Tempus EUPULA, 2224 April 2001

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Tempus EU-PULA, 22-24 April 2001

• The European Social Fund.Presentation of the
  programme and case studies.
• Wroclaw University of Technology

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European Social Fund 1

• The ESF is the main financial tool through which
  the EU translates its strategic employment policy
  aims into action.
• Already set up by the Treaty of Rome, it is the
  longest established Structural Fund, which for
  over 40 years, has invested, in partnership with
  the Member States, in programmes to develop
  peoples skills and their potential for work.
• The ESF now stands at an important point in its
  development. A new seven-year period begins in
  2000 for the ESF, in which its own potential has
  been fully integrated - in both policy and
  management terms - into what is done at Member
  State level to put the European Employment
  Strategys into practice.

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European Social Fund 2

• The Strategy involves the 15 Member States
  working together towards common agreed goals to
  prepare for work and to create a better climate
  for jobs.
• The ESF provides EU funding on a major scale for
  programmes, which develop or regenerate peoples
  employability. This task focuses on providing
  citizens with appropriate work skills as well as
  developing their social interaction skills,
  thereby improving their self-confidence and
  adaptability in the job marketplace.
• The ESF channels its support into strategic
  long-term programmes, which help regions across
  Europe, particularly those lagging behind, to
  upgrade and modernise skills and to foster
  entrepreneurial initiative.

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European Social Fund 3

• The Strategy involves the 15 Member States
  working together towards common agreed goals to
  prepare for work and to create a better climate
  for jobs. This encourages domestic and foreign
  investment into the regions, helping them to
  achieve greater economic competitiveness and
  prosperity.
• Programmes are planned by Member States together
  with the European Commission and then implemented
  through a wide range of provider organisations
  both in the public and the private sectors. These
  organisations include national, regional and
  local authorities, educational and training
  institutions, voluntary organisations and Social
  Partners i.e. trade unions/works councils,
  industry/professional associations and individual
  companies.

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European Social Fund 4

• The ESF acts as a catalyst for new approaches to
  projects, harnessing and bringing to bear the
  combined resources of all involved. It fosters
  partnerships at many different levels and
  encourages the Europe-wide transfer of knowledge,
  sharing of ideas and best practice, ensuring that
  the most effective new solutions are incorporated
  into mainstream policies. The ESFs key messages
  for the new funding period are
• Key financial instrument supporting the
  European Employment Strategy
• Investing in people
• Greater responsibility to Member States
• Simplification of administration
• Partnership, local action and evaluation of
  effectiveness
• Encouraging local solutions to local issues.

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Remit of European Social Fund 2000 - 2006

• The ESFs remit is to support measures,
• which aim to prevent and combat unemployment,
• develop human resources and foster social
  integration in the labour market, so as to
  promote a high level of employment, equal
  opportunities for men and women, sustainable
  development and economic and social cohesion.
• In particular, it must assist the measures taken
  in line with the European strategy and guidelines
  on employment.

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Scope of European Social Fund 2000 - 2006 1

• The ESF provides assistance for three new
  objectives laid down in Regulation (EC) No
  1260/99 concerning the general provision on the
  Structural Funds.
• The Regulation provides for five key policy areas
  for the ESF
• development of active labour market policies to
  combat and prevent unemployment, to avoid
  long-term unemployment, to facilitate the
  reintegration of the long-term unemployed and to
  support integration into the labour market of
  young people and persons returning to work after
  a period of absence
• promotion of equal opportunities for all in terms
  of access to the labour market, with particular
  attention to persons at risk of social exclusion

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Scope of European Social Fund 2000 - 2006 2

• promotion and improvement of vocational training,
  education and counselling in the context of a
  lifelong learning policy
• promotion of a skilled, well-trained and flexible
  workforce, innovative and adaptable forms of work
  organisation and entrepreneurship
• specific measures to improve access and active
  participation of women in the labour market
  (career prospects, access to new job
  opportunities, setting up businesses, etc.).
• The new Objective 3, which brings together the
  former Objectives 3 and 4, is intended to provide
  horizontal assistance throughout the European
  Union, outside regions eligible under the new
  Objective 1.

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Scope of European Social Fund 2000 - 2006 3

• In addition, the ESF encompasses three horizontal
  issues
• promotion of local employment initiatives
  (including territorial pacts for employment)
• the social dimension and employment in the
  information society
• equal opportunities for men and women (as part of
  the drive for mainstreaming equal opportunities
  policies).

