Roadshows set to highlight ESF fund
DETAILS have been announced about a series of roadshows to publicise the forthcoming new European Social Fund (ESF) Programme 2014-2020.
Making the announcement and inviting eligible organisations to register for the roadshows, the Minister for Employment and Learning, Stephen Farry, said: “I am keen to maximise the impact of the benefits and opportunities of this new European Social Fund to further drive up skills in Northern Ireland. The European Commission via the ESF is investing £170m out of a total programme allocation of £425m
“The investment will provide new opportunities to people who face the greatest barriers to work and learning, and aims to help 132,000 individuals fulfil their potential by giving them better skills and better job prospects to take steps towards employment.”
The Department for Employment and Learning, as the managing authority for ESF in NI, is organising the roadshows to provide information on the programme, its priority target sectors, and the application process. The fund will open for public calls at the end of November 2014.
Funded by the European Commission, the overall strategic aim of the Northern Ireland ESF is to help reduce economic inactivity and increase workforce skills by promoting access to employment, social inclusion and skills for growth.
It contributes to social protection and social inclusion by supporting actions to extend employment opportunities to people at a disadvantage in the labour market.
The minister added: “ESF has made real and sustained changes to people’s lives, while at the same time contributing to the growth of our local economy. The fund also aligns to my department’s objective to equip the workforce with the skills needed by business in a competitive global economy. Priority groups for support will include projects and initiatives for young people not in education, employment or training and people with disabilities; and apprenticeship opportunities under the new system outlined in our strategy Securing our Success. I look forward to the support from organisations across Northern Ireland who can potentially collaborate with my department in implementing the European Social Fund in the coming years.”
Any public body, including local councils, and legally formed private organisations are eligible to apply for ESF funding with full details available at www.delni.gov.uk/ esf-roadshows.