WelcomeMarches LEP - Wider Group Event

EU Structural and Investment Fund Growth Programme

Social Inclusion

Tuesday 14th January 2014Craven Arms Community Centre

Today’s Agenda

Introduction

Alex Fitzpatrick

•Welcome•Housekeeping•Background•Work Completed To Date

Overarching view of LEP and role of VCS

Fiona Fortune

European Structural and Investment Funds Strategy 2014 - 2020

• Radical change in how EU funding is managed in England• LEPs as oppose to regional bodies• ERDF, ESF And EARFD all included• UK Government will remain Managing Authority• UK Government will sign off Operational Plan with European

Commission• National Opt-ins agreed with Government to provide match – LEPs

will agree if they want to Opt-in• EU Investment Strategies developed in line with guidance• LEP Board to sign off, UK Government will agree

Management Arrangements

Managing Authority – UK Government

Marches LEP

Strategic Activity 1

Strategic Activity 2

Strategic Activity 3

Strategic Activity 4

Strategic Activity 5

Strategic Activity 1 – Enhancing Competitiveness, Research and Innovation and Enable TechnologyStrategic Activity 2 – Supporting the Shift Towards a Low Carbon EconomyStrategic Activity 3 – Supporting the EnvironmentStrategic Activity 4 – Employment and SkillsStrategic Activity 5 – Social Inclusion

Opt-ins

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

Value of the Sector and Evidence Base of Need

Bridget CameronPeridot Associates LTD

Evidence of NeedHighlights where social inclusions issues exist across the Marches LEP area. This will support work to design service approaches and delivery mechanisms to meet identified need.

2000 emails to organisations inviting them to contribute to the evidence base;150 phone calls to talk to individuals about their work in the Marches;Received 61 questionnaire returns.

Themes without responses

The themes without responses are:•Adults in residential care•Asylum seekers•Gypsies and Travellers•Children in Care•Children subject to a Child Protection Plan•Teenage Parents

Emergent Trends• Local authorities are reducing funding within all aspects of service

delivery. The impact of this on the voluntary and community sector.

• Lower level need support users are having to be ‘dropped’ by voluntary and community sector services as they focus on the higher need, more complex cases.

• Service users are presenting with increasingly complex needs – filling in form (debt, transport, stress, housing, relationship troubles)

• Services users often do not know what is available to them and where to begin to search for support – crisis point

• Services need to be flexible in their delivery options – length of service

Continued:

• Transport limitations are already impacting on those who are socially excluded but for many people this is expected to become increasingly difficult.

• Service users need increasing help to complete forms to access benefits.

• Debt is an ongoing theme mentioned by all

Particularly marginalised groups

• Black and minority ethnic groups:o Finding professionals who understand cultural and faith

backgrounds o Language barriers

• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendero Need professionals who understand the issues they are

going through and are non-judgementalo Particular needs for transgender groupso Often labelled or not understood if victims of violence

Disabilities and Mental Health

• Budget implications• Young people needing support and somewhere to ‘hang out’ to

discuss in safe environment• Children and young people not meeting thresholds• Affordable support• Emotional support for families and friends• Higher needs (particularly if associated with complex needs or

challenging behaviour) struggling to get respite i.e. carer needs to be present

Complex issuesEarly intervention servicesDomestic violenceDrug and alcohol

• Transport issues, housing, relationship troubles, people in various states of need, stressed, mental health issues, alcohol issues, compounded by debt

• People are stuck and can’t get out to access services or support (transport or no one to sit with their loved one/friend)

• Carers become very socially isolated

Below Thresholds of NeedDisabilities (adults and children)Mental healthDrug and alcohol

• Real need for support for those below the threshold of need• Support from local authorities dropping• People struggling to access support• Often reaching crisis before able to find help• Often needing longer length of support than 8 or 12 week

package of support offered

Rises in:HousingDomestic violenceDisabilitiesHomelessDebtUnemployed

• Those that have lost housing, those in poor housing• Victims of domestic abuse• Income management/budgeting• Form filling and correspondence (literacy and numeracy)• Advocacy and liaising with landlords or professionals• Welfare Reforms support, including bedroom tax• Changes to PIP, LDA and claimants in general• People needing support on discharge from hospital; foot care• Numbers wanting voluntary placements and training

Hardest groups to reach or support• Apprenticeships for people with disabilities (disabilities)• Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and transgender groups, particularly for

older people (LGBT)• Black and minority ethnic groups whose language or culture

means they find it hard to seek support (BME)• Homeless and those sleeping rough (former services personnel)• Those with mental health, learning disabilities, older people and

travellers (homeless)• Those who are socially isolated by transport or because they

cannot leave their caring roles• Those at point of need i.e. those becoming stressed, who are in

a downward spiral of need• Those who are technologically disadvantaged i.e. no computer,

internet or IT skills• Those whose literacy levels are poor

Continued• Those with dementia and their carers• Those who live in isolated rural communities who are struggling

with mental health• Finding placements for those with mental health needs to help

them step back into work slowly and steadily

LEP EU Structural and Investment Funds Strategy 2014 – 2020 and Social Inclusion

Fiona Fortune

Marches LEP - Five Strategic Activities

Strategic Activities with investment allocations are:

