Update on Greater Manchester’s European Social Fund activity – 8th February 2016

In line with Greater Manchester’s European Structural Investment Fund (ESIF) Plan we will shortly be launching two ESF calls for:

·         Provision of access to advanced/higher level skills for unemployed adults across GM (GM Lot C3)

·         Provision of skills support for the workforce, including those at risk of redundancy (GM Lot C1)

In advance of the calls being launched, we are seeking comments on the draft specifications for the programmes and would welcome input to the surveys from a wide range of partners, external stakeholders and other individuals/organisations who may wish to contribute.

Please follow these links to the draft specifications for Skills Support for the Workforce and Higher Level Skills

The surveys are open for comment until 5pm on Tuesday 16th February.

It should be noted that the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) will procure and manage these calls on Greater Manchester's behalf as part of its existing Memorandum of Understanding with the ESF Managing Authority (Department of Work & Pensions).

All interested parties should be made aware that the SFA informed all LEPs in October 2015 that due to the outcome of the Spending Review and devolution deals it will not commit activity or match funding beyond March 2018. 

As a result the SFA will only commission calls for short-term contracts (between 18-24 months) which must start by 1st September 2016 at the latest and finish by 31st March 2018.