Government Equalities Office Returners Fund

Transcription

1 Gvernment Equalities Office Returners Fund Overview In the Spring Budget 2017, the Prime Minister cmmitted 5 millin t prmte returnships t the public and private sectrs, helping peple back int emplyment after a career break. This funding has been allcated t the Gvernment Equalities Office (GEO) fr the purpse f: better understanding the returner chrt, what barriers it faces and what emplyers can d t harness its skills and experience; increasing understanding f what is mst effective in getting returners back t wrk acrss the private sectr and in particular emplyment sectrs; increasing public awareness f the skills and experience returners ffer; and increasing the number f emplyment pprtunities available t returners. The Gvernment Equalities Office defines a returner as a persn wh left paid emplyment fr at least a year t take n a caring respnsibility and wuld like t return t paid wrk at a level cmmensurate with their skills and experience. A returner may als be smebdy wh left paid emplyment fr at least a year, but wh has since returned t paid wrk at a lwer skill level. The caring respnsibility may be fr children, elderly r sick relatives. Analysis f the Labur Frce Survey shws that 89% f thse wh are ecnmically inactive because they are caring fr family r the hme are wmen. The Returners Fund utlined belw cmplements the wider wrk f the Gvernment Equalities Office f supprting returners in the public sectr ( and clsing the gender pay gap ( Grants Available A Fund f 1.5millin is available fr rganisatins t run prjects aimed at returners that: create new jb pprtunities within the private sectr and targeted emplyment sectrs that have a weaker track recrd in catering fr returners, including, retail; law; tech and telecms; science, technlgy, engineering and maths industries; creative industries; culd nt therwise be established by the market; address specific barriers fr returners and can be replicated at scale; can demnstrate self-sustainability beynd the initial funding perid f the grant; increase understanding f hw best t supprt a) returners t gain paid emplyment and b) emplyers t recruit and supprt returners. It is anticipated that mst f the grant recipients under the Returners Fund will be vluntary and cmmunity sectr rganisatins, scial enterprises and training prviders. Apprximately prjects will be selected in ttal. There will be tw funding runds, ne in the spring and ne in the autumn 2018 (please see the indicative timetable belw).

2 The GEO is particularly interested t receive prject applicatins that fcus n at least ne f the fllwing: returners t paid emplyment utside Lndn (full r part-time); nn-graduate returners and/r thse returning t nn-prfessinal emplyment; peple with the fllwing prtected characteristics: BAME (Black, Asian and Minrity Ethnic) Disabled Older wrkers (aged 50+) returners wh have been ut f paid emplyment fr 10 years r mre, and creating emplyment pprtunities fr returners in SMEs. Ideally, grant recipients will be rganisatins that can demnstrate experience f prviding specialist supprt fr returners, including training and retraining; recruitment/in-wrk supprt; changing hiring and emplyment practices; flexible wrking and jb design, and/r reducing the gender pay gap. Organisatins withut this experience are still welcme t apply, but must be able t demnstrate that they can prvide suitable supprt t returners and/r emplyers f returners. The GEO welcmes prjects with match funding in place, r a clear plan t achieve that funding. Hwever, the funds yu are applying fr frm GEO shuld be the primary surce f funding fr yur prject. Eligibility Criteria 1. All types f rganisatins that can demnstrate they can supprt returners are eligible. This will include vluntary and cmmunity sectr rganisatins, lcal training prviders, lcal enterprise partnerships (LEPs), academic institutins, lcal authrities r private sectr rganisatins. 2. The grant funding is nly available fr eligible prjects which are delivered in England. 3. Prjects must demnstrate hw, if successful, they can expand and cntinue withut further gvernment funding. 4. Emplyers wh receive either direct r indirect supprt that is beneficial must shw cnsideratin fr self-funding and extending the prgramme beynd the initial funding frm the Returners Fund, as well as sign up t the GEO best practice framewrk. Success Criteria GEO will determine the Returners Fund t have been a success if the grant investment prvides: increased pprtunities fr returners in the private sectr; and, increased understanding f the fllwing: barriers returners face getting rles and the best ways f vercming these; barriers returners face nce in rles and the best ways f vercming these;

