A foundation
for the future
Congratulations to Chris
Pond MP, on his appointment as Parliamentary
Under-Secretary at the Department for Work
and Pensions, which includes responsibility
for ESF. In this issue we interview the new
Minister to find out about his first impressions
of ESF.
After two weeks he
was asked to give evidence at the Work and
Pensions Select Committee in May and he has
also visited two ESF-funded schemes in his
constituency of Gravesham. Just the start
of things to come!
ESF co-financing organisations
are also working hard to help those groups
that are most in need in the labour market.
Reaching the most disadvantaged individuals
by building
the capacity of local organisations,
especially from the voluntary and community
sector, has enabled ESF to put money where
it matters most.
There has been a similar
level of close liaison across Government
departments on the recent submission of the
latest National Action Plan on social inclusion.
We take a closer look at how
ESF is supporting the Government’s
aim to eradicate social
exclusion by 2010.
Once again we look
at those projects that help people with disabilities
overcome the barriers to employment, as part
of the European Year of Disabled People.
In this issue, we take a look at another
two ESF-funded projects– the Welfare
to Work Unit, which helps disabled
people go from welfare into employment, and
the ‘Pathways
for Disabled People’ project, which
provides disabled people with the skills
to secure a career in the
creative and media sectors.
And finally, we take a look at some of the
winners of the Adult
Learner’s Week Awards,
which reward those individuals and groups
that have overcome obstacles to learning.
Damon Bowles
Editor
|
ESF Newsletter