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ESF Eligible Activities 2000 - 2006

• In general, three forms of assistance are
  eligible for ESF funding
• assistance for individuals, which should
  represent the main form of aid, covering areas
  such as vocational training or education and
  careers guidance etc.
• assistance for structures and systems to make
  support activities for individuals more effective
  (e.g. improving personal effectiveness)
• accompanying measures (provision of services and
  equipment for the care of dependent persons,
  promotion of social skills training, and public
  awareness and information campaigns).
• The ESF must provide assistance based on the
  national priorities set out in National Action
  Plans for employment, which are drawn up
  individually by Member States. It also needs to
  take ex-ante evaluations into account.

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European Social Fund 1994 - 1999

• ESF Case Studies in the field of
• Long term unemployment
• Youth
• Social exclusion
• Equal opportunities
• Adaptation to industrial change

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Case Study 1 - BelgiumBridging project for
low-skilled young job-seekers

• Promoter Department of Education, European
  Projects Unit.
• Partners An agreement was concluded between the
  Department of Education and the promoter
  (partnership between institution and third party)
  for each period (January-August and
  September-December) for the execution of the
  approximately 75 "bridging projects".
• Beneficiaries Low-skilled young job-seekers.
• Description The young job-seekers study for 15
  hours a week in school, where, in addition to
  general training they also receive attitude
  training and training in job application skills.
  In principle, the work experience element of the
  bridging project (20 hours per week) ties in with
  the schoolwork, so there is an interaction
  between the two elements (work experience and
  school). The participants in the bridging
  projects are offered a training agreement.

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Case Study 1 cont. - BelgiumBridging
project for low-skilled young job-seekers

• Main Objectives The bridging projects were begun
  as a response to the problem of those still in
  part-time compulsory education (ages 16-18).
  These young people can fulfil the compulsory
  schooling requirement by attending classes two
  days per week in a part-time secondary vocational
  educational centre or a part-time training
  centre. On the remaining days they can obtain
  work experience with an employer. Young persons
  who are not offered work can obtain work in a
  bridging project, where the focus is on improving
  their technical skills and their attitudes.
• Main Results Over a third of bridging project
  participants progress into the economic
  mainstream.
• EU Funding 9,053,213.15 EUR ( 365,205,713 BEF)
  from 1997.
• National Funding 12,043,980.62 EUR (
  485,852,974 BEF) from 1997.

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Case Study 2 - DenmarkSpace Invaders

• Promoter Marianne Mikkelsen.
• Beneficiaries Young people and adults with
  little formal education.
• Description Since 1996, this project has offered
  a 2-year training course in multimedia design.
  The curriculum is both innovative and ambitious,
  offering an experimental approach to both new
  media and teaching methods. A very broad and
  all-around training in design and digital tools,
  allows the students to approach, use and create
  new media in an individual and innovative manner.
• Main Objectives Enabling participants to work
  with and shape (the use of) new media at a
  professional level.

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Case Study 2 cont. - DenmarkSpace Invaders

• Main Results On completion of the course, almost
  all participants found a job, while several have
  set up their own companies. The course has also
  had a knock-on effect on other (public) training
  courses in the same field.
• EU Funding DKK 5,805,131 ( objective 3
  5,646,494 objective 4 158,737) total,
  1994-99.
• National Funding DKK 6.370.598 - total, 94-99.

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Case Study 3 - GermanyTeleMentoring -
supporting disadvantaged groups through personal
contacts with mentors using telecommunications

• Promoter Europäisches Zentrum für
  Medienkompetenz (ecmc), Marl.
• Partners Internet cafés and volunteers
  (professionals from SMEs).
• Beneficiaries unemployed young people and young
  people in career development projects.
• Description The project is a contribution
  towards introducing unemployed young people to
  the information society. By means of email
  contact with professionally experienced people,
  the young people can have all their questions
  answered about starting work and day-to-day
  working life in general. Special Internet cafés
  for unemployed young people are also supported by
  the Ministry of Labour of the Land of North
  Rhine-Westphalia.

