Sharing Prosperity: Building Better Employment Support for the UK

Although Brexit is still very much an uncertain process, we must
look forward to what will replace the current funds if the UK
leaves the EU.  After consulting with various partners from
different sectors across the country, the ERSA (Employment Related Services
Association) have published a report entitledSharing
Prosperity: Building Better Employment Support for the UK. WCVA are
among the contributors to this report, which hopes to help shape
and influence whatever replacement funding may come.

There is a clear recognition in the report that any replacement
funding from the UK Government, currently referred to as the Shared
Prosperity Fund, must achieve a level of continuity with some
urgency, with the current funding round of European funding ending
in 2020.

The ERSA report is hoping to fulfil the effective role of a
sector-wide consultation in the absence of anything from UK
government, and makes a number of recommendations based on the
advice given from contributors such as WCVA. It recommends
that:

1. New funding should provide support for disadvantaged groups and
   communities that can miss out on state provision.
2. Funding for skills and support must not fall below levels that
   would have been received through ESF funding had we stayed in the
   EU.
3. There should be no gap in delivery of EU funding and
   replacement funding to minimise loss of expertise on the delivery
   side and a subsequent lack of support for beneficiaries.
4. New funding should be less bureaucratic and more flexible.
5. New funding should be better integrated with other funding
   streams to ensure both local and national services can support
   people more effectively.

WCVA’s contributions to the report are very much informed by our
experience in delivering European Structural Funds and working with
organisations from across Wales to engage with some of the hardest
to reach in our communities. Our response recognises that the third
sector should be represented and able to influence the strategic
direction of replacement funds. We suggest ‘any successor
arrangement should be developed through equal partnership with true
representation equality across the sectors, both in terms of
physical representation and influence. This will support the
co-production of activities that build resilience and prosperity
within the most deprived communities.

The legacy of EU funding for the Third Sector in Wales has
always been focused on communities, be it by providing simple
opportunities, cohesion, outreach and support. The measurement of
success cannot be simply in terms of the millions of pounds that
have come into Wales, or an enrichment of the economy, but in terms
of the enrichment of people’s lives and the new fund must continue
this work.’

Deputy Chief Executive of WCVA, Phil Fiander said ‘Structural
Funds have had an enormous impact on the Welsh landscape, and we
must look at the prospect of any replacement funding as an
opportunity for the Third sector to further influence how this is
delivered. It’s more important than ever for us to work with
partners across the UK to ensure our voices are heard and make a
bigger difference together’ 

You can find the full report at
http://ersa.org.uk/sharingprosperityuk?mc_cid=4499802935&mc_eid=351ec1f84b