European Social Fund in England

Welcome to - ESF News

In this summer issue ESF News focuses on how ESF is being used to help people with disabilities.

First though, ESF News brings you news from the ESF 50th anniversary conference in Potsdam, Germany and a visit made by HRH the Prince of Wales to an ESF project in Lambeth, where he met ESF trainees acquiring skills and qualifications to equip them for work and life.

Since 2000 ESF has helped more than 470,000 people with disabilities improve their job prospects and skills. Now DWP is launching a good practice guide to help project providers, Co-financing Organisations and policy makers help people get back to work.

The Office for Disabilities Issues has also published a useful new guide to help projects and Co-financing Organisations produce better information for disabled people.

We also look at ‘Successful at Selection’ – a new training package developed by DWP and part funded through ESF, which seeks to improve employer recruitment processes.

Then ESF News looks at ESF priorities as we get closer to the start of the new 2007– 2013 programme for England.

Finally, look out for two new ESF DVDs.

The editor