1)Enhancing Competitiveness, Research and Innovation and Enabling Technology2)Supporting the Shift Towards a Low Carbon Economy3)Supporting the Environment4)Skills and Employment

5)Social Inclusion

Social inclusion however is also reflected in some of the other Strategic Activities, such as digital inclusion in Activity 1

Marches LEP is now consulting on the Strategic Activities

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

What can be funded - Eligible Activity

Focus is on supporting people furthest from the job market so they can make the transition to employment

The investment is from Europe and can only fund eligible activity, it is about the economy and growth

New guidance on potentially eligible activity• Outreach activity including taster courses to help improve take up and retention, eg

summer schools, work based access courses• New methods of delivering learning to reach remote learners• Financial/bursary support for course related costs• Additional learning support

HOWEVER, the eligibility will depend on final agreement with the European Commission

Social Inclusion Indicators

Result Indicators (ESF)Number of participants engaged in positive activities that address barriers to work or widen participating in training (for example improving basic skills or life skills, volunteering in the community, undertaking work experience - Draft targets (312 MD) and (725 T)

Output Indicators (ERDF)Number of enterprises receiving support, including social enterprises

Output Indicators (ESF)Total number of participants - Draft targets (156 MD) and (362 T)Number of unemployed (including long term unemployed) participantsNumber of inactive participantsNumber of employed (including self employed) participantsNumber of participants aged 15-24

5.4 - Target GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS (CLLD)

CLLD characteristics:•Focus on smaller areas, •Investment typically into small local projects•Based on partners forming a Local Action Group•Change delivered through Local Development Strategy

EU Investment•Both ERDF and ESF•Government has provided guidance

Marches LEP have identified urban areas with highest levels of deprivation (IMD)

CLLD – WHAT NOW

Within these deprived areas:•What are the challenges to be addressed?•Which groups should we be working with?•What type of activity is needed?

Some questions the LEP need answers to:•One Local Action Group or do we need more?•Who should be on the Local Action Group?•Who would be the Accountable body, guidance says LA?

Timescale:March 2014 Expression of interest Launched by Managing AuthorityJune 2014 Deadline for expressions of interest September 2014 Successful applicants develop Local Development StrategyMarch 2015 Final strategy submittedMay 2015 Strategy agreed, delivery starts

Exercise 1 - World Café Review the sub priority on your table.

Working in your group highlight any changes/issues/comments on your flip chart

paper. The facilitator on your table will be able to help

you.

Coffee Break

Feedback from Exercise 1

Financials and Match FundingFiona Fortune

Marches European Investment Framework 7 years (2014 – 2020)

More Developed – HerefordshireTransition area –Shropshire and Telford& Wrekin

Investment profiled across the 7 years – subject to EU and government

Social Inclusion allocation

Funding Amount (Stirling @ 0.85620)

Strategic Activity 5 –More Developed

ESF £1,964,979

Strategic Activity 5 –Transition

ESF £4,564,573

CLLD – More Developed ESF £346,761

CLLD -Transition ESF £805,513

CLLD – More Developed ERDF £346,761

CLLD - Transition ERDF £1,208,269

Investment Framework - Match Funding

Social Inclusion Total EU Funding - £9,236,85•All EU funding requires match funding

Big Lottery Opt-in (Opt-out)•Match the social inclusion allocation, except CCLD•Big investment of £6,529,552•New money - Additional to existing commitment e.g. Talent Match•Through voluntary sector•Will fund local need - not funding an organisations own agenda•Flexible and proportionate, LEPs have a say in approach

CLLD•Match funding would need to be found from other sources

Big Lottery Opt-in, latest thinking

Big Lottery application process, subject to change:•Big will deliver LEP allocation and lottery match•Partnership development funding – grant to LEP to help identify the most important partners to help to seek a lead organisation•Stage one – ideally single application from lead organisation with a number of delivery partners•Stage two – development funding to help applicants prepare business/delivery plan•Funding commences – 5% lead in payment to set up monitoring•Smaller scale investments could be via RC type application

LEPs involved at all stages including on Big Lottery panel/committee

Big lottery will need processes in place to be ERDF compliant and ensure spend and delivery will meet investment profiles

Other potential funders

DWP•EU funding to accordance with DWP opt-in•Focus on employment and skill outputs•DWP would be contracted to deliverPrinces Trust•Funding to match work with young people•Would look to extend current programmesArts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund•Lottery funding would be available•Local priorities would need to meet the funder priorities•Unclear if a new programme for LEPs or through current programmesOther trust and fundersLocal funding where additionally can be demonstrated

Exercise 2 - PrioritiesLook back the sub priority on your table. Which activities would you prioritise under:a) Biggest needa)Higher percentage of spendHighlight your decisions by using a star system: *** three stars for high priority** two stars for medium priority*one star for low priority Use your flipchart paper to capture why you have made these

decisions.

Feedback from Exercise 1

Next Steps and Priorities

Sonia Roberts

Thank you for attending