Prgramme Develpment Funding Phase Backgrund The Tees Valley Eurpean Structural & Investment Funds Strategy (ESIFS) 2014 2020 was submitted t Gvernment in January 2014 (available n the TVU website). It sets ut hw the area will maximise the pprtunity presented by an allcatin f 173m frm the Eurpean Reginal Develpment Fund (ERDF) and the Eurpean Scial Fund (ESF), tgether with an additinal 12.59m f EU Yuth Emplyment Initiative funding and 1.1m frm the Eurpean Agricultural Fund fr Reginal Develpment (EAFRD), t supprt the Tees Valley s ecnmic grwth. The ESIFS fcuses particularly upn innvatin, increasing small business cmpetitiveness, the lw carbn ecnmy, emplyment, skills and scial inclusin. Scial Inclusin is ne f the themes identified by the Eurpean Unin under the next Eurpean Structural Funds Prgramme fr 2014 2020. It is part f the Eurpean Scial Fund alng with tw ther themes Emplyment and Skills. The Tees Valley ESIFS sets ut an allcatin f arund 13.8m ESF under the Scial Inclusin Theme. Tees Valley Unlimited (TVU) has wrked clsely with a wide range f partners t develp the pririties in the ESIFS and has held a number f Thematic Task & Finish Grups. A Scial Inclusin Task and Finish Grup has been meeting regularly and has led the develpment f the Scial Inclusin Theme. The Grup is made up f representatives frm TVU, the vluntary and cmmunity sectr, including the Lcal Develpment Agencies in the Tees Valley, the Tees Valley Lcal Authrities and als ur lcal representative frm the BIG Lttery. The Grup has als been leading n discussins with BIG Lttery n accessing match funding fr 80% f the allcatin under the Scial Inclusin Theme (apprximately 11m ESF). This brief sets ut in detail the likely activities that the successful rganisatin fr the Prgramme Develpment Funding Phase will be expected t supprt the LEP t undertake. The brief has been set ut in stages and reprting will be expected at the end f each stage, hwever it is acknwledged that there may be verlap between stages. The successful rganisatin will need t ensure that they are flexible enugh t respnd t areas f wrk that may arise during the curse f the wrk. The successful rganisatin will be expected t undertake their wrk in cnsultatin with TVU, BIG Lttery, Tees Valley Scial Inclusin Steering Grup and the Tees Valley ESIFS Sub Cmmittee. Thrughut the wrk, the successful rganisatin will need t engage in a meaningful way with the brad range f Vluntary and Cmmunity sectr and public bdies/rganisatins acrss Tees Valley, where apprpriate (see mre under the Stakehlder Engagement sectin). The successful rganisatin will be able t demnstrate hw they can wrk inclusively, t ensure all rganisatins can be invlved including thse wrking with r representing peple with prtected characteristics and ther minrity grups living in the Tees Valley area. 1
Stage 1 Supprting the LEP in Identificatin f past/existing activities, impact/utcmes and mdels fr delivery It is imprtant that there is a thrugh understanding f past/existing activity in the Tees Valley and whether the existing activities are likely t cntinue thrughut 2014 and beynd. This will ensure that duplicatin f activities is avided. It is als imprtant that the impact and utcmes f the activity, including value fr mney, are evaluated in rder t help infrm future prvisin. Cnsideratin shuld als be given t the delivery methds used fr past/existing prvisin. An assessment f best practice within the Tees Valley and beynd will als need t be carried ut. Gaps in prvisin may becme apparent during this stage and therefre the successful rganisatin will be expected t identify these, where relevant, fr further cnsideratin during the mre detailed develpment f the activities. The main tasks fr this stage will be: Identificatin and assessment f past/existing activity in Tees Valley, including when funding may be abut t end; Identificatin and assessment f the impact/utcmes frm past/existing activity, including value fr mney and an assessment f what has and hasn t wrked; Identificatin and assessment f the delivery methds used fr past/existing activity; Identificatin f best practice within Tees Valley and beynd; Initial identificatin f gaps in prvisin fr scial inclusin activity based n the infrmatin gathered abve, including cnsideratin f any future initiatives/pprtunities/plicy changes/demgraphics. The utput frm these tasks will be a detailed mapping reprt setting ut current/past prvisin, impact, best practice and the initial recmmendatins n the areas t be cnsidered in mre detail during the mre detailed develpment f the activities. TVU carried ut an initial mapping exercise in Nvember/December 2013 and gathered sme infrmatin frm rganisatins currently delivering relevant services/activities in the Tees Valley. The successful rganisatin will be expected t build upn this infrmatin. Cmprehensive assessment f the evidence base/data in the Tees Valley We need t have a thrugh understanding f the issues and needs in the Tees Valley and the evidence and data t demnstrate these needs t be clearly set ut. The successful rganisatin will be expected t supprt the LEP t build upn and expand the evidence base detailed within the ESIFS, and ther key Tees Valley dcuments, fr the scial inclusin activities and use this t infrm the identificatin f the detailed activities during the next stage. The main tasks will be: 2
