ESF Community Grants in the Black Country Moving People Closer to the Job Market 1. Purpose Final Progress Report December 2013 To advise Members on progress in the implementation of the European Social Fund (ESF) Community Grants Programme managed by Black Country Consortium Limited. 2. Recommendation That Members note the progress made and the contribution that the ESF Community Grants programme is making to economic regeneration by moving people closer to the job market. To continue support to the programme and ensure that the funding opportunities are effectively promoted locally. 3. Background 3.1 BCC Ltd has been awarded 595,105 from the Skills Funding Agency to deliver the ESF Community Grants programme for 20011-2013 to support people from the hardest to reach communities and individuals experiencing multiple disadvantages to access mainstream ESF and domestic employment and skills provision. The programme is designed to develop and support a range of activities and soft skill development to move people closer to the job market by providing support to individuals to overcome barriers to learning and/or employment. The contracted outcomes relate to the types of beneficiaries targeted by the programme and the development of soft skills, rather than employment and business development outcomes. 3.2 483,781 is allocated to grants to support projects economically inactive people closer to work. A further 28,010 is allocated provide capacity building services for organisations eligible to apply. 3.3 83,314 is allocated to BCC Ltd for the management and accountability of the contract with the Skills Funding Agency. 3.3 Grants will be allocated across 5 funding rounds (determined in the SFA contract) and will be made available to small community and voluntary organisations (i.e. not for profit) with a turnover of less than 150,000 that meet the eligibility criteria. 3.4 Considerable support has been provided by Local Authorities and the local Voluntary Sector Councils to determine the appropriate processes for administering and promoting the funding. A project initiation document has been developed to guide programme delivery which is managed in a Prince 2 environment.
4.0 Progress report 4.1 Contractual progress All 5 funding rounds have been completed with all funding allocated. 170 organisations have been supported to apply for funding by attending application workshops or 1-2-1 sessions. 206 applications have been received between rounds 1 5. 44 projects have been confirmed for funding and received contracts from BCC Ltd, 501,224 of investment has been contracted to date (this is due to some organisations being underspent at the close down point and reinvested during later rounds). All 44 projects have completed delivery with actual expenditure on grant payments was 476,525.87. 4.2 Project Outcomes to date 1763 people engaged in the programme and receiving initial assessments. 1500 people reporting an improvement in soft skills (confidence, CV writing etc) according to the project close down reports. 258 participants gaining employment* thereby contributing to meeting the Black Country jobs challenge of 36,760 jobs needed to reach the national average 67 participants have started up their own business thereby supporting business growth in the Black Country*. 1 community enterprise initiated (community café)* 128 participants accessing learning programmes following attending the project* 72 qualifications gained (33 achieved level 1 Boxing coach award, 10 achieved first aid qualifications)*. *evidence in project close down reports. 4.3 Funding breakdown for projects that were approved for delivery Where the Investment is Targeted Where the Organisation is based Dudley 98,424 81,743 Sandwell 133,999 82,070 Walsall 91,046 65,947 Wolverhampton 177,754 241,027 Other 0 23,932 Total 501,224 1 501,224 Actual expenditure on grant payments was 476,525.87. 1 The remainder of the amount awarded to BCC Ltd is attributed to project costs and capacity building
4.4 Funding breakdown for projects based on actual delivery Where the Investment is Targeted Where the Organisation is based Dudley 90,504.95 87,654.52 Sandwell 126,766.12 65,025.70 Walsall 86,379.24 71,649.79 Wolverhampton 173,543.56 216,354.46 Other 0 35,841.40 Total 476,525.87 2 476,525.87 4.3 Demographic Breakdown of Participants to date* Specific Beneficiary Categories Number % of total beneficiaries Women 1160 66% People with Disabilities or health conditions 478 27% Economically Inactive 449 25% Ethnic Minorities 974 55% Lone Parents 269 15% Over 50 s 403 23% Other 36 2 % Other specified participants: People with dyslexia: 20 Ex-offenders: 9 People who are homeless: 7 *Please note that beneficiaries may be represented in more than one of the of the categories We are meeting all of the SFA contractual obligations for the beneficiaries that projects must target. 2 The remainder of the amount awarded to BCC Ltd is attributed to project costs and capacity building
4.5 Mapping of Participants Figure 1: Community Grants beneficiaries by BC areas within the 20% most deprived in the Country The aim of ESF Community Grants projects are to support people from the hardest to reach communities and individuals experiencing multiple disadvantages to access mainstream ESF and domestic employment and skills provision. Figure 1 highlights that the alignment of project delivery to the areas of most disadvantage has resulted in the majority of beneficiaries within projects residing in the Black Country areas within the 20% most deprived in the Country. Figure 2 highlights that significant
numbers of beneficiaries reside in some of the most deprived communities in the Black Country that are in the 10% most deprived in the Country. This combined with data regarding benefits claimants within these areas and the outcomes of the projects highlights the continuing role that these projects can have in the long term to deliver economic impacts across the Black Country. Figure 2: Community Grants beneficiaries by BC areas within the 10% most deprived in the Country