European Social Fund in England

New ESF programme launched

The new ESF programme for England was launched on 29 October by James Plaskitt MP, Work and Pensions Minister for ESF, and Vladimír Špidla, European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities. James Plaskitt said "Our priority is to help those who face the biggest barriers to work. Over the next seven years the ESF programme will help 200,000 people into jobs, and enable at least 140,000 of the most disadvantaged people to make positive progress toward the labour market. It will help 80,000 disadvantaged young people into learning or a job."

"The new programme will invest Ł2 billion of ESF funding in England over the next seven years, which will be matched to Ł2 billion of national funding."

Vladimír Špidla welcomed the launch of the new programme, saying: "2007 is a special year for the European Social Fund. Not only are we celebrating its 50th anniversary, but this year also sees the launch of another seven-year period of ESF financial support."

He continued: "Recent EU efforts to boost jobs are showing results. The number of people at work is rising and unemployment is falling. But more needs to be done. The ESF strengthens Europe's capacity to create good jobs and equip workers with the right skills to fill them. But these objectives must be put into practice at the level of the Member States".

The launch event, at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London, also heard inspiring accounts of ESF projects from successful participants.

These included the Newco Employment and Training project. The project helps unemployed disabled people from east London into work through training and guidance. Project manager Tina Waters, and participant Eugene Carr, gave an inspiring account of the project to delegates. Eugene is profoundly deaf and visually impaired, and so spoke through a signer. Thanks to the project Eugene now has a full time job. He also won the national ESF Learning Works Award during Adult Learners' Week in 2007.

The event also included the first showing of the new ESF DVD. One of the projects featured is run by Fifteen Cornwall, the restaurant inspired by Jamie Oliver. The project is transforming the lives of disadvantaged young people in rural Cornwall by helping them build careers in the catering industry. Participants learn to cook under the guidance of professional chefs. David Meneer, Fifteen Cornwall's chief executive, and James, one of the trainees, attended the launch to talk about the work of the project.

James Plaskitt's speech.

Vladimír Špidla's speech.

James Plaskitt speaking at the ESF launch.

Vladimír Špidla speaking at the ESF launch.

James Plaskitt cuts the ESF 50th Anniversary Cake

with Vladimír Špidla and John Duval from the

Waltham Forest Mencap ESF project

which prepared the cake.

James Plaskitt and Vladimír Špidla with three of the

ESF participants featured in the new ESF DVD.

From left to right: Karen Barbour (Wheels in Motion

project); Vladimír Špidla; James Plaskitt;

David Lancaster (Blueprint project); Manjit Aulalk

(Fair Cities Birmingham).