ESF in the South West
Competitiveness and Convergence
PLEASE NOTE: New Dates Announced
The Skills Funding Agency are pleased to announce the rescheduled event dates which will include details of planned ESF activities, policy changes and possible future ESF bidding opportunities.
These events will also include an update from Government Office for the South West, the National Offender Management Service and Jobcentre Plus..
The current ESF programme is investing in projects in the South West that will benefit employers and help transform the lives of people across the region. This will be matched with an equivalent amount of co funding to help to:
- Support young people who are not currently in education, employment or training
- Up-skill unemployed people so they can secure sustainable employment
- Support employers to up-skill their workforce
- Encourage innovation and sustainability
The Region is split into two geographic areas:
- Convergence - Cornwall and Isles of Sicily
- Competitiveness – Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire, Bristol, Gloucestershire
The Skills Funding Agency, Jobcentre Plus, National Offender Management Service and Government Office are holding a series of joint events to publicise the contents and themes of the ESF Co-financing Plans to all potential providers and organisations that may wish to bid for future ESF Specifications in response to the Co-financing Plans.
The priorities in the 2007 to 2013 ESF Programme are designed to focus ESF spending on specific activities and to ensure that it reaches people in most need of support. There are two main priorities in each area:
For Competitiveness:
- Priority 1: Extending Employment Opportunities.
- Priority 2: Developing a Skilled and Adaptable Workforce.
For Convergence:
- Priority 4: Extending Employment Opportunities.
- Priority 5: Developing a Skilled and Adaptable Workforce.
The Events have the following objectives:
- To share details about the Skills Funding Agency, Job Centre Plus and the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) Co financing Plans and any process details with regard to timescales and bidding opportunities
- To encourage introductions between attendees that will enable them to work together in the future in response to specifications.
Events will be held in:
Devon, Dorset, Gloucester, Somerset, West of England, Wiltshire and Cornwall