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Case Study 3 cont. - GermanyTeleMentoring
- supporting disadvantaged groups through
personal contacts with mentors using
telecommunications

• Description cont. These cafés provide the
  necessary facilities for the young people so that
  they can take part in TeleMentoring free of
  charge. The voluntary mentors, who come from all
  occupational sectors, support the young people
  with career guidance and concrete support with
  job applications.
• Main Objectives Increasing the media skills of
  unemployed young people. Improving their
  instrumental, communication and social skills
• Main Results Improving the employment prospects
  of approx. 80 disadvantaged young people.
• EU Funding 164,051.07 EUR ( 320,856 DM).
• National Funding 164,051.07 EUR ( 320,856 DM).

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Case Study 4 - GemanyPHILOXENIA in the 21st
Century

• Promoter Ökopartner - Beratung und Bildung.
• Partners Inforcoop Calabria, Italy Pan-Hellenic
  Federation of Hoteliers, Greece.
• Beneficiaries Ministries of Rural Environment,
  Agriculture and Tourism of Schleswig-Holstein.
• Description To help reverse the decline in jobs
  in the tourist industry, Schleswig-Holstein has
  launched an initiative promoting quality and
  service in tourism as well as the concept of
  'tourism traffic'. One element of this initiative
  is a training course leading to a qualification
  as tourist advisor. The role of the advisors is
  to inform such bodies as information offices,
  travel agencies and hotel receptions on
  environmental tourism and means of transport.

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Case Study 4 cont. - GemanyPHILOXENIA in the
21st Century

• Main Objectives The objectives of the project
  are to safeguard employment by improving the
  qualifications of the tourist advisory staff and
  to increase the attraction of Schleswig-Holstein
  as a tourist destination by improving the extent
  and quality of advice offered to visitors.
• Main Results - establishing a working group
  involving tourist institutions, traffic service
  organisations and other interested public groups
  - using the experiences of other projects (e.g.
  MobilitätsZentrale Nord GmbH, the realisation of
  the tourist traffic concept in Ostholstein -
  research into the demand for further training by
  written or oral interviews of tourist
  organisations and holiday-makers.
• EU Funding 68,206.85 EUR ( 133,401,- DM).
• National Funding 94,292.96 EUR ( 184,421,- DM).

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Case Study 5 - FinlandFood Enterprises
Project

• Promoter Northern Pirkanmaa Institute of
  Education
• Partners Rural RD Network, Foodwest Ltd,
  Agropolis Ltd, The City of Tampere Food and
  Environmental Control Laboratory, Finnish
  Countryside Delights Ltd, Tampere Technology Ltd,
  FinnMedi Research Ltd, Pirkanmaa Polytechnic,
  Co-operation project in small scale food
  industry.
• Beneficiaries The original project was designed
  to supplement the rural food industry development
  programme carried out in the area since 1993. In
  view of the business structure of north
  Pirkanmaa, it was felt there was a special need
  for further processing and for enterprises with
  the potential for creating new jobs. The need to
  attract women into training was also emphasised.
  Entrepreneurs were sought for the project who
  were interested in the further processing of
  foodstuffs.

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Case Study 5 cont. - FinlandFood Enterprises
Project

• Description A training project for food
  enterprises was launched in North Pirkanmaa,
  aimed at promoting more efficient further
  processing and creating new jobs. Another aim was
  to form a huge network that would meet the future
  development needs of food businesses in the area.
• Main Objectives 1. Job creation 2. Equal
  opportunities for women 3. Set up a new channel
  for training designed to raise the level of
  further food processing while also helping to
  keep the farms viable.

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Case Study 5 cont. - FinlandFood Enterprises
Project

• Main Results So far 101 people have sought
  advice and training under the project, including
  a high proportion of women (78). In addition 43
  further processing enterprises are currently
  being set up, while 19 more business hopefuls are
  awaiting results (some of the businesses are set
  up side by side with, or as part of, existing
  farm enterprises).
• EU Funding 54,910 EUR ( 323,000 FIM).
• National Funding 93,670 EUR ( 551,000 FIM).

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Case Study 6 - FinlandGRAM Focuses on
Completing VocationalQualifications

• Promoter Turku school of Economics and Business
  Administration.
• Partners Federation of the Printing Industry in
  Finland and the Finnish Media Union.
• Beneficiaries The graphic industry SMEs in the
  Uusimaa area.
• Description GRAM is a training project for
  graphics industry SMEs in the Uusimaa area. In
  total there are nine GRAM projects under way, The
  Uusimaa GRAM being the first and the biggest in
  terms of participants. By the end of last year,
  3447 people had received training under the
  project. They had put in 62,558 study days, i.e.
  an average of 18 days per employee. 57 SMEs are
  involved in the Uusimaa GRAM.

