ESF has a history of learning from and contributing to transnational experience. A fCommunication network across Europeundamental principle of the EU and structural funds is the benefit of sharing ideas and methods, therefore working together to tackle and solve intractable problems. ESF-Works itself grew out of Equal Works, a project conceived under the well respected Equal programme which broke new ground in applying new ideas created by international teams. The resources and learning from Equal, which we still host on ESF-Works, remain a treasure trove for practitioners and policy makers alike.

Under the 2007 – 2013 programme, transnationality takes a different form. In contrast to earlier programmes, Member States have more choice and flexibility in taking up the opportunities ESF offers to work across borders, leading to a more diverse, less concentrated range of experience across the Union. In England, the Innovation, Transnationality and Mainstreaming programme mobilises some £60m funds to support 32 locally based projects, many already featured on ESF-Works. With six strands of work focused on specific topics, ITM projects are all testing ideas in England and with transnational partners, with results contributing to ESF experience ranging from older workers and demographic change, to social enterprise and engaging employers.

How transnational working works

At the heart of transnational working is the exchange of ideas, perspectives and methods, based on the belief that answers to problems might be found in all sorts of different places including other countries. ESF-Works carries many examples of where experience and ideas have been successfully shared, including:

  • Different delivery models
  • Exploring different strategic responses
  • Reaching out to wider audiences
  • Researching the impact of transnational work

Beyond the England programme, at EU level a network of transnational thematic groups are harvesting and promoting valuable experiences across many different policy areas. The UK actively participates in five networks focused on priority issues for UK policy, feeding in experience on:

  • The social economy, led by Poland and championing the role of all sorts of non governmental, non profit bodies in tackling unemployment and social exclusion
  • Working with ethnic minorities and migrants, led by Germany and sharing a wide variety of peer reviewed resources in support of migrant and minority integration
  • Older workers and active ageing, led by Italy and promoting experience of both staying in work at older ages, and making the transition from unemployment to work
  • Working with offenders, led by Germany and sharing experience of both offender employment and ways to prevent re-offending
  • Transnational working itself, led by the Czech Republic and aiming to maximise the impact of transnational experiences