Joint NCVO LVSTC Conference - ESF Support for Families to Tackle Poverty

This free conference will consider the wider issues around this family intervention scheme.

Venue: NCVO, 8 All Saints Street, London. N1 9RL

Bookings

Book your place through Survey Monkey. All bookings are handled by LVSTC please contact Ray Phillips: rayp@lvstc.org.uk or Ingrid Babcock if you would like more information on the event.

Please note do not use the book online link above.

11.00    Registration

11.30    Opening Welcome: Sandra Turner, NCVO

Plenary: Chair, Ray Phillips, LVSTC
Prospects for the 2011-13 DWP Families Programme

Jasbir Jhas – LGA European and International Team
The role of Local Authorities in obtaining quality outcomes for families with multiple problems

Lizzi Holman - Reed in Partnership
An ESF Approach to supporting families with multiple problems

Jonny Boux - Community Links
The holistic perspective of an ESF sub-contracting community provider

Questions and discussion

13.00          Lunch

13.45           Second Plenary: Chair, Oli Henman, NCVO

DWP Families Programme & EU2020 Poverty Reduction Target

                   Katherine Duffy – Consultant, European Anti-Poverty Network
                   Europe 2020 & the UK National Reform Programme

                   Sandra Turner – National Council for Voluntary Organisations
                   The impact of the ESF England Programme on tackling inequality

                   Ray Phillips – London Voluntary Sector Training Consortium
                   The third sector contribution to ESF as an anti-poverty strategy

Questions and discussion

15.30          Close

Background

Under the ESF DWP Programme for “Families with Multiple Problems”, preferred bidders were notified in mid-October with a view to commencement before the end of 2011.  In the Government’s own words: “The focus of this provision will be on providing a whole family approach, making support available to individual members across the generations.  This provision must also contribute to and add value to wider family support”.  As with the Work Programme, delivery will be through the Framework comprising the Prime Contractors identified as preferred bidders.

Given the sensitivity of this area of intervention, Local Authorities have been identified as the key source for identifying the beneficiary “families”.  Historically, many of these Councils have already involved a wide range of voluntary and community organisations in the development of local service provision. 

The conference

This event will help to develop an appreciation of the potential impact of the Programme as well as inform thinking about how the closing stages of the ESF 2007-2013 Programme might lay foundations for the following ESF 2014-2020 Programme being prepared, in part, to address the poverty-reduction target of the EU 2020 Strategy. 

Indeed, the new Draft ESF Regulations for the next Programme significantly emphasise:

“Concentration of funding is required to ensure that a sufficient and demonstrable impact can be achieved. In order to provide concentration of funding it is proposed that …. at least 20% of the ESF allocation should be dedicated to promoting social inclusion and combating poverty".

Timing is all-important.  Voluntary and community sector providers need to organise continually to pinpoint the key issues and to forge alliances: not just within the sector; but also with the Primes and many Local Authorities that have ongoing responsibilities for the families affected. 

Finally, Dr Katherine Duffy has just completed research for the NCVO on the evolution of recent social policy in the UK and European Union with regard to the European Structural Funds.  A summary of this Study, presented by Katherine, will provide a useful policy framework for the Conference. 

For more information, please contact at LVSTC Ray Phillips or Ingrid Babcock or Sandra at NCVO.

LVSTC is the London Voluntary Sector Training Consortium.

Travel bursary

NCVO has a small budget available on a first come first serve basis to support travel costs of participants from small voluntary organisations based outside London.  If you would like to take advantage of this opportunity please e-mail  sandra.turner@ncvo-vol.org.uk no later than 22 November.

Event funded by the European Social Fund.