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Case Study 6 cont. - FinlandGRAM Focuses on
Completing VocationalQualifications

• Main Objectives The GRAM projects offers
  training at company and staff section level. In
  the latter, the most important group are those
  involved in production, the Essential aim of
  their training being to achieve vocational
  qualifications which became the standard practice
  in the graphics industry.
• Main Results Nearly 400 vocational
  qualifications have been completed within the
  project. Altogether 855 qualifications have been
  within graphics training projects. About half of
  all the people employed by the entire industry
  have been in training under various GRAM
  projects.
• EU Funding 2,421,739 EUR (14,399,003 FIM).
• National Funding 3,198,503 EUR (19,017,434 FIM).

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Case Study 7 - IrelandTraineeship in
Pharmacy Sales

• Promoter FAS (National Training Employment
  Authority).
• Partners Irish Pharmaceutical Union.
• Beneficiaries 43 people (mainly women) completed
  the course in 1999. Many of the trainees were
  females returning to the workforce.
• Description The aim of the course is to provide
  the trainees with the skills and related
  knowledge in retail sales support, retail sales
  techniques, over the counter product knowledge,
  skincare and grooming, customer relations, stock
  control, hygiene and safety, security, foundation
  level information technology, window display,
  calculations, how to conduct a retail sales
  related project and to develop their personal
  effectiveness and job seeking skills to enable
  them to obtain employment as pharmacy sales
  assistants.

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Case Study 7 cont. - IrelandTraineeship in
Pharmacy Sales

• Main Objectives The course was designed in order
  to provide business personnel who are skilled as
  pharmacy sales assistants.
• Main Results At the end of the programme
  participants are trained and qualified as retail
  sales assistants in pharmacy outlets. In this way
  the skill needs of the sector are met and
  participants have certified skills and
  employment. All of those completing the course
  received FAS/City Guilds certification in
  Retailing including Pharmacy Sales. In 1999, 40
  of the 43 participants were placed in employment.
• EU Funding 112,029 EUR (IR 88,230) in 1999.
• National Funding 107,547 EUR (IR 84,700) in
  1999.

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Case Study 8 - ItalyTraining Programme for
the Development of SkillsVital to the Management
of Structural Funds

• Promoter Department of Public Service.
• Partners Promoter Luiss Management SpA.
  Implementing organisation Temporary Enterprise
  Association (Luiss Management SpA, Isvor Fiat,
  Galgano associati, Cscd).
• Beneficiaries This initiative is addressed to
  officers in charge managing Structural Funds from
  the provincial and municipal authorities of the
  Abruzzo region.
• Description Special emphasis has been given on
  the development of new skills and attitudes
• technical and operational skills aimed at
  problem-solving,
• more rational and flexible procedures,
  organisational improvements.

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Case Study 8 cont. - ItalyTraining Programme
for the Development of SkillsVital to the
Management of Structural Funds

• Description cont. The programme is divided into
  three phases
• the first to develop basic skills, knowledge of
  economic policy issues and local development
  processes, expertise (information system,
  statistics, accounting, relational,
  organisational problems)
• The second tries to expand on this basic
  knowledge and to discuss potential and real
  problems, with specific focus on analysing
  projects and standard cycles used by EU and on
  learning about innovative financing tools.
• Finally, the third phase is a training activity
  measure on the practical measures to undertake in
  Structural Fund management and includes
  simulation exercises to test the skills acquired.

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Case Study 8 cont. - ItalyTraining Programme
for the Development of SkillsVital to the
Management of Structural Funds

• Main Objectives The management of Structural
  Funds, the presentation and evaluation of
  projects, which could be financed, the assistance
  to promoters are all part of a process
  characterised by specific procedures and
  mechanisms. The skills required to public
  officers in order to perform this activity, are
  numerous and often acquired on the job. The
  growing importance of EU financing and the
  ability to master the procedures involved
  determine the need for a specific and complete
  training of people managing this innovative
  field. This initiative tries to improve and
  increase the ability to use and manage funds.

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Case Study 8 cont. - ItalyTraining Programme
for the Development of SkillsVital to the
management of Structural Funds

• Main Results The action develops in an
  homogeneous way the various aspects of Structural
  Fund management, providing both common basic
  skills on economic and political issues and on
  processes for local development, and expertise on
  the main activity carried out with the single
  contexts of reference. Finally, the training
  cycle is completed by an introduction to all
  innovative financing tools in order to develop
  specific skills in the implementation of control
  and management activities.
• EU Funding 269,784.17 EUR ( ITL 522,375,000).
• National Funding 89,928.06 EUR ( ITL
  174,125,000).

