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ESFVON
European Structrial Funds Voluntary Organisations Northern
Learning & Skills Council County Durham
Co-Financed activities proposal
January 2002
Your Application
The purpose of this document is to provide the Learning and Skills Council County Durham
with information concerning the types of activities from the Bidding Prospectus your
organisation would like to deliver.
Your application will be assessed against the appraisal framework (see Annex 1 of the
bidding prospectus by a panel appointed by the Learning and Skills Council County Durham.
Following the assessment of the panel, the Learning and Skills Council County Durham will
contact you about your application. Please note that applications are not guaranteed to receive
funding from the Learning and Skills Council. Funding will depend upon the fit of the
application against the bidding prospectus and the results of the Learning and Skills
Council County Durham co-financing application to Government Office.
All applicants will receive feedback on their applications and successful providers and agreed activities
will be published.
Guidance
It is the applicants responsibility to ensure that their application is legible and if
possible, the Learning and Skills Council County Durham requests that applicants use a word
processor to complete their application.
A Word version of the application form can be obtained from Iain Wishart (as below) and the
completed form should be returned to:
Iain.wishart@lsc.gov.uk
OR
Iain Wishart
External Funding Manager
Learning and Skills Council County Durham
Horndale Avenue
Newton Aycliffe
County Durham
DL5 6XS
The deadline for the submission of applications is:
5.00pm Monday 25 February 2002
If you would like further assistance about the co-financing process in County Durham or in
completing the application, please contact Iain Wishart or Sue Wilkinson on (01325) 372381.
| Proposal Name: |
Name and Details of Applicant Organisation:
Telephone Number
E-mail address:
Person to Contact:
Legal Status of Applicant:
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1 Activity focus. What activities do you intend to deliver in
relation to the CFO Bidding prospectus - please use the reference
numbers in the bidding prospectus and the ESF Priority Field and Measure
if quoted.?
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Please write your answer here.
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| 2 Activity Summary. This should provide a brief but lucid description
of the proposed activities, the aims and objectives, main delivery mechanisms
and key milestones. It should contain statements on what the activity
intends to do, why this is needed, how the need will be addressed and who
is responsible for each element of delivery. |
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Please write your answer here.
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3 Geographic Area of Delivery. Which areas will be covered by your
activities: Boroughs, Districts, Wards etc
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Please write your answer here.
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| 4 Target Groups. Target groups should be clearly identified in
conjunction with a description of the track record of the applicant in
working with the target group(s). |
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Please write your answer here.
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5 Timescales. Specify start and end dates of activities.
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Please write your answer here.
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6 Linkages. Please specify linkages with other relevant activities in
the local area and provide evidence. If linkages are not fully
established then please indicate which organisations you expect to work
with on this activity and how this involvement will be secured.
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Please write your answer here.
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7 Added Value. Explain how the activities you intend to deliver will
support and contribute towards the added value to mainstream provision, as
described in the CFO bidding prospectus.
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Please write your answer here.
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8 Outcomes. Please list the expected outcomes of the activity (both hard
and soft). Outcomes should be realistic and clearly linked to the
activities' strategic aims and activities.
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Please write your answer here.
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9 Activity Management. This section should demonstrate how the activity
will be managed and delivered. As a minimum it should contain detail on the
design and delivery of the activity, including information on supporting
systems, where possible.
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Please write your answer here.
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10 Financial Information. Please summarise activity costs as follows: -
- Breakdown of activity costs e.g. training, marketing, child care etc
- Total costs
- NB Where appropriate please indicate a unit price for activities
to be undertaken
Costs should be realistic and demonstrate good value for money. They should
be clearly linked to activities and aims.
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Please write your answer here.
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11 Cross-Cutting Themes. Please explain how your activity will contribute
to each of the cross-cutting themes of:
- Equal Opportunities
- Information and Communications Technology
- Sustainability
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Please write your answer here.
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12 Are you submitting / planning to submit a proposal(s) to any other
Co-Financing Organisation? If yes, we will need details (for this and any
other intended activities). Failure to declare this could result in the
automatic disqualification / termination of your proposed activity.
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Please write your answer here.
