Wales and Third Sector EU Funding

Government of Wales Act 1998 sets out the National Assembly’s legal obligations to the sector and how it proposes, in the exercise of its functions, to promote the interests of

relevant voluntary sector organisations:

• The third sector has secured £251.5 million

• It received 821 grants

• It created of at least 3,477 gross new direct jobs and at least 80 new indirect jobs

• It trained 19,000 participants and 200 trainers

Objective 12000 -06

• Strong links to Welsh Assembly Government policies and strategies

• More strategic approach to implementation

• Reduce no. of projects from 3,000 approved in the current round to around 500 through:

• Requirement that all EU-funded “delivery” work to be offered through open tender and procurement process

2006-13 Programmes

Solutions

As a result of this activity WCVA proposed and developed a number of key Third Sector Projects

• WCVA Third Sector European Team (3-SET)

• Intermediate Labour Market (ILM) Project

• Communities Investment Fund (CIF)

• Engagement Gateway

• Set up to enable small organisations to contribute to the programmes

• A flexible approach to achieving outcomes and an opportunity for innovation

• To contract with organisations that engage with economically inactive people and prepare them for sustainable employment

• To make a significant contribution to raising levels of employment and reducing economic inactivity in Wales

The Engagement Gateway

• By providing access to three levels of ESF funding from less than £25,000 to £150,000 via tendering / procurement processes

• Provide a supportive approach to those that may be new to tendering for services

• Allow organisations sufficient time for planning, decision making and drafting proposals

• Make decisions based on best overall value for money as opposed to lowest price

The Engagement Gateway

The Gateway currently has 330 members on its Approved Supplier list

The total project activity available is £27 million (inc match funding) across both Convergence and RCE,

The team has assessed 694 PQQs, 331 tenders and awarded 152 contracts

To date £15 million has been allocated

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Progress to date

•Building on experience with the Intermediate Labour Market WCVA has successfully

•Delivered 2100 Future Jobs Placements •Combined FJF and the ILM schemes to provide 300 -10month placements;

•Rolling out 12 Pilot ILMs focussed on 16-18 year olds

•Working with a range of potential Work Programme prime contractors in their development of their programmes

FurtherDevelopme

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