Funding for People and Skills interventions is due to start in Greater Manchester in 2023. This is thanks to GMCA using money available through the recycled Local Growth Fund and government moving the flexibility forward to April 2023.
In Greater Manchester, plans for commissioning are already underway to ensure UKSPF targets those with greatest need and also where the are gaps from current or future programmes. We are also working with VCSE organisations to help deliver key activity and provision, as it is clear that this sector is best placed to reach out to residents who could benefit from additional support.
Future engagement activity will be shared via The Chest (external website).
Organisations are please asked to make sure that they are registered and to ensure their notifications are set up to receive emails regarding relevant opportunities.
Updates will also be sent via the UKSPF mailing list (external website). More information on the FPS, including details of future application workshops, can be found on the Flexible Procurement System (FPS) page of the GMCA website.
Commissioning for People and Skills is due to take place from May 2023. Please see below a timeline of this element of UKSPF:
- E33 - £11m of the UKSPF allocation fund wrap-around one-to-one employment support for economically inactive people to move closer to mainstream provision and employment; including specialist life and basic skills where not already provided locally.
- E34 - £4.4m will fund skills courses for people unable to access training through the support above or adult education budget – including basic skills, life skills and career skills.
- E37 – £6.6m of the fund will be used to create tailored support for people outside of mainstream provision, helping them into employment by addressing barriers to accessing education and training.
Please note GMCA is unable to extend any ESF-funded contracts where it is not the contracting authority as we are not a party to these original contracts.
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Stakeholder engagement /communication
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Oct 22-March 2023
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Development of commissioning strategy including routes to market
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March 2023
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Specification development
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March – May 2023
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Out to Market
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June
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Submission Deadline
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July
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Evaluation Period
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July
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Moderation of bids
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July-August
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Governance and sign-off
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August
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Notification of Result
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29/08/2023
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Contracts Issued
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No later than w/c 11/09/2023
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OTHER GMCA FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
- Multiply is a new government-funded national programme to help adults aged 19+ who do not already have a Level 2 in Maths / Numeracy (or equivalent) to improve their numeracy skills. Funding for Multiply runs from 2022-23 to 2024-25. More information on Multiply implementation in Greater Manchester can be found on the dedicated GM Multiply webpage.
- As we move into the next academic year of Adult Education Budget (AEB) funding in 2023-24, we will be looking to develop how this can enhance the Multiply scheme to provide a full essential life skills offer, i.e. not just maths, to include English and ICT skills and complement the existing AEB funded GM ESOL Advice Service.
VCSE ORGANISATIONS
We recognise the critical importance of VCSE organisations in delivering employment and skills support to GM residents, especially those who are the most vulnerable and disadvantaged. We are therefore working with the sector to gather up-to-date evidence and data on which cohorts of people are and are not being supported so that we can make informed commissioning decisions based on the current landscape.
It's also the reason why we are keen to engage with VCSE organisations to help deliver key activity and provision as part of the Education, Skills and Work funding opportunities above, as it is clear that this sector is best placed to reach out to residents who could benefit from additional support.
RESIDENT REFERRALS
If you are an organisation looking to signpost residents for employment and skills support, there are a number of other ESF- and non ESF-funded employment and skills programmes that are currently still taking referrals for many different groups of people. Visit the Work and Skills page of the GMCA website or Employ GM (external website) for more details.
FIND OUT MORE
If you have any queries, please email ukspf@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk
MAILING LIST
Sign up to the mailing list (external website) to be kept up-to-date with all the latest core UKSPF and Multiply news and events.