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13 Do you currently hold a contract with the Learning and Skills Council
County Durham? This information will not affect the appraisal of this
proposal. If you do not currently have a contract with the Learning and
Skills Council County Durham, we will need to undertake an assessment of
your capability to become a supplier. This will review a number of areas,
including: resources, equipment and facilities, health and safety, and
equal opportunities.
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Please write your answer here.
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14 Other information. Please include any other information which you feel
is important and have not had the opportunity to include elsewhere in the
application.
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Please write your answer here.
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15 Certification
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I confirm that:
- To the best of my knowledge and belief, the information contained
in this application is true and correct.
- My organisation is eligible to apply for support and that I am
authorised to make this application on behalf of that organisation.
- I have read the notes to applicants as supplied by Learning and
Skills Council County Durham.
Signed:
Date:
Position in Organisation:
Official Stamp:
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CONTENTS
Annex A:- Table mapping LSC Objectives against co-financing measures
Annex B:- Co-Financing Application Form
Annex C:- Selection Criteria
This prospectus outlines the application process to be used for all
Objective 3 Co-financing applications submitted to the Learning & Skills
Council County Durham.
Included within the prospectus are details of the activities to be supported
by co-financing within County Durham; resources available, timetable for bids,
application forms, project selection criteria, & details of the selection
process.
The prospectus has been designed to help applicants structure their funding
proposals to deliver activities which address the priority areas identified
in the Learning & Skills Council County Durham Co-financing Plan.
The Learning & Skills Council County Durham Co-financing Plan will be
delivered under 4 Policy Fields and 10 underpinning measures (See section 6
for more details).
The Co-financing plan has been endorsed by the North East Objective 3
Regional Committee. Applicants must therefore be aware that when applying
for funds, the proposed target groups, activities, and impacts cannot be
compromised without the risk of losing the ESF grant.
Applicants are strongly advised to read the following guidance notes
thoroughly before completing their application.
County Durham LSC is currently the only Co-Financing Organisation (CFO)
operating in County Durham.
Please contact the following for further information or guidance about
co-financing and the application process.
From January 2001, a system of co-financing ESF is gradually being introduced
to deliver Objective 3 ESF programmes in England. This means that ESF funding
and domestic match funding will be channelled to applicants as a single funding
stream by Co-financing organisations such as the Learning & Skills
Council. In the future, it is anticipated that most ESF funding will be
channelled through Co-financing Organisations (CFOs) in this way.
Co-financing aims to support a more strategic use of ESF, alongside UK public
and other funds. Co-financing involves the management and planning of ESF at
Measure level, rather than project level. This will allow greater flexibility
in the use of match funding, and therefore more scope to support innovative
projects. Additionally, this approach will aim to fund new activities not
previously delivered and allow provision to be responsive to the demand of
local/community needs.
Please note that the following basic principles and criteria must be observed
before your proposal will be eligible for inclusion in the selection process.
- A fully completed co-financing Project Proposal form to reach the
Learning & Skills County Durham by the specified deadline.
- Proposals must relate only to priorities, measures, eligible activities
and eligible target beneficiary groups as detailed in the LSC Co-financing
plan and guidance.
- Please note that you can only apply for funding under one measure when
submitting your application. If you wish to carry out activities under more
than one measure then you must submit separate applications for each measure
under which you intend to run an activity.
- Activities must take place within the County Durham area.
- Organisations applying for funding must be eligible under ESF rules,
which basically includes any organisation, which is legally formed, but
excludes sole traders and individuals.
- Applicants must submit applications to either the Learning &
Skills Council County Durham or GO-NE and cannot therefore submit applications
to both the LSC and GONE for the same activity. Cross - checking will be
rigorously undertaken by both organisations to identify any duplicate
applications.
Please note that this initial call for proposals is limited to the measures
detailed below. A further call for projects falling under other measures covered
by the CFO will be issued shortly following the publication of relevant
underpinning strategies
Please read the relevant sections of the ESF rules and regulations
(National Guidance) carefully to ensure ineligible activity and costs are
not included in your proposal.
