2007-2013 Programmes : ESF Programme
The European Social Fund (ESF) aims to address social inequalities within and across regions by improving the general performance of the labour market, in particular in relation to marginalized groups.
A stable or reducing working-age population sustaining a larger elderly population in the region will not be possible. Although people will live longer overall, many will do so in poor health, and in relative poverty depending on the area in which they live, and their work experience. For individuals born into poor households, the gap with the most affluent households in Scotland could widen even further in terms of health, behaviour and employment outcomes unless intervention is taken.
Better skills help improve individual life chances, increase the flexibility of the labour force and increases the economy's competitiveness. Scotland has to embrace the knowledge economy and the reality of continual learning if it is to compete in the global marketplace. What cannot be accepted is the opportunity gap between those who achieve their full potential and those who do not; the skills gap between those in work and those who are not; and the productivity gap between Scotland and the leading economies of the world.
The Programme cannot support all activities that can contribute to these challenges, but will concentrate support on those areas where additionality and added value can be clearly demonstrated.
Seven key challenges have been identified:
- Reducing the acute levels of worklessness in certain groups and areas
- Improving employment rates in those groups facing multiple barriers
- Increasing the ability of the low-waged and low-skilled to remain in, and progress through the labour market to achieve financial security
- Tackling gender representation in key occupations and sectors of under-represented groups
- Increasing the skills of entrepreneurs and new managers
- Providing social enterprise managers and workers with greater skills to sustain their organisations
- Increasing lifelong learning participation rates among the most disadvantaged groups
The Programme will make its principal contributions by:
- acting as a lever to encourage domestic resources to focus on the key development challenges
- encouraging partnership working to support beneficiaries on their pathway as they move closer to labour market participation
- supporting beneficiaries and employers at the critical period of entry into employment or education
- progressing supported beneficiaries into more sustainable, productive employment
- increasing the skills level of supported beneficiaries
- increasing access to lifelong learning among targeted groups so that they are able to take responsibility for their future progress, reducing the inequalities between the least advantaged and the rest of society
The ESF Programme operates through three sets of Objectives to address market failures in the following areas. Below is a list of the Priorities with the total funding allocations and committed funds to date for each (updated 17 June 2010):
| Priority | Total Allocation | Committed Funds |
| ESF Priority 1 - Progressing Into Employment |
£128.875 m | £113.766 m |
| ESF Priority 2 - Progressing Through Employment |
£89.641 m | £54.8778 m |
| ESF Priority 3 - Improving Access to Lifelong Learning |
£18.583m | £12.071m |
Please note that funding allocation values are based on recent exchange rates against the Euro (currently £1 = €1.111) and as a result are subject to change throughout the lifetime of the Programme.
The following sections detail the specific policy objectives under each of the Priorities.
A Summary of the Eligible Activities under each ESF Priority is also available to download.
Shadow Round
Operational Programmes in Scotland, like those in other parts of the EU and the UK, were not able to be approved by the European Commission before 1 January 2007, resulting in a later than anticipated start date.
To minimise the disruption to Structural Funds partners in Scotland and the services they delivered, especially those responsible for projects dealing with vulnerable client groups, the Scottish Executive provided funding to some projects supporting these vulnerable groups to compensate for the delays. This was referred to as the Shadow Round.
Following the appraisal of the applications for funding through the European Social Fund, in April 2007 the Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning approved the funding for applications under the Shadow Round of the ESF Lowlands and Uplands Programme.
A full list of all projects that received funding can be found in the Download section.
