Mainstreaming Transnationality into

1
Mainstreaming Transnationality into European
Social Fund Programmes in Wales
(2007-2013) Neil Thomas (Welsh Assembly
Government)
2
WALES EUROPEAN STRUCTURAL FUND REGIONS 2007 -
2013
Ewrop Chymru Buddsoddi yn eich Dyfodol
Europe and Wales Investing in your future
3
West Wales the Valleys Convergence Priorities

• 1. Supplying young people with the skills for
  employment (164.9m)
• 2. Increasing employment and tackling economic
  inactivity (286.8m)
• 3. Improving skill levels and the adaptability of
  the workforce (331.8m)
• 4. Modernising and improving the quality of our
  public services (33.0m)
• ( ESF grant values)

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4
Convergence Priority 1 Supplying young people
with skills for learning and future employment

• Priority focuses exclusively on young people
  11-19
• Tackling underachievement as well as raising
  skills and aspirations
• 70 of resources will be targeted at the 14-19
  and 30 at 11-13
• 25 of young people helped will be in the NEET
  category
• 30 of participants to gain qualifications and
  60 to progress to further learning.

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Europe and Wales Investing in your future
5
Convergence Priority 2 and RCE Priority 1
Increasing employment and tackling economic
inactivity

• Shift of focus more towards the economically
  inactive
• Convergence 70
• RCE 85
• Targets to get 25 of participants into work 30
  to gain qualifications and 33 to progress to
  further learning (both programmes)
• Convergence priority can also support workplace
  heath programmes.

Ewrop Chymru Buddsoddi yn eich Dyfodol
Europe and Wales Investing in your future
6
Convergence Priority 3 and RCE Priority 2
Improving skill levels and the adaptability of
the workforce

• 60 of Convergence funding will be targeted at
  raising the skills base (i.e. basic literacy and
  numeracy, and up to Level 2)
• 35 at higher level skills i.e. Levels 3, 4 and
  above
• 5 at promoting gender equality
• Strong emphasis within RCE programme on raising
  skills base but also scope for supporting
  training at higher levels within small businesses
  (up to 50 employees)
• Ambitious targets for qualifications achievement
  (e.g. 42 of Convergence participants to achieve
  qualifications, including 50 of those pursuing
  basic skills).

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Europe and Wales Investing in your future
7
Convergence Priority 4 Modernising and improving
the quality of our public services

• Convergence only and smallest priority
• New area of activity for ESF and fits well with
  Welsh public services improvement agenda -
  Making the Connections
• 40 of funding in this priority will support
  collaborative projects across public services
• 60 of the priority resources will be spent on
  workforce planning and development.

Ewrop Chymru Buddsoddi yn eich Dyfodol
Europe and Wales Investing in your future
8
East Wales Regional Competitiveness
Employment

• Increasing employment and tackling economic
  inactivity ( 29.8m)
• Improving skill levels and the adaptability of
  the workforce ( 32.5m)
• (ESF grant value)

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Europe and Wales Investing in your future
9
Approach to Trans-national Projects

• Horizontal integration across all ESF
  Programmes
• No financial limits or targets for
  transnational activity
• Must fit priorities/themes in OPs Strategic
  Frameworks

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Europe and Wales Investing in your future
10
Key Themes for Transnational Activity (ESF)

• Adaptability
• Integration of job-seekers and inactive people
• Integration of disadvantaged groups and combating
  discrimination
• Enhancing human capital
• Identifying innovative technologies and
  successful leadership and management practices in
  a trans-national context.

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Europe and Wales Investing in your future
11
Issues working transnationally

• Culture change - transnational activity not an
  add-on
• Extra time and effort to find right partners
• Different cultures and working practices.

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Europe and Wales Investing in your future
12
What is Wales doing.?

• Trans-national and Territorial Co-operation
  Strategy
• WEFOs role-
• identify areas of co-operation programme and
  project
• raise awareness of stakeholders of new
  opportunity
• partner signposting via networks e.g. EARLALL
• guidance on practical aspects of trans-national
  working
• website to post project ideas, links with other
  regions
• seminars to publicise transnational project
  ideas

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Europe and Wales Investing in your future
13
Welsh Project Ideas

• Roots to Success
• Vocational Education and Training Mobility
• Recognition of learning for migrant workers