5.1. Capital Expenditure
Please note that ESF is not a Capital Programme - therefore any expenditure
for items of equipment must be kept to an absolute minimum, must be relevant
to the project and the cost of any individual item must not exceed the ESF
guideline figure of £1000 per individual item.
5.2 . Training for the public sector
ESF is not generally available for training individuals for permanent jobs in
the public sector as this breaks the Commission's rules relating to added value.
Direct training of the public sector is not allowed as this is seen as
a substitute for central -government funding.
For ESF purposes the following are considered to be part of the public sector:
- Central Government
- Local Authorities
- The Armed Forces
- NHS Trusts
- GP Fund-holders
- Grant Maintained Schools
ESF support for training public sector workers is restricted to those who have
been given a formal notice of redundancy. It includes those threatened with
redundancy who as an alternative to losing their job, are offered other
employment in the authority, which requires them to have vocational training
to fit them for the new post.
5.3.State Aids
DE MINIMUS - this is the threshold for schemes below which, the requirements
of State Aid Rules do not apply. The de minimus threshold relates to schemes
which provide aid awards to business of less than 100,000 ecu over a rolling
3 year period (at October 2000 this represented aid of c£58,500). De minimus
is not project related - it relates to the total of all public aid to the
business in question regardless of source. If the total aid awarded to a
business is greater than the threshold then state aid rules always apply. Please
refer to guidance on state aids published on the Government Office For The
North-East web-site for more detailed information.
Please note that these are only clarifications of a few common areas of
confusion and that more detailed guidance should be sought in the European
Social Fund Rules and Regulations.
A. Policy Field 2 - Equal Opportunities for All and Promoting Social Inclusion
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Measure 2.2 - Improve the Employability and Remove Barriers to Labour
Market Entry for those Groups Disadvantaged in the Labour Market.
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Target Beneficiaries:-
Any person unemployed and Jobless in particular
- People aged 16 - 24 or over 50
- Long Term Unemployed
- People with Disabilities
- Ethnic Minorities
- Refugees
- Lone Parents
- People with Learning Disabilities, Particularly with Literacy and Numeracy Problems
- The Homeless
- Ex-Offenders
- People Recovering from Addiction
- 13 - 17 year olds that are disaffected with the education system
- Groups in rural areas who have difficulty accessing provision.
NB All applications must target one or more of the above target groups
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Target Outcomes:-
- 520 Beneficiaries of which 218 will be women
- 8 capacity building projects
- Community/ Voluntary organisations assisted with capacity building
- 100% of beneficiaries working towards a qualification
- 63% or 328 beneficiaries achieving positive outcomes* on leaving training
- 35% or 182 beneficiaries into work on leaving training
*Positive outcomes include employment, self employment, own business, further training, voluntary work.
NB All applications must contribute to the delivery of the above outcomes
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| Activities |
Available Resources:- £508,446
Bids are invited to deliver the following activities
- Providing intensive support to enable target groups to reach levels of basic employability
- Providing integrated packages which meet the needs of lone parents and returners including childcare provision
- Customised training related to labour market opportunities
- Capacity building actions to ensure that ESF is reaching those groups in greatest need and to encourage local development and community delivery of ESF activities. Capacity Building actions should be related primarily to
- Developing the capacity of the voluntary and community organisations to deliver training.
- To meet local demand for training.
- To raise local demand for training
- To achieve the quality standards required to contract with the LLSC
All bids need to provide relevant justification particularly in relation
to labour market need or in terms of the barriers faced by particular
target groups.All capacity building actions should deliver positive and
measurable outcomes relating to the target groups and outcomes of the
measure.
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| Measure 2.3 - Combating Discrimination in the labour Market |
Research Activities to support the following Targeted groups:
- People aged 16 - 24 or over 50
- Long Term Unemployed
- People with Disabilities
- Ethnic Minorities
- Refugees
- Lone Parents
- People with Learning Disabilities, Particularly with Literacy and Numeracy Problems
- The Homeless
- Ex-Offenders
- People Recovering from Addiction
- 13 - 17 year olds that are disaffected with the education system
- Groups in rural areas who have difficulty accessing provision
NB All applications must target one or more of the above target groups
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Target Outcomes:-
- 60 Trainers trained In Equal opportunities
- 6 capacity building/research projects
NB All applications must contribute to the delivery of the above outcomes
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| Activities |
Available Resources:- £145,456
Bids are invited to deliver the following activities:
- Researching into institutional discrimination and follow on actions to combat discrimination
- Supporting initiatives to improve recruitment and promotion systems to eliminate institutional discrimination
- Feasibility studies, market research, and other studies related to the implications of institutional discrimination and into new ways of overcoming barriers to employment for those discriminated against.