3 barriers emplyers face/perceive when hiring returners and the best ways f vercming them; barriers emplyers face/perceive when supprting returners in rles and the best ways f vercming them; benefits t emplyers f hiring returners and the best way f cmmunicating these; pprtunities fr returners and emplyers are ffered with a reasnable gegraphic distributin acrss England. Please Nte Grants will be paid mnthly in arrears. Therefre, all applicants must have a secure cash flw a minimum f 3 mnths perating csts held in reserve t ensure the lead rganisatin s financial security. The upper limit fr grants is 300,000. Hwever, it is anticipated the majrity f awards t be between 50,000 and 150,000. Successful applicants must adhere t the Gvernment Equalities Office requirements fr mnitring and reprting f participant data. Prjects invited t submit full applicatins will be prvided with the necessary mnitring tls t enable them t cmply with this requirement. Exclusins Grants cannt be used t cver any csts incurred in applying t this fund. Grants will nt be awarded retrspectively i.e. fr any csts incurred befre the grant agreement has been signed and returned. Organisatins must have an rganisatin bank accunt. Funds will nt be paid t individuals. Grants are available t supprt prjects lasting a maximum f 12 mnths, but which may well be fr a shrter duratin. (See indicative timetable belw). Funding can nly be used fr the start-up csts f new prjects, training, and related supprt fr returners. It cannt be used t pay r subsidise the salaries f returners which must be met in full by emplyer(s). These start-up csts culd cver experimental appraches s lng as there is a clear plan fr sustainability and replicatin fllwing the prject s cnclusin. Indicative Timetable First Rund: Stage Date Expressins f interest (EOI) pen t applicants 5 th Mar 2018 Deadline fr return f an EOI t be cnsidered in the first 30 th Mar 2018 rund Applicants ntified f the utcme f their EOI w/c 9 th Apr 2018 Applicatin windw pens fr shrtlisted applicants w/c 9 th Apr 2018 Deadline fr return f full applicatins 18 th May 2018 Applicants ntified f utcme w/c 25 th Jun 2018

4 Prject delivery perid begins (maximum f 12 mnths) 1 st Aug 2018 Secnd Rund: Stage Date Deadline fr submissin f an EOI fr the secnd rund 16 th Aug 2018 Applicants ntified f the utcme f their EOI w/c 3 rd Sept 2018 Applicatin windw pens fr shrtlisted applicants w/c 3 rd Sept 2018 Deadline fr return f full applicatins 26 th Oct 2018 Applicants ntified f utcme w/c 8 th Dec 2018 Prject delivery perid begins (maximum f 12 mnths) 1 st Jan 2019 If the timings deviate frm these advertised dates, applicants will be infrmed as sn as pssible. Scring Criteria Evidence Sught Weighting 1. Organisatin Charity Cmmissin cmpliance (fr registered Pass/Fail gvernance and charities) 2. Financial assurance Cmpanies Huse cmpliance (fr registered cmpanies) Latest annual accunts Gverning dcuments Cherent and realistic budget ffering value fr mney given the prject s cntext and targets Assurance f sufficient cash flw a minimum f 3 mnths perating csts held in reserve 3. Prject Cmpliance/eligibility clarity f understanding f the Fund and its bjectives 15% Indicative value fr mney 4 Need and demand Cherence f plans t reach and engage target audience 30% Understanding f the returner chrt and what supprt is required Understanding f hw emplyers can best supprt returners and evidence r likelihd f their engagement Ratinale fr requiring public subsidy/interventin in the frm f a grant frm the Returners Fund (ie given gaps in the market) 5. Partnership and Prject Management A clear prject plan 15%

5 Examples f the lead rganisatin s experience f delivering prjects in partnership with thers, including emplyers Apprpriate partners are identified with a clear ratinale fr their invlvement, their anticipated rles and respnsibilities alng with assurance f btaining their cmmitment t supprt the prject Clear gvernance arrangements and assurance f quality and delivery 6. Impact and sustainability Cnsideratin f hw the prject prpses t embed mnitring and evaluatin t demnstrate the value and impact f the prject Cnsideratin f hw the prject culd be scaled up in terms f the future invlvement f returners and/r emplyers Cnsideratin fr hw the prject can be sustained financially ie with emplyers cntinuing t supprt returners fllwing the initial grant frm the Returners Fund 30% 7. Track Recrd f prject delivery Evidence f delivery f demand-led prjects which are relevant t the bjectives f the Returners Fund Evidence f successful meeting f grant-funded utcmes in previus prjects delivery Verificatin f referees 10% TOTAL 100% Hw t Apply Access the applicatin prtal: here Further guidance is prvided within the n-line Expressin f Interest frm and Applicatin frm. If yu need any supprt in cmpleting yur applicatin, please the grants team: returnersfund@rcketsciencelab.c.uk Alternatively yu can ring: and a member f the team will get back t yu.