Welcome to the European Social Fund (ESF) bulletin for Voluntary and Community Organisations (VCOs) in Dorset and Swindon & Wiltshire. This bulletin summarises current ESF developments, with the intention of connecting regional policy makers with frontline VCOs. In addition, this bulletin will also provide other relevant policy updates and information that might be of interest to you.
This bulletin was prepared by Marisa McClelland, Voluntary Value, The Learning Curve, and enabled through support from the European Social Fund and South West Regional Development Agency. Your feedback on the style and content of the bulletin are very welcome. A copy of this bulletin will be sent out to you monthly by email, if you have any queries or wish to be removed from the emailing list – please contact Marisa directly, details at the end of this page.
In addition, a regional event will be held in the autumn and a series of more local events will also be held in order to provide practical support and information to organisations in Dorset, Swindon & Wiltshire. More information will be supplied in due course.
Modernisation Fund
The Government’s £16.5 million ‘Real Help for Communities’ Modernisation Fund will help third sector organisations be more resilient to the impact of the economic downturn. It is focused on helping organisations providing services to those worst hit by the recession.
Modernisation Fund website
Locally, this fund is being administered by:
Regional conference for voluntary and community organisations engaged with ESF
To ensure strong voluntary sector input into the refresh of the ESF Regional Framework, South West Forum will be organising an event in October 09 focusing on the role of VCOs in ESF delivery in the South West. Please let Simon Charters at South West Forum know how the event could be of most use to you - please email your feedback to Simon Charters
In preparation for this event, a short report will be published highlighting both the good work delivered and the challenges faced by VCOs who engage with ESF in the South West. The criteria for these case studies will be included in the next bulletin, but if you have a strong case study or ‘lesson learnt’ that you would like to bring forward, please do so by contacting Simon.
National Offender Management Service awarded ESF co-financing status
The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) now joins the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) as the principal agencies for administering ESF funds. £4.3 million will be available in the South West (Competitiveness*) area for developing the employability of offenders and ex-offenders to help them enter the labour market. Priority groups include women, substance misusers, people with disabilities and other health conditions, people with learning disabilities and black and minority ethnic people.
Significant involvement of VCO providers with strong local engagement and capacity to reach excluded groups is expected.
Initial contracting is likely to be for 2009 to 2011. As with the LSC tendering process, those interested in delivering a NOMS ESF project will have to fill in a Pre Qualification Questionnaire (PQQ). Although PQQ applications should have been submitted by the end of March (for NOMS), South West Forum understands that this system is flexible and that the door is very much open. NOMS intends to call a meeting in the South West for all those interested in the opportunities available.
Clinks, which supports VCOs that work with offenders and their families, is working with South West Forum to link into the NOMS ESF offer. Mark Ellery is the Regional Partnership Development Manager for NOMS.
European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion (2010)
The European Commission (EC) has designated 2010 as the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion. The Department for Work and Pensions will lead on activity in the run up to and during the year, and the success of ESF in combating poverty by extending employment opportunities will feature strongly.
*The whole SW region EXCEPT Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
For grassroots VCOs who are uniquely placed to combat poverty, this commitment by the EC creates a useful lobbying opportunity. The European Social Fund – which lists ‘social inclusion’ as one of its principal objectives – will be scrutinised for the success that it delivers.
A more in-depth overview of the EC’s objectives in relation to this initiative is available on the ESF website (120KB PDF). All suggestions are welcome as to how Voluntary and Community Organisations should respond to this announcement.
2010: Contracting for the second half of the ESF Programme
The time is right for VCOs to start influencing the framework for the second half of the ESF programme, due to run from 2010-2013. Many ESF contracts for the first half of the programme (2007-2010) will shortly be up for renewal.
The spending priorities will be guided by the Regional ESF Strategic Framework, which will be presented for consultation this autumn. Amongst others, South West Forum will be responding to this consultation: what do you want us to say?
ESF Division has advised that although it will be impossible to change the commissioning and co-financing procedures, there is scope for more of a focus on social inclusion. With 2010 designated as the European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion, South West Forum considers this to be a priority.
South West links to national ESF delivery
South West Forum is seeking to widen access of VCO groups to ESF funding and is closely working with other regional representatives in England to pursue this.
Funded by the ESF, the Third Sector European Network (TSEN) meets monthly to share developments and best practice, in order to feed Voluntary and Community Organisations perspectives into the national Programme Monitoring Committee for the ESF.
New LSC tender opportunity
The Learning and Skills Council will be promoting a new round of tendering opportunities in early June 09, for which providers with PQQ status will be able to apply. Of the four tender opportunities, the ‘Apprenticeships’ stream is of particular relevance: the specification will allow for one prime provider to manage the allocation of apprenticeship support funds, for which individual VCOs will be eligible to apply. Contracting is likely to start in August 09.
The other LSC streams opened for tender include Skills for Life (a re-tendering of a February 09 funding stream), Sustainability and Design and Innovation. The process for applying for funds is described on the LSC website for ESF funding opportunities
LSC Re-Structuring
At the time of writing, it is unclear how the re-structuring of the LSC will affect its delivery of ESF co-financing arrangements, other than to say that the newly-formed Skills Funding Agency is likely to play a key role.
There have been further changes around the Machinery of Government as detailed below
‘The Government has today created a new Department for Business, Innovation and Skills whose key role will be to build Britain’s capabilities to compete in the global economy. The Department will be created by merging BERR and DIUS.
This will create a single department committed to building Britain’s future economic strengths. To compete in a global economy and create the jobs of the future Britain requires a regulatory environment that encourages enterprise, skilled people, innovation, and world-class science and research’. eGov monitor website accessed 9 June 2009
NIACE are running a series of regional stakeholder events throughout June and July regarding the Machinery of Government (MoG) – new Pre and Post 16 landscape. The aim of the event is to:
- inform providers and other stakeholders about the transition arrangements and timetables for moving into the new structure;
- provide an opportunity for participants to ask questions and put forward views;
- provide a forum for discussion of working practices and approaches to make the structures work well in the interests of learners and providers and to meet regional skills needs; and
- provide an opportunity for informal networking with DIUS and regional colleagues.
These events are free and bookings are taken on a first come first served basis.
For more information please visit NIACE Events website
