European Social Fund in England
2007 - 2013
Part 2: Action Plan
| Aim 1: Ensure high level commitment to equal opportunities | ||
|---|---|---|
| Objectives | Performance Measure | Baselines (B) / Targets (T) etc. (where appropriate) |
| 1a. Monitoring committees / sub-committees to have appropriate structure and gender / race / disability representation. Where gender balance has not been achieved, a strategy for improvement to be developed and implemented where possible. | (i) Number of regional committees with appropriate gender balance. (ii) Number of regions committed to developing strategies for gender balance. (iii) Number of regional committees which have strategies for improving balance (gender / disability / race). | (i) B=7 T=9 B=3 no strategy & 6 committed to a strategy |
| When? Ongoing Who? GO | ||
1b. English regional monitoring committees continue to seek expertise from equal opportunities experts and ensure that formal links exist (either by working group representation on regional committee or nominated individual member of committee) to ensure equal opps is standing agenda item. Regions should ensure that they have sufficient input from disability organisations / groups as appropriate. |
(i) No. of regions which have equal opportunities rep(s) who have an active role on regional committee. (ii) No. of regions which have access to expertise from disability groups. (iii) No. of regions which have access to expertise from ethnic minority groups (iv) No of regions committed to having equal opportunities as a standing agenda item. (Regions to provide qualitative info on above too with any examples of good practice / innovative partnership arrangements etc) |
B=2 T=9 |
| Who? All GO When? Ongoing | ||
| Aim 2: English Regions to ensure their regional mainstreaming strategies for equal opportunities respond to the mid term review of the English Objective 3 programme | ||
| Objectives | Performance Measure | Baselines (B) / Targets (T) where appropriate |
| 2a. All regions to ensure their regional equal opportunities mainstreaming strategies are consistent with this national mainstreaming English plan (as a minimum). | (i) Number of GOs with mainstreaming plan which are consistent with the revised English mainstreaming plan. | T=9 B=9 |
| 2b. All regions to develop baselines and targets for their regional mainstreaming plans which will inform regional development plans (and in turn, inform CFO plans). Guidance issued by ESFD and covered in training strategy to be taken into consideration by each region. | (ii) Number of regions which have set equality objectives, baselines and targets for their mainstreaming strategy. | T=9 B=9 |
2c. All GO regions to conduct regular appraisal of their regional mainstreaming plans and to review progress towards equal opportunities targets using available data sources. Particular attention should be given to levels of participation by disabled people, men and women in non-traditional employment and levels of care support. (Regions to also provide a qualitative description of their appraisal procedures as part of national reporting procedure and ESFD to ensure that ideas on appraisal are shared across regions). |
(iii) Number of regions which have established appraisal arrangements for reviewing mainstreaming plan and progress towards targets. | T=9 B=9 |
| Aim 3: To ensure that new Co-Financing Organisations contribute effectively to the regional mainstreaming plan | ||
| Objectives | Performance measure | Baselines / Targets where appropriate (TBA) |
| 3a. GO regions to put in place CFO review arrangements for equal opportunities and ensure that these arrangements are in-line with framework guidance issued by ESFD in 2004. | (i) No. of regions with CFO review arrangements in place. | T=9 B=6 |
| 3b. GO regions to ensure that review arrangements provide input to the nation review of progress to be conducted in early 2005. | (ii) No. of regions able to supply substantive answers to reporting template questionnaire covering CFO implementation arrangements. | |
| Aim 4: To review the equal opportunities gateway for alternative bidders and also review and provider selection systems for CFOs | ||
| Objective | Performance measure | Baselines / Targets where appropriate |
| (i) ESFD to review gateway for alternative bidders and provider selection systems for CFOs as part of the national reporting process. The review to include, as far as is possible, some analysis of typical reasons why applicants fail gateway why reasons and which types of project are failing. The review should also include analysis of CFO systems. Any lessons learned should be ighlighted in national progress report. | (i) Review conducted as part of annual reporting process. | |
| Aim 5: To ensure that good practice identified in EQUAL programme is shared / mainstreamed within regions, between regions and between programmes | ||
| Objectives | Performance measure | Baselines / Targets where appropriate |
| 5a. Establish a database on the national ESF website, linked to the EQUAL website (or vice versa) which identifies new ideas / innovative ideas in promoting equal opportunities and combating discrimination. The database could be set-up by project type or target group for ease of navigation. The database could also draw upon practices identified in CI programmes from 1994-1999 programme period where relevant. | (i) Database on website | |
| 5b. Ensure that EQUAL programme provides appropriate input to the UK Presidency ESF conference and exhibition in October 2005. | ||
| Aim 6: To ensure that equal opportunities is promoted by projects / CFOs | ||
| Objectives | Performance measure | Baselines / Targets where appropriate |
| 6a. Regions to report on publicity methods used by projects and identify any good practice – report to be discussed at equal opps sub-group. | Regional report compiled for equal opps sub-group | |
| When? TBA Who? ESFD | ||
| 6b. ESFD to review and improve the existing equal opportunities webpage on the ESF national website (also see aim 5). The webpage to include practical help for projects and providers. | Website to be set up | |
| When? March 2007 Who? ESFD | ||