A series of new funding calls have been announced to run projects backed by the European Structural and Investment Fund (ESIF), including money from the European Social Fund (ESF).
These calls form part of the ESF Reserve Fund, which are being announced in line with emerging priorities, and aim to support the response to COVID-19.
We have rounded up the four latest calls below…
Enhancing Digital Skills York and North Yorkshire (OC39S20P1775)
Through this Call the Managing Authority is seeking a project to deliver digital upskilling and re-skilling support across all sectors to support ingoing employability in the York and North Yorkshire LEP area.
Priority Target Groups should beindividuals who are in work (including self-employed people) or out of work, who as a direct or indirect result of Covid-19 have been made redundant or are at risk of redundancy, need support to succeed in transformed job roles or in adopting new working practices, or for whom digital skills are critical to success in their learning and employment progression.
Approximately £750,000 of ESF is available. Full application deadline: 28 December 2020.
Humber Mental Health Support – OC18S20P1779
Call to run a project which will provide support to individuals with mental health issues to support them to engage with or re-engage with the labour market, in the Humber LEP area.
The pandemic has had a particular impact on people who were not in employment before the pandemic as many will now be even further from the labour market and will require in-depth support to get them closer to employment.
Approximately £1m of ESF is available. Full application deadline: 14 January 2021.
https://www.gov.uk/european-structural-investment-funds/humber-mental-health-support-oc18s20p1779
Humber Mental Health Training & Development Support OC18S20P1780
Call to run a project which will provide training and support to employers and employees to assist them in managing people with mental health needs, in the Humber LEP area.
There will be cohorts of people that are now unemployed as a result of the pandemic and subsequent recession, whose mental health has been impacted as a result of this who require additional support to get them back into work.
Approximately £800,000 of ESF is available. Full application deadline: 14 January 2021.
Greater Cambridgeshire, Greater Peterborough Region of Learning – OC13S20P1783
Call to run a project which is a place-based, digital innovation that will support and appeal to all young people, but specifically target those from disadvantaged backgrounds aged 15 to 24 by supporting progression through education and work.
Proposals submitted under this call should make an important contribution to COVID-19 recovery in addressing the issues above and help us avoid a ‘pandemic generation’ of young people with poorer education and skills prospects.
Approximately £625,000 of ESF is available. Full application deadline: 28 December 2020.
You can view all open funds and apply to run projects backed by the European Structural and Investment Fund (ESIF) here: https://www.gov.uk/european-structural-investment-funds?fund_state%5B%5D=open
Supporting the Third Sector through COVID-19
A series of documents and updates regarding the 2014 to 2020 European Structural and Investment Funds Programme and the response to COVID-19 can be accessed here.
As ever, our dedicated CSI Representatives are here to understand and unpack the issues that the third sector is facing within the current ESIF programme which are affecting their ability to use European funds effectively.
So that we can raise these issues at government level on your behalf and pro-actively work for solutions, we’re asking Third Sector organisations to tell us their experiences using these funds, in light of the outbreak of COVID-19. Please contact us via info@civilsocietyinvolvement.com
