESF priority groups’  Wide in scope, but could include e.g.:  Developing the quality of your teaching and learning  Development of accreditation for your courses  Gearing up to bid for contracts

Finding out more  Frequently asked questions (FAQ), examples of previous projects and guidance on how to apply all available from NW WEA online  Application form can be downloaded if you pass basic eligibility assessment  Workshops & events to advertise the funding & help potential applicants  Help from our partners Community Matters, VOLA & Locality

Round 5  Opens Friday 31 st January 2014  Closes Monday 31 st March - 9am  Notified by Friday 2 nd May  Visited by Friday 16 th May  Induction workshops w/b 19 th May  Funds available from start of June  Funding to be spent by end May 2015

Round 6  Opens Monday 26 th May 2014  Closes Monday 7 th July - 9am  Notified by Friday 1 st August  Visited by Friday 15 th August  Induction workshops w/b 18 August  Funds available from start of Sept.  Funding to be spent by end May 2015

Round 7  Opens Monday 1 st September 2014  Closes Monday 27 th October - 9am  Notified by Friday 21 st November  Visited by Friday 5th December  Induction workshops w/b 8 th Dec.  Funds available from start Jan  Funding to be spent by end May 2015

ESF Community Learning Grants in the North West Question & Answer Session

 ESF Grants Team, WEA North West Region, 4 th floor, Crawford House, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9GH   Tel: / 5408 /5415   Contact Details: