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ESF Community Learning Grants in the North West

ESF Community Learning Grants in the North West. Information Event: Manchester 13 February 2014. ESF Community Learning Grants in the North West. Welcome & Introductions. OBJECTIVES: what we will cover in next hour: European Social Fund – John Hacking ESF Community Grants – Ian McHugh

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ESF Community Learning Grants in the North West

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  1. ESF Community Learning Grants in the North West Information Event: Manchester 13 February 2014

  2. ESF Community Learning Grants in the North West Welcome & Introductions • OBJECTIVES: what we will cover in next hour: • European Social Fund – John Hacking • ESF Community Grants – Ian McHugh • Application Process – Alycia Hanson • Advice & Support from Locality – Anton Schultz • Experience of Funded Projects • Opportunity for Questions

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

  4. What is WEA? • WORKERS’ EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION • National charity with committee democratically elected by members- established in 1903. • 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.

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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 (£266,000 2012-13) • Rest of NorthWest - £2,860,000 (£1,482,000)

  8. 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

  9. Funding for what? • Eligible ORGANIZATIONS: which groups can apply? • Eligible ACTIVITIES: what can be funded? • Eligible PARTICIPANTS: who can take part?

  10. Which groups can apply for funding? • Small constituted community and voluntary groups, registered charities & and charitable companies (limited by guarantee) • Social enterprises such as Community Interest Companies (CIC) - so long as surpluses used for community benefit • 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 • Not in direct receipt of DWP or SFA funding

  11. 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

  12. 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 (Manchester) • + Other projects here today?

  13. 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

  14. 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 priority groups: • other adults under-represented in labour market – could be 19-25 yr olds, homeless, ex-offenders etc

  15. Who benefited? Actual beneficiaries: 4229 enrolled on North West (not incl. Merseyside) projects of whom • 2674 female • 889 over 50 • 1251 disabled • 1770 BME communities • 639 lone parents

  16. Outcomes Of 4218 beneficiaries for whom we have data: • 422 received awards for accredited training • 281 began regular volunteering • 195 went on to further training • 310 found employment (including self-employment)

  17. ESF Community Learning Grants in the North West Application Process (Round 5) Capacity Building Alycia Hanson Project Administrator WEA (Grant Coordinating Body) February 2014

  18. 1.1 Application process • Eligibility Assessment online • Application by e-mail (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

  19. 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

  20. 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

  21. 1.4 If you are not successful We will offer: • Outline feedback from panel on why not successful • Advice available from our partners e.g. Locality, Community Matters, VOLA • Access to Capacity Building support

  22. 1.5 If you are successful We will: • Visit you at your Learning Venue • Invite you to an Induction Workshop • Give you a Grant Offer Letter • Offer you Capacity Building Support We will ask you for: • Learner Records & Outcomes • Financial Records & Evidence • End of Project Report & Case Studies

  23. 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 quality of teaching and learning • Development of accreditation • Guidance on mainstream routes to employment and training • Gearing up to bid for grants and contracts

  24. Finding out more • Frequently asked questions (FAQ), case studies from previous projects and guidance notes on application form - 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

  25. Help from our Partners • Locality, Community Matters & VOLA • Pre-application support • Project Visits (if offered grant) • Capacity Building visits • Capacity Building training • Project Steering Group • Contact via ESF Grants Office

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

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

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

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

  30. Becoming a Grant Panel Member

  31. Don’t forget to complete your evaluation form!

  32. Contact Details: • ESF Grants Team, WEA North West Region, 4th floor, Crawford House, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9GH • Email: ESFgrants@wea.org.uk • Tel: 0161 277 5411 / 5408 /5415 • Twitter: @ESFnw • www.nw.wea.org.uk/esf_grants/about

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