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Work, Benefits and Skills: the role of local government

Work, Benefits and Skills: the role of local government. Andrew Brooks Economic Regeneration 19 th January 2011. Purpose of Workshop. Show how Lincolnshire County Council has used ESF to add value to skills & training Highlight partnership working with other Local Authorities

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Work, Benefits and Skills: the role of local government

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  1. Work, Benefits and Skills: the role of local government Andrew Brooks Economic Regeneration 19th January 2011

  2. Purpose of Workshop • Show how Lincolnshire County Council has used ESF to add value to skills & training • Highlight partnership working with other Local Authorities • Show the real benefits of this approach • Look into the future to see what opportunities will be available for Local Authorities

  3. What started the ball rolling? • Key aspects • Good previous track record of ESF Delivery prior to 2007 • Momentum for increased regional working • Key buy-in at a Chief Exec level at 1st Tier Authorities in the East Midlands • Ability to pull together authorities delivery aspirations

  4. How does it work? • Lincolnshire County Council are the Lead Body within a Consortium • Joint Plan produced to engage support of both National Management Agency (NMA) & Regional Monitoring Committee • Joint Prospectus produced to engage providers • Each participating Local Authority delivers skills & training programme in their sub-regional area • LCC monitors & manages the programme & supports other local authorities in their management of projects • LCC submits claims to NMA

  5. What will the consortium be delivering? • Key outcomes of consortium activity include so far for 2007-10; • Delivery of a £8.4 million programme, drawing down £3.8 million of ESF • Supporting 1,736 individuals back along the road to economic activity & jobs • Delivering the up-skilling of 1,744 participants • Developing an active partnership of Local Authority delivery, and engagement with ESF

  6. What does this mean for the East Midlands Consortium? • Continued support of a £ 3 million ESF previous programme • Ability to engage and participate with other organisations in the delivery of skills & training in the County • Target external funding to ‘add value’ to the local area’s needs • Deliver projects through, in most cases, locally based organisations, that have a local business sector impact

  7. Unique Selling Points • Augmenting mainstream provision • Procurement – No approved providers, prime contracting or minimum contract values • Open & competitive tendering process, in its widest sense • Local providers – Using, wherever possible, local providers to ensure continuity • Links to local strategies & activities

  8. Lincolnshire Example • Project – Bridge Farm Nursery, Spalding • Project supporting people with learning disabilities • Support to gain qualifications of Certificate & NVQ 1 in horticulture • Business Sector supported project, with real life working environment

  9. Lincolnshire Example - 2 • Project: Tendering opportunities for the Third Sector • Supporting the Third Sector • Up-skilling organisations within the sector • Using peer support & delivery mechanisms

  10. Lincolnshire Example - 3 • Project – Pre-business start up • Run by Nottingham Business Ventures • Support for people to overcome barriers before think about becoming self employed and/or setting up their own business • ‘Escalator’ approach to moving people into mainstream provision • Linked with BSSP model & Business Link

  11. Other Authority Activity • Leicester City Council – BME engagement activity, support for lone parents • Derbyshire County Council – Large support programme for moving people with learning disabilities into paid employment • Derby City Council – Support on worklessness, pre- business start up activity

  12. Key Issues Faced • Engagement of other Local Authorities • Ability to find viable match funding sources • Setting of programme areas • Ability to explain added value role of Local Authorities • Joint working & procurement processes • Audit

  13. So, in summary • The consortium has been a national pilot • It is plugging local gaps in skills provision & delivery • It engages Local Authorities in the skills arena with other commissioners • Enhances local delivery, using local providers where applicable • Achieved good external audit results for handling ESF

  14. Delivery David Smith – Nottingham Business Venture

  15. Case Study – Up Skill Me • Our Vision supporting ESF • Our Challenges • Trust • Duplication • Reach • Our Outcomes

  16. Case Study – Up Skill Me • Suzanne joined this program having been referred to seek advice on how to set up her baby and toddler B2C retail business • Although low in confidence our team were able to provide support, engage with community groups and develop financial tools to help identify the feasibility of her idea. • 13 months later, she has now established a successful and growing business through e-bay and Amazon websites, plus a very upmarket website of her own! • Suzanne says “I found the project support very helpful and understanding, it was nice to speak to someone who was very eager to advise me on my business venture. With their expertise I have been able to grow very rapidly!”

  17. Case Study – Up Skill Me • After an initial visit, we established that James has suffered from mental illness since birth and had special needs in his primary education. Finding it hard to concentrate led to a lack of formal training in art which created a barrier to him displaying his artwork at galleries. Therefore, his craft had remained just a hobby. • We provided support, advice, coaching and encouraging them in the ‘up-skilling’ process, which led to their setting up a business offering abstract designs on glass. These products are now sold over their own website and on e-bay to customers across the world. They also sell at local craft fairs, with some of the proceeds being donated to charity. In addition, James buys postcard memorabilia, which he then resells to collectors.

  18. Partnership Working Roy Harper Lincolnshire & Rutland Employment & Skills Board

  19. Connectivity • Local Employment and Skills partnership • LEP / ESB complementary • Locally-based practitioners / funders / providers • Articulation of an Employer Voice • Local economy, geography, sectors • Influence and steer provision, not directly procure or commission • Champion Lincolnshire and Rutland

  20. Employment and Skills Plan 2010 • Local differentiation – opportunities and challenges • Rurality and sparsity • Pockets of skills deprivation • Low employer demand for skills • ‘Employment Gateways’ – Coastal / Care / Retail • Local sectors – Agri-food / Polymer

  21. Future How can Local Authorities influence & provide ‘local differentiation’

  22. Hypothetical Future???? • Given that more funding for skills & training is becoming more centralised, with contracts being awarded at ever higher minimum levels, what are the opportunities for; • Local differentiation – Urban vs Rural models, localism & local aspirations, travelling patterns • Partnership working – Lobbying & strategic direction, LEP’s, colleges • Provider delivery – Prime contracting, minimum contract levels, local reach & continuity of service, ‘Big Society’

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