A cmprehensive assessment f the issues and needs relating t Scial Inclusin in the Tees Valley, including setting ut the evidence and data t supprt the issues and needs; Initial cnsideratin f ptential gegraphical pririties/ target areas including cmmunities f interest and need; The utput frm these tasks will be a detailed reprt setting ut the issues and needs in the Tees Valley and the evidence and data t demnstrate this. This reprt will be used t infrm the detailed develpment f the activities. Stage 2 The LEP will develp detailed specificatin fr Scial Inclusin Activities and the successful rganisatin may prvide supprt fr this phase. The activities which the LEP will carry ut and which the rganisatin may be invlved in assisting with include: The ESIFS sets ut the high level activities, under the themes f Emplyability and Financial Inclusin, fr the Scial Inclusin Theme and these shuld be used as the basis fr the develpment f the detailed specificatin f prjects/prgrammes t be delivered. The reprts prduced at stage 1 shuld frm an imprtant part f the evidence base and ratinale fr the activities identified at this stage. The main tasks will be: Identificatin f the detailed specificatin fr prjects/prgrammes t be delivered under the Scial Inclusin theme, t include: Identificatin f activities fr the BIG Opt In by area f wrk, including the rle f capacity building fr lcal rganisatins as part f the delivery; identificatin f activities that will nt frm part f the BIG Opt In, in rder t ensure alignment f activity; identificatin f the links and alignment t ther parts f the ESIF Prgramme (ESF, ERDF and EAFRD) and the wider Tees Valley Strategic Ecnmic Plan; the levels f funding t be allcated t each area f wrk. Detailed ratinale fr the specificatin shuld be prduced in rder t prvide a clear link between the issues and evidence f need in the Tees Valley and the activities prpsed t address these needs. This shuld based upn the reprts prduced at Stage 1; Identificatin f the levels f utputs and results t be achieved by the areas f activity. There are specific Eurpean utputs and results that need t be achieved and we will be receiving ntificatin frm Gvernment f the levels we are expected t achieve under the Scial Inclusin Theme. It will be imprtant t demnstrate hw the areas f activity will cntribute t these; Thrugh initial engagement with rganisatins in the Tees Valley, cnsider and utline ptential partnerships f lcal rganisatins that wuld be apprpriate t deliver activity under the Scial Inclusin Theme (t be develped in mre detail at Stage 3); 3
The utput frm this stage will be a reprt detailing the specificatin f activities t be delivered under the scial inclusin theme, including the levels f funding t be allcated t each area f activity, a detailed ratinale and levels f utputs and results t be delivered. Stage 3 Develpment f Delivery Mdels and Identificatin f Ptential Rutes fr Delivery The delivery f the activities under the Scial Inclusin Theme needs t be cnsidered in detail in rder t ensure that the funds are effective and have an impact in the areas f greatest need. It will be imprtant t identify the best methd/s fr delivering the activities and as part f this it is expected that cnsideratin will be given t ptential partnerships f lcal rganisatins that wuld be apprpriate t deliver under the Scial Inclusin Theme. An imprtant element f this stage will be t raise awareness and understanding f the pprtunities fr delivery in the lcal area. The main tasks will be; Based upn the specificatin prduced at Stage 2, assess the best methd/s fr delivery. This assessment shuld draw upn the wrk carried ut at Stage 1 n delivery methds f past and current activity; Raise awareness and understanding f the pprtunities fr delivery f the Scial Inclusin Funding in the lcal area; Identificatin f ptential partnerships f lcal rganisatins that wuld be apprpriate t deliver activity under the Scial Inclusin Theme, t include the areas f activity they wuld be able t deliver, their capacity t deliver and hw the partnership wuld be set up and functin. The utput frm this stage will be a reprt detailing the apprpriate methd/s f delivery and recmmendatins n ptential partnerships f lcal rganisatins that wuld be apprpriate t deliver under the Scial Inclusin Theme. Reprting Regular updates shuld be given t the TVU Scial Inclusin Steering Grup (dates t be cnfirmed). Stakehlder Engagement As previusly identified, the successful rganisatin will be expected t engage with a brad range f rganisatin acrss the Tees Valley. A key element f the Partnership Develpment Phase is building brad based understanding f and engagement in the prgramme. It will be imprtant t establish a prcess that enables findings and understanding t be checked ut with a brad range f stakehlders at each stage. This will increase the chances f a final prgramme that is apprpriately targeted and respnsive t lcal need. We wuld expect this t invlve: Regular meetings with Tees Valley Scial Inclusin Steering Grup; 4
Establishing a dialgue with service prviders and ptential prviders (thrugh individual meetings, lcal frums etc, prviding an pprtunity t cmment n findings and understanding thrughut the develpment phase). 5