All Studies, research activities etc must demonstrate the ability to
complete the activity within the life of the project and must deliver
identified goals. Furthermore projects must show integration into the
aims of Objective 3, Policy Field 2 and must identify and support the
need of such research.
Projects aimed at training trainers in Equal
Opportunities will be supported under this measure.
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B. Policy Field 3 - LIFELONG LEARNING
| Measure 3.1 - Promoting Wider Access & Participation in Lifelong Learning |
Target Beneficiaries:-
- People aged 16 - 24 or over 50
- People least engaged with the education/ learning system
- People in employment*
- Unemployed/ Jobless People
*This excludes public sector employees
NB All applications must target one or more of the above target groups
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Target Outcomes:-
- 1,680 Beneficiaries participating in Lifelong Learning of which 1008 will be women
- 1,680 Beneficiaries working towards a qualification of which 85% or 1428 Beneficiaries will complete the course
- 30% or 504 Beneficiaries to gain an NVQ level 2 or equivalent
- 15% or 252 Beneficiaries to gain an NVQ level 3 or equivalent
- 92% or 1545 Beneficiaries in work or further study on completion.
NB All applications must contribute to the delivery of the above outcomes
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| Activities |
Available Resources:- £1,271,112
Bids are invited to deliver the following activities:
- Supporting collaborative action through Learning & Skills Councils, local Learning Partnerships, further and higher education establishments, University for Industry and through SMEs
- Providing individuals with ICT skills
- Providing individuals with basic and key skills and reducing the risk of those with inadequate skills falling behind
- The identification and promotion of means which can open up access to learning for those adults least engaged with the education system.
Activities supported under this measure must be able to demonstrate how they will encourage beneficiaries to progress from a low skills to a higher skills base, and should be clearly linked to labour market need.
For the purpose of bids under this measure Key Skills are identified as follows:
- Communication Skills
- Team Working or Working with Others
- Problem Solving
- Numeracy and Application of Numbers
- Information and Communication Technology
- Improving own learning and performance or reflection, learning and appraisal
NB a call for basic skills will be issued following the completion of the Basic Skills Delivery Plan
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| Measure 3.2 - Lifelong Learning provision Responsive to the changing needs of employers |
Target Beneficiaries:-
- People in employment (although not public sector employees)
- Employers (re changing attitudes to employee training)
NB All applications must target one or more of the above target groups
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Target Outcomes:-
- 480 Beneficiaries participating in lifelong learning of which 201 will be women
- 85% or 408 completing their courses
- 100% of beneficiaries working towards a qualification
- 350 employer/SMEs participating in training
- 80% or 384 beneficiaries gaining NVQ level 2
- 100% into work or further study on leaving training
- 10 Research /Labour market analysis projects undertaken
*Positive outcomes include employment, self employment, own business, further training, voluntary work.
NB All applications must contribute to the delivery of the above outcomes
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| Activities |
Available Resources:- £1,040,000
Bids are invited to deliver the following activities:
- Supporting business, especially SMEs, by equipping the workforce with the right skills
- Skills forecasting and ensuring that skills training relates to the RDA regional economic strategy
- Encouraging the commitment to learning and training in employers
- Forging links between business and support networks
- Research, development, the identification and dissemination of best practice which contribute to realising the objectives of the measure
All Beneficiaries must be registered as working towards a recognised
qualification and should preferably achieve one at least NVQ level
2 equivalent during the life of the project
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Co-financing will operate from the 1 January 2002 - 31 December 2003.
NB Retrospection is allowed back to the 1 Jan 2002.