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Case Study 9 - NetherlandsStarters Twente

• Promoter Starters Advies Punt (STAP - Starters'
  Advice Point)
• Partners Enschede local authority, Hengelo local
  authority, Almelo local authority.
• Beneficiaries 240 unemployed people older than
  24 years of age.
• Description Two-year educational programme
  (individual pathways with courses and
  supervision) for unemployed people wishing to set
  up in business and possibly take on one or more
  employees.
• Main objectives To help 180 participants to
  start up their own business
• Main results Between 60 and 75 of
  participants establish their own business.
• EU Funding EUR 623,299.80 ( NLG 1,373,572).
• National Funding EUR 712,331.48 ( NLG
  1,569,772).

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Case Study 10 - SpainBRISA

• Promoter EATUR. Desarrollo Rural, S.L.
• Beneficiaries Rural SMEs and their workers.
• Description Integral action plan, in six defined
  rural areas representative of the three Aragonese
  provinces, consisting of the provision of
  services to companies and to local government.
• Main Objectives 1. To provide guidance for
  rural workers enabling them to adapt to changes
  in the labour market 2. To lay the foundations
  for the Information Society in the Aragon rural
  area by creating rural telecentres 3. To set up
  services to enhance modernisation of SMEs.

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Case Study 10 - SpainBRISA

• Main Results Through the creation of the
  telecentres, the Telematic Health Services
  Foundation has been set up and stable jobs
  created. The telecentres have been able to
  provide an effective technical assistance
  service, consisting of advice leading to training
  guidelines. The post of project leader/manager of
  new information and communication technologies
  for social, local or rural development has been
  defined.
• EU Funding 263,243.30 EUR ( 43,800,000 ESP).
• National Funding 131,621.65 EUR ( 21,900,000
  ESP).

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Case Study 11 - SpainAccess 25

• Promoter University of Valencia.
• Beneficiaries Persons with physical and/or
  sensory disabilities.
• Description The project has involved devising a
  methodology of designing courses for persons with
  disabilities.
• Main Objectives
• The development and design of new methodologies
  for workplace training and integration
• Socio-vocational promotion through assessment and
  training of this group for entry to university,
  by means of access courses making use of new
  technologies.

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Case Study 11 cont. - SpainAccess 25

• Main Results Two notable methodological products
  have been developed within this project the
  SIMICOLE, a teaching system to improve deaf
  peoples comprehension of written texts, and the
  SEA, making it possible for persons with
  difficulties to be tested by means of a computer.
• EU Funding 411,392.79 EUR ( 68,450,000 ESP).
• National Funding 308,544.59 EUR ( 51,337,500
  ESP).

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Case Study 12 - SwedenGördis

• Promoter The training company AmuGruppen Växa.
• Partners The Employment Office, Sandviken Local
  Authority and AB Sandvik Steel.
• Beneficiaries 120 long-term unemployed women
  aged between 21 and 55.
• Description The equal opportunity project
  Gördis, supported through the ESF's Objective 3
  Programme, was set up to give long-term
  unemployed women a chance to make a fresh start
  in a completely new profession. "First of all,
  the women had to work out their own personal
  action and development plans. During this process
  they gained the tools to deal with the ups and
  downs of life. Amongst other things, the
  participants were then offered a company based
  basic course in steel technology and eight weeks
  practical work experience at the local foundry
  company Sandvik Steel.

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Case Study 12 cont. - SwedenGördis

• Description cont. In this way, the company could
  broaden its recruitment base at the same time as
  the women had the opportunity to test whether
  they felt at ease in this new work environment. A
  cognitive learning method was used in the project
  and mental training was an important element
  running through the entire project period as a
  means of improving the women's self-esteem.
• Main Objectives The main objective was to
  broaden the traditionally narrow labour market
  for women in the foundry community Sandviken.
• Main Results About 60 of those who took part in
  the course at Sandvik Steel are currently working
  for the company. Most of them had no previous
  experience of industrial work, but have none the
  less settled in well. The project provided
  inspiration for another project in Sandviken,
  this time aimed at long-term unemployed men.
• EU Funding SEK 9.5 million. National
  Funding SEK 13.3 million.