Social Inclusion Mini Group

1
Social Inclusion Mini Group

• Marches LEP Networks Workshop

2
Welcome Introduction

• Housekeeping
• Todays Agenda
• Why are we here?
• What do we mean by networks?

3
Networks? Partnerships? Groups?

• Interconnected organisations
• Share knowledge, skills, resources
• Have a particular purpose

4
EU Structural and Investment Funds
5
Social Inclusion

• European Context
• The Europe 2020 strategy has a goal of promoting
  social inclusion, in particular through the
  reduction of poverty
• To lift at least 20milion people across the EU
  out of the risk of poverty and social exclusion
• National Policy Context
• Governments Strategy for Social Justice Social
  Justice Transforming Lives sets out the
  commitment to giving individuals and families
  facing multiple disadvantage the support and
  tools they need to turn their lives around.

6
Social Inclusion 4 Sub-Priorities (with
indicative activities)

• 5.1 - Provide the means through which
  under-represented groups BECOME WORK READY, and
  are able to access learning, training and job
  opportunities
• 5.2 - Engaging and supporting under-represented
  groups to enable them to OVERCOME BARRIERS to
  employment
• 5.3 - Develop capacity at a local level which
  SUPPORTS AND EMPOWERS under-represented groups
• 5.4 - Target GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS with high levels
  of unemployment, low education attainment levels
  and low income through a Community Led Local
  Development approach. This may only occur in
  areas that are within the top 20 most deprived
  nationally, which in Shropshire only includes
  parts of North Shrewsbury.

7
Voluntary and Community Sector

• VCS Leading development of Strategic Activity 5
  Social Inclusion
• VCS Mini-group established
• VCS wider stakeholder events to broaden input
• Social inclusion also in other Strategic
  Priorities
• VCS will be represented in the Marches LEP
  governance
• Equality a cross cutting theme, with
  sustainability
• Positive feedback on Marches collaborative
  approach with sector

8
Work done to date

• Mini Group Establishment and regular Meetings
• Stakeholder events
• Social Inclusion Champion
• ESIF Sub Committee
• Opt In BIG Lottery
• Networking events
• Other themes

9
Big Lottery opt-in

• Only for ESF and not for any delegated grants
• Subject to clarity of opt-in and agreement
  between Big Lottery and Marches LEP
• Marches LEP has agreed in principle to opt-in,
  initially for first two years
• Potential to hold back 20 for local calls and
  small grants are we confident of local match
  funding?
• Will not match fund CLLD

10
Building Better Opportunities

• To support the ESF theme Promoting Social
  Inclusion and Combating Poverty.
• Development funding
• Awareness raising
• Promoting opportunities
• Bringing stakeholders together
• Enabling new partnerships
• Point of contact
• Work with Big Lottery

11
ESIF progress with sign off

• ESIF Strategy submitted to government January
  2014
• Specific feedback from Growth Programme Board
  March 2014
• Marches LEP responded May 2014
• Negotiations between EU Commission and UK
  government on Partnership Agreement and ESF and
  ERDF Operational Plan
• Changes have been made to the national priorities
• DCLG will now manage both ESF and ERDF
• LEPs are reviewing ESIF strategies in light of
  these changes
• EU and UK government need to agree Partnership
  Agreement, ERDF and ESF Operational Plan before
  ESIF sign off

12
Timetable

• April 2015 - Approval of ESIF (ERDF, ESF and
  EAFRD) UK Operational Programmes by European
  Commission
• June 2015 Launch of UK Funding Programmes (it
  is possible that calls for applications / tenders
  will be invited in advance)
• August / September 2015 Realistic start date of
  activity on the ground

13
Summary of first tranche of calls

• Big Lottery Opt-in first 2 years ESIF Social
  Inclusion funding less 20
• Marches Open Calls 20 not allocated to Big
  Lottery
• Small grants scheme so individuals entering work
  can access work clothing/shoes, essential job
  related equipment, entry certificates etc
• New approaches to address barriers to employment,
  such as transport solutions, digital exclusion,
  carer responsibilities etc

14
Underrepresented Groups

• Socially excluded/marginalised groups (referred
  to as underrepresented
• groups) include, but are not limited to
• Young people not in education, employment and
• Training (NEET/Pre-NEET)
• Offenders and ex-offenders
• Romany and travellers
• Lone parents
• Over 50s
• The working poor
• Families with multiple and complex needs
• Homeless
• Disabled (physical and those with mental health
  issues)
• Carers
• Black and minority, ethnic lesbian, gay,
  bisexual and transgender (LGBT)
• The families of these groups
• It also includes those living in areas of
  deprivation and groups with specific needs which
  are currently hidden.

15
Workshop

1. What does your network do?
2. What is the scope of the work that your network
   does?
3. Can you identify the gaps?
4. Is there any local or other money available for
   potential match?

16
Where next?

• What we have gathered from the workshop will
  influence work
• Further discussions with BIG Lottery
• Open Calls
• Programmes not projects
• Local people sustainable projects and bigger
  impact

17
Need more information?

• Webpage www.vcsvoice.org/what-we-do/eu-funding-2
  
• Any questions contact
• Kate MacDonald on 01743 252740 or email
  katherine.macdonald_at_shropshire.gov.uk
• Stakeholder Newsletter ask Kate to join
  circulation list.