Applicants must bid using the LSC Co-financing application form only. A copy
of our application is included in this prospectus along with the Appraisal
Framework.
It is the applicants responsibility to ensure that the application is
legible. Where possible we request that your response is word-processed. An
electronic version of the application form is available from
Iain Wishart/ Sue Wilkinson
Learning & Skills Council County Durham
Horndale Avenue
Aycliffe Business Park
Newton Aycliffe
Co Durham
DL5 6XS
Tel: 01325 372381/ 2385
E mail:- iain.wishart@lsc.gov.uk / Susan.wilkinson@lsc.gov.uk
Bids must be received no later than 5pm 25th February 2002
Any bid received after this deadline, or produced using any other documentation will be rejected.
Bids will be appraised against the Selection Criteria attached to this
prospectus and considered by a selection panel chaired by The Learning and
Skills Council's Head of Strategic Development with membership drawn from across
the LLSC. The bids will also be considered by an Advisory Panel which involves
representation from the Local Authority & voluntary sectors, and the Employment
Service.
All applicants will receive feedback on the outcome of the selection process.
The decisions of the Selection Panel will be notified to applicants within one
month of the deadline for which bids are received.
Payment to providers will be agreed (as to levels and frequency) at the
beginning of a contract and the process for payment will be streamlined and
simplified to the providers advantage. The majority of the simplification will
arise from spend profiling and the subsequent claims with the result that
providers should not experience peaks and troughs in their finances.
As a general statement of principle, it should only be necessary to consider
paying the full 30% ESF advance in exceptional circumstances. It is anticipated that
this situation may arise particularly with new providers or with the voluntary
or community sector who have limited financial resources and frequently experience
cash flow problems. Once successful projects have been identified the LSC
will then be in a position to negotiate a contract with the successful provider. A key
element of that contract will be a payment profile that will detail when payments will
be made according to the need of the provider. As part of this negotiation, consideration will
be given to the particular cash flow needs of the project/ provider and whether all or
part of the 30% advance will be required. This is a departure from current ESF practice
where each applicant receives a 30% advance of 45% of the cost of the project regardless of
need. It should be noted that the LSC contract will cover up to 100% of the costs and
identify cash flow needs of the whole project rather than a proportion of the project. This
should ensure that no organisation will be disadvantaged by the payment system
On successful approval of the Co Financing Application (and, where applicable, the Initial
Assessment) the Provider will be issued with a contract confirming the delivery of Co Financed
provision. Until signed copies of these contracts are agreed, no delivery will be deemed
eligible for funding.
If you do not currently hold a contract with the LLSC and your application for funding is
selected for support you will need to complete an application form for new organisations who wish
to deliver LSC funded learning. This covers the following areas:-
- Management structure and background information
- Details of publicly funded projects
- Details relating to qualifications of staff
- Organisations prospectus or leaflet (where available)
- Business plan/ Development plan
- Financial information as appropriate
- Completed financial statement
- Completed health and safety questionnaire
- Completed equal opportunities questionnaire
A copy of this application form can be obtained from the Learning and Skills Council should
it be required
Much of the learning provision funded by the Learning & Skills Council is subject to
Provider Performance Review, conducted periodically to assess factors such as the quality of
education and training; continuous improvement; aspects of leadership and management; delivery
of agreed volumes; and data management. Although there are no plans yet to include
Co-Financed provision under the arrangements of Provider Performance Review, the Learning &
Skills Council County Durham will seek to introduce mechanisms to review and evaluate
Providers' delivery to;-
- Identify areas for improvement;
- Promote continuous improvement;
- Identify excellence and disseminate good practice, and
- Inform future planning and allocations.
The Provider shall deliver its Provision to an acceptable standard of quality as
defined by the Learning and Skills Council and shall take all reasonable steps to:
- minimise drop out rates and deliver high completion and achievement
rates, and appropriate progression;
- ensure competent and appropriately qualified staff deliver and assess
learning;
- offer equality of access to learning opportunities and close equality gaps
in learning and outcomes;
- provide a safe, healthy and supportive environment which meets the
needs of learners;
- provide good management and leadership of the learning process; and
- deliver value for money and financial probity.
