The East Midlands Regional ESF Framework responds to the challenges of the downturn by increasing the level of support for higher-level skills, and introducing more specific targeting of groups, sectors and places. Building on experience from the 2000-2006 programme, the region is focusing on people furthest from the labour market, including provision designed, controlled and delivered with the involvement of local people.
East Midlands
ESF 2011-2013
Main priorities and issues
The East Midlands plan draws on the Regional Employability Strategy (RES), with ESF's strategic contribution focused on employment learning and skills for better jobs in growing businesses, and on tackling barriers to labour market participation for excluded groups.
Priority 1 includes local people being closely involved in the design, control and delivery of smaller scale provision tailored to local needs. Priority 1 will be particularly targeted on these groups, who are often concentrated in disadvantaged areas:
- lone parents and parents
- ethnic minorities
- disabled people
- ex-offenders
- graduates
- homeless people
- people with mental health problems.
Under Priority 2, the emphasis is on upskilling and qualifying the employed and those facing redundancy during the economic downturn. More resources will be available for higher-level skills than in the previous round. All Priority 2 actions will contribute to the strategic priorities contained within the RES, namely employment, learning and skills, enterprise and business support, innovation, cohesive communities and economic renewal.
Level 3 skills will be targeted on employees of SMEs reaching this level for the first time from identified growth sectors:
- transport
- food and drink
- construction
- healthcare
- retail
- logistics
- engineering manufacture
- tourism, leisure and hospitality
- health and social care
- clothing and textiles
- creative industries.
And on particular types of employer:
- micro-business (less than 10 employees)
- small businesses (less than 50 employees)
- hard-to-reach employers
- those from disadvantaged areas
- those facing decline or declaring redundancies.
There is also a strong subregional dimension, with spatial targeting on disadvantaged areas:
- the urban centres (Derby, Leicester, Lincoln, Nottingham and Northampton)
- the former coalfield areas of North Derbyshire and North Nottinghamshire
- the Lincolnshire coastline and its rural hinterland
- Corby.
As well as areas with the potential for major growth:
- Nottingham East Midlands airport
- retail hotspots - Nottingham, Derby, Leicester
- Junction 29a M1
- hospital developments in Derby and Leicester
- areas of the region in the Milton Keynes, South Midlands growth area.
Finally, growth sectors targeted for support include:
- low-carbon and resource-efficient technologies such as transport, energy production, distribution, materials, manufacturing
- digital and broadband technologies
- advanced manufacturing
- professional and financial service
- creative industries
- life sciences.
Funding allocations for 2011-2013
| Total | Priority 1 | Priority 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-2010 | £103m | £67m | £36m |
| 2011-2013 | £99m | £65m | £34m |
CFOs
- Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
- Skills Funding Agency
- National Offender Management Service (NOMS)
- East Midlands Local Authority Consortium
Projects featured on ESF-Works relevant to the above priorities
Links
European Social Fund 2007-2013: A Framework for the East Midlands 2011-2013
Regional news
Did you know? Interesting facts about the East Midlands
- ESF in the East Midlands newsletter, June 2010
- ESF in the East Midlands newsletter, March 2010
- ESF in the East Midlands newsletter, December 2009
Recently added
The following projects have recently been added for this region. Click on one to find out more.
Care Training East Midlands
Care Training East Midlands delivers successful pre-employment training programmes developed in collaboration with leading facilities and services providers in the care sector.
Skills for Jobs, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire
Those who face multiple barriers to employment often have low self-esteem and lack the ability to recognise the transferable nature of the skills that they have. The success of Tribal’s Skills for Jobs programme in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire is due in large part to the empathy, care and commitment of those delivering the programme.
Driving the Future of Skills ESF Train to Gain, Northamptonshire
This ESF-funded Train to Gain programme provides free and subsidised training to employers and volunteers working in Northamptonshire.
View all projects in this region
