NHS European Office Accessing EU structural fundingMichael Wood, European Policy Manager

14th August

What we will discuss

• Brief background to EU structural funds

• Top priorities for promoting employment and supporting labour mobility; social inclusion; and skills

• The kinds of activities it can support

• The timetable

• What should LETBs do next

• Useful reading

• Any questions

European Structural & Investment Funds:

Opportunities for LETBS

Wednesday 14th August 2013

Kevin Richardson

Department for Business, Innovation & Skills

Quick overview of EU SIF Covers European Regional Development Funds (ERDF)

and European Social Funds (ESF) - €6bn across England from 2014-2020

Supports economic and social development projects – differ from other EU funds in that administered at national level

Funds to be used at a local level to increase their combined impact alongside other local public and private investments

Top Priorities • access to employment for job-seekers and inactive people,

including local employment initiatives and support for labour mobility;

• sustainable integration of young people into the labour market, in particular those not in employment, education or training

• 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

Some examples of eligible activities (1) • Providing additional or more intensive support to help people to

move towards work, enter work (including self-employment), and to progress in work

• Additional and innovative approaches to pre-employment training.

• Additional support for long-term unemployed people, including those who have left the Work Programme, and including new approaches to work experience and training.

• Providing additional support to specific target groups such as people with disabilities or health barriers (including mental health issues), people with caring responsibilities, lone parents, ethnic minorities, ex-service personnel, ex-offenders and those from households with inter-generational worklessness.

Some examples of eligible activities (2)

• Reducing the number of young people not in employment, education, or training, and those at risk of disengaging (including through engagement and preparation activities, access to apprenticeships, and personal coaching).

• Skills support for apprenticeships and traineeships (but not direct funding of training or wage costs) including improvements to the recruitment, assessment and facilities for training.

Some examples of eligible activities (3)

• Support for intermediate, technical and high level vocational provision for the unemployed and for career progression.

• Supporting low skilled people in low paid work to help them progress.

• Support for intermediate, technical and higher level skills for specific industries for industries and sectors identified as driving growth in local economies in support of other relevant thematic objectives.

Timetable 7th October – LEPs send first draft Investment

Strategies; to include a) allocation of cash by theme b) indicative types of activity and c) approach to collaboration across boundaries

End Jan ’14 LEPs submit final drafts for approval; likely to include specific proposals for projects

Summer ’14 – programme opens and projects formally appraised, offer letters issued and spend starts

Note. LEP Investment Strategies will change through time; process yet to be identified

What should LETBs do next? Talk to LEPs !! – be part of local consultative process

Talk to AHSNs !! – they should already be talking to LEPs, work out how you can both develop bids

Identify potential scale & scope of possible activities

Make clear basis for collaboration across LEP boundaries

Build / share? EU funding expertise

Useful reading• European Commission guide to Social Innovation –

February 2013• Government’s preliminary guidance to Local Enterpri

se Partnerships – April 2013

• NHS European Office briefing – June 2013• LEP to LETB allocations – June 2013• Supplementary guidance to LEPs – July 2013• Framework of European Growth Programme prioritie

s, background analysis – July 2013

• Individual LEP websites• The LEP Network interactive map

Any Questions?

• Keep in touch as you build and establish your relationships with LEPs..........

Kevin.richardson@bis.gsi.gov.uk 07990 787999

Michael.wood@nhsconfed.org 07872 604109