The Provider shall continuously seek to improve its Provision and raise standards to
benefit the learner. The Provider shall have the primary responsibility for improving standards
and will need to demonstrate to the Learning and Skills Council's satisfaction that it
has an effective quality assurance system based on self-assessment, development plans, target
setting and a continuous improvement strategy.
Although there are no firm proposals to include Co-Financed provision within the requirements
of the ALI/OFSTED Common Inspection Framework, Providers should be aware of what may be required
by this.
The Provider shall have an Equal Opportunities Policy Statement written in accordance with the
guidelines available from the Commission for Racial Equality, the Equal Opportunities Commission and
the Disability Rights Commission, and which shall have regard to the views of the Learning
and Skills Council in respect of the provision of Learning.
A checklist of useful questions is detailed below which should form the basis of
checking your proposal before submission to the LSC and should provide the senior manager
or director responsible for authorising a proposal with the assurance that key risk areas
have been considered:
- Have all the key staff who would be involved in the project delivery reviewed the application and agreed to its content?
- Has an appropriate finance officer agreed the financial elements of the application including any cost forecasts?
- What evidence is there to support the cost estimates?
- Has the senior management group in the organisation approved the project?
- If the proposal relates to training in a specific sector - has the relevant NTO (National Training Organisation) been consulted ?
- Have all organisations or partners involved in the project given letters of support to the project?
- What are the cash-flow implications of the project and how do they fit with the cash-flow profile of the organisation as a whole?
- What evidence of need for the project is there to support the application?
- What is the "added value" for the project and how is this documented?
- What evidence do you have to support the proposed beneficiary numbers?
| National LSC Objective | Local Actions | Link to ESF Objective 3 policy Field and Measure |
| Extend participation in education, learning and training |
- Work with the Connexions Service and the IAG network to ensure that people get impartial advice, guidance and support to recognised standards to enable them to make the best choices;
- Work with the LEA and County Durham Lifelong Learning Partnership to follow up 16-19 inspections and secure local breadth and quality of provision and encourage increased collaboration between providers;
- Deliver robust progression routes from age 14 to degree level including the further development of Modern Apprenticeships and Education Business Links;
- Build the capacity of basic skills provision in the County through a programme of training of community learning mentors;
- Ensure that the views of adult learners and young people are sought to inform the development of learning provision in County Durham;
- Support learners and potential learners to manage and overcome the personal barriers they face in order to take up or continue with their learning activity;
- Work towards the development of an integrated approach to the provision of adult, community, informal, distance and family learning and maximise ICT based opportunities;
- Establish effective links with local learning, regeneration and strategic partnerships and with regional partnerships to maximise learning opportunities, access funding, improve learner motivation and increase learner participation.
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Policy Field 1 Measure 1.2 - Improving the employability of the unemployed, returners and Young People
Policy Field 2 Measure 2.1 - Access to Basic Skills Provision
Policy Field 2 Measure 2.2 - Improving the employability and removing barriers to labour market entry for disadvantaged groups
Policy Field 3 Measure 3.1 - Promoting Wider Access and Participation in Lifelong Learning Provision
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| National LSC Objective | Local Actions | Link to ESF Objective 3 policy Field and Measure |
| Increase engagement of employers in workforce development |
- Work in partnership with employers to increase their investment in raising skill levels and ensure that workforce development is an integral element of business strategies;
- Provide high quality labour market information and skills data and opportunities to engage the business community in its interpretation;
- Collaborate with Durham County Council's plans to encourage greater networking and share good practice among employers;
- Foster links between employers and the Higher Education and Further Education sectors to promote graduate business start ups and sustained professional development for highly skilled employees;
- Continue to promote and support Investors in People within organisations;
- Develop through our key partners, an infrastructure of distance learning opportunities using ICT to promote learning in rural areas;
- Encourage employers to engage with the family learning agenda and encourage the development of work-based learning champions and collaborative work with basic skills providers, Trade Union learning initiatives and Learndirect;
- Help employers to make connections with learning support systems in their local community.
