2007-2013 Programmes : ESF Priority 1 - Progressing Into Employment
Priority 5 - Strategic Skills Pipeline
The remainder of unallocated funds from ESF Priorities 1, 2 and 3 has been transferred into a new Priority 5, the main focus of which is to link needs and opportunities at a local level through local strategic skills pipelines. Further information can be found on ESF Priority 5 page of this website.
Please note that at present there are no plans for any further open calls for new funding applications for the Lowlands and Uplands Scotland 2007-2013 ERDF and ESF Programmes with the exception of Priority 3 ERDF.
The Programme Monitoring Committee will consider options to maximise the use of remaining funds and any under-spends at a future meeting. When utilised, it is envisaged that funds will be further targeted to add value to Scottish Government policy priorities, and the Managing Authority will liaise with key stakeholder organisations to commission eligible projects.
Priority 1 ESF
The aim of Priority 1 is to assist the co-ordinated progress of unemployed and inactive people of all ages towards sustainable employment.
Some groups of individuals face multiple barriers to entering employment and retaining jobs. Priority was given to the hardest-to-reach, workless groups, those experiencing multiple disadvantage and those in the former NEET group.
Projects should target these hardest-to-reach groups, notably those with mutiple deprivations; at-risk youngsters, especially those not engaged with the worlds of work or learning, and employers who recruit from such groups. Approaches might include:
- Early engagement
- Customised support
- Basic skills and confidence building
- Volunteering and work experience
- Intermediate labour market activities
- Working with employers to help vulnerable groups join the workforce
- Spatial targeting
Delivery
Individual projects will be eligible, though the emphasis will be on projects that integrate several of the eligible activities. For the first two years of the Programme a share of funding from ESF Priority 1 will be set aside to fund projects that are part of integrated packages of support put forward by Community Planning Partnerships
Spatial Targeting
Under ESF Priority 1 a level of spatial targeting was implemented. Eligibility is based on an annually reviewed and published list of local authorities meeting two criteria: the 10 authorities with the biggest share of the worst 15 per cent of deprived neighbourhoods and; the 7 authorities with the worst incidence of people not engaged in education, employment or training (NEET).
The following local authority areas are currently eligible for support under this Priority:
- Clackmannanshire
- Dundee
- East Ayrshire
- Edinburgh
- Fife
- Glasgow
- Inverclyde
- North Ayrshire
- North Lanarkshire
- Renfrewshire
- South Lanarkshire
- West Dunbartonshire
- West Lothian
The Maximum Grant Intervention Rate is 45%
