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European Social Fund (ESF) The HLC Experience . Humber Learning Consortium. Registered charity & VCS organisation Operating in learning & skills s ector Delivered ESF (co-financed) for approx. 10 years Over £15m of ESF delivery Mainly Priority 1 (unemployed / economically inactive)
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European Social Fund (ESF) The HLC Experience
Humber Learning Consortium • Registered charity & VCS organisation • Operating in learning & skills sector • Delivered ESF (co-financed) for approx. 10 years • Over £15m of ESF delivery • Mainly Priority 1 (unemployed / economically inactive) • Some priority 2 delivery in the past • Bid via competitive tendering processes
ESF – examples of programmes run by Humber Learning Consortium • Community Grants • NEETs • Adult Engagement • Information Advice & Guidance • Skills for Life • BME engagement • Sector Skills Brokerage • Global Grants
Some of the positives…. • Significant resource for the voluntary sector • No match requirement via co-finance route • Targets marginalised groups • Ability to reach deep into communities via VCOs and wider range of delivery partners • Some “co-design” of commissioning processes • Added value - steering group / partnership working • Value for money provision
Some of the negatives…. • Bureaucracy (esp. co-finance route) • Deliverables • Paperwork for small organisations • Keeping on top of shifting ESF regulations • Audit • Short programme timeframes typically </=2 years • Organisational capacity to bid on multiple tenders • Increasing contract sizes / geographies • Increasing competition • Achieving financial sustainability