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Policy Field 3 Measure 3.2 - Lifelong Learning Provision responsive to the changing needs of employers
Policy Field 4 Measure 4.1 - To Update and Upgrade Employees Vocational Skills including Basic and Key Skills
Policy Field 4 Measure 4.2 - Identifying and Meeting emerging Skill Shortages
Policy Field 4 Measure 4.3 - Entrepreneurship and Competitive SME's
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| National LSC Objective | Local Actions | Link to ESF Objective 3 policy Field and Measure |
| Raise achievement of young people |
- Ensure that opportunities for young people develop in a planned way in relation to need and that young people are not disadvantaged through unhelpful competition among providers;
- Engage with partners and initiatives such as the Education Action Zones, County Durham Sure Start, Community Education, the Youth Service and special projects, to work creatively with disaffected young people;
- Work with County Durham Connexions Service in their role to co-ordinate social inclusion issues affecting young people;
- Address issues of retention and tackle under-achievement through use of the Standards Fund;
- Make sustained efforts to improve achievement at all levels, focusing particularly on the numbers of young people achieving qualifications at NVQ levels 2 & 3 and encouraging progression into Higher Education and lifelong learning;
- Enable young people to make connections between their personal goals and the learning opportunities available to help them to achieve and to improve their own lives;
- Enhance the work of Education Business Links and Connexions to ensure that appropriate and balanced information and guidance is given about progression into Work-based Learning, Sixth Form provision and Further Education;
- Support the LEA and schools in responding to the challenges of the White Paper "Schools Achieving Success" in ensuring that young people become engaged in lifelong learning.
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Policy Field 1 Measure 1.2 - Improving the employability of the unemployed, returners and Young People
Policy Field 2 Measure 2.1 - Access to Basic Skills Provision
Policy Field 2 Measure 2.2 - Improving the employability and removing barriers to labour market entry for disadvantaged groups
Policy Field 2 Measure 2.3 - Combating Discrimination in the Labour Market
Policy Field 3 Measure 3.1 - Promoting Wider Access and Participation in Lifelong Learning Provision
Policy Field 4 Measure 4.3 - Entrepreneurship and Competitive SME's
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| National LSC Objective | Local Actions | Link to ESF Objective 3 policy Field and Measure |
| Raise achievement of adults |
- Support the development of new and improved adult, community and family learning provision, making effective use of neighbourhood learning centres, Learndirect and e-learning;
- Encourage the accreditation of learning taking place within community based initiatives (e.g creche workers, classroom helpers);
- Facilitate and support individuals to overcome basic skills barriers to learning and employment and take an active part in delivering the national Skills for Life strategy;
- Work with the Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) network to further develop its services to national standards, in order to support adults in County Durham;
- Work with the Employment Service to make learning available to people who are economically inactive or the victims of industrial and economic change.
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Policy Field 1 Measure 1.2 - Improving the employability of the unemployed, returners and Young People
Policy Field 2 Measure 2.11 - Access to Basic Skills Provision
Policy Field 3 Measure 3.1 - Promoting Wider Access and Participation in Lifelong Learning Provision
Policy Field 3 Measure 3.2 - Lifelong Learning Provision responsive to the changing needs of employers
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| Raise quality of education and training and user satisfaction |
- Develop among all providers supported by the Learning and Skills Council an agreed Quality Improvement Strategy, systems of self assessment and appropriate targets by which improvement can be measured;
- Ensure that mechanisms are in place to enable key stakeholders to comment on the quality of provision, performance of courses and learners and build a cycle of continuous improvement;
- Encourage provider staff to strengthen professional qualifications in teaching and staff development;
- Explore with Higher Education and Further Education providers, as well as appropriate professional bodies in community and youth work, the most effective ways to strengthen the skills of community educators and work-based trainers;
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Policy Field 1 Measure 1.1 - Advice and Guidance for Continuous Job Search Strategies
Policy Field 1 Measure 1.2 - Improving the employability of the unemployed, returners and Young People
Policy Field 2 Measure 2.2 - Improving the employability and removing barriers to labour market entry for disadvantaged groups
Policy Field 2 Measure 2.3 - Combating Discrimination in the Labour Market
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Annex B
Annex C
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