ESF – South East Region

1. ESF – South East Region Project Closure

2. Whyproject closure is needed • At project level – to reconcile money earned and money paid and collect local hard and soft data. • At regional level – to report outcomes to GOSE (via the PCR) and enable regional impact to be measured. • At national level – to demonstrate that EU funds have been spent wisely and correctly and have made a significant difference.

3. When does a project end? • Delivery • Contract (Delivery plan) • CMR • Can only claim for expenditure/activity that occurred up to and including the last day of the Delivery Plan

4. Critical! • We need to know whether you expect to over or under deliver. • We have to meet our own targets • We don’t want to have to give any money back • Need you to be honest with us so we can juggle it around and spend with other providers • If we give money back, we’re likely to get less next time round

5. Who’s Responsible for…? • Project Closure Report (PCR) • Submission of report and its accuracy - LSC Technical Support Unit • Text – Area Managers supply this from Final Evaluations sent in by providers • Data – from monthly/quarterly submissions by providers and ‘soft’ data collection

6. Who’s Responsible for…? • Arrangements for project closure Partnership Adviser will ask you to fill in a form • Audits: Accounts - Provider has contractual obligation to have accounts audited Project - PFA will have a list of projects coming up to closure and will be getting in touch with providers • Retention of project evidence Contractor – responsible for all evidence including partners’

7. Project Evaluation • Introduction • summary of your project • original aims and objectives • overview of key partners and their input or role/s in the project • Executive Summary • Key points from the full report • If the reader of the report were to read nothing else they need to be able to get a good understanding of the project from this summary

8. Project Evaluation • Methodology • Methods used to collect information to write report • Methods used for evaluating the project

9. Project Evaluation • Project findings and outcomes • Planned - v - actual outcomes/expenditure • Were objectives met? • Explanation of variances • Unexpected additional outcomes? • New links or networks created • Impact – how the project made a difference

10. Project Evaluation • Sustainable development Protecting the environment Careful use of natural resources Progress that recognises the needs of everyone Maintaining high and steady levels of growth and employment • Equal Opportunities How project supported and promoted equal opportunities • Information and Communication Technology How ICT was used Benefits

11. Project Evaluation • Analysis of findings and outcomes • What do the findings really tell us? • Was the rationale for the project right? • Were the targets right? • Were the methods used appropriate? • Were the partner roles and responsibilities appropriate? • Does the project rationale remain valid? • What went well in the project? What were the project’s strengths? • What did not go well in the project? What were the project's weaknesses?

12. Project Evaluation • Sustainability • Should the project be taken forward? • All of it, or particular bits of it? • What did you do to try and ensure sustainability? • How will you ensure that other projects can benefit from the findings of your project?

13. Project Evaluation • Lessons learnt and recommendations • What can we draw from these findings in order to learn, grow and help others to achieve? • Given the opportunity to deliver a similar project again, what would you recommend be repeated? • What recommendations for change would you make? • What should happen next?

14. Project Evaluation • Information available • Detail any reports or other information that have become available as a result of this project. • Where can the information be obtained? • Are there any case studies available which illustrate the impact of your project on individuals, groups or organisations?

15. Project Evaluation • Last date - 6 weeks after end of project If project ends Dec, claim on January claim date (Dec submission period) • 1 hard copy Signed by a senior member of your organisation Send to your Partnership Adviser • 1 emailed copy Send to your Partnership Adviser • Email SE-ESFCo-financing@lsc.gov.uk Evaluation Guide

16. Data submission • Short records • By one month after end of project • Accurate & complete or discounted • Report ALL beneficiaries as leavers on/before last day of funding period • CMR to match PICS/POL LSC Technical Support team do monthly reporting and mismatches will show up • Supplementary data Employers/orgs supported Other – will tell you well in advance if we need anything else

17. Retention of project evidence • At least until 31 December 2014. • Details needed about how/where evidence retained • If in various locations, need to send LSC list showing what is where. (Prefer lead org to hold everything!) • If organisation shutting down before 2014, inform LSC

18. Final activities • Purchased equipment • Laptops on loan • Project Reconciliation – PA and provider • Dissemination Event GOSE Celebration event 11th September Sandown Park

19. Resources • Publicity • http://esf.gov.uk/03_Applying/20_PUBLICITY_-_Guidance/List_Files.asp • Sustainable Development Toolkit • http://esf.gov.uk/02_About_ESF/20_Sustainable_Development/14_Sustainable_Development_Toolkit.asp

20. Future Programme • See ESF Bulletin for main points of the news