Council accept EU grant money to help ‘marginalised adults’ in Doncaster into work and training

Councils across South Yorkshire will benefit from a successful bid to the European Social Fund – an EU pot of money which aims to improve the lives of people through work, education and training.

The term ‘marginalised adults’ refers to groups such as lone parents, looked after children, care leavers, ex-offenders, carers, the traveller communities, people with no education, employment or training (NEET), long term unemployed, BME groups, women and ‘those without basic skills’.

The whole bid, worth just under £3.8 million, was submitted by Sheffield Council on behalf of a consortium that includes Doncaster, Barnsley and Rotherham councils.

Sheffield Council will act as the ‘accountable body’ on behalf of the consortium

The Government gave assurances that projects under the ESF would be honoured until 2020 if the UK left the European Union without a deal before 2020.

The council will also use £97,040 of earmarked reserves and £152,960 'Ambition under spend’ as match funding.

The county-wide scheme, which started up in 2015, has been hailed a success and all four councils and are keen to continue with the programme.

Jonathan Bucknall, senior strategy and performance manager at Doncaster Council, said: “This funding will allow additional and alternative support to be made available to the groups and will provide individualised packages of support, which will include a diagnostic assessment of need and action plan detailing a personalised pathway to education employment or training.

“A personalised package assembled and delivered in the right sequence to meet individual needs and address personal barriers such as substance misuse, mental health services, housing, childcare, careers or financial advice;

“Support will also include motivational, life, basic and vocational skills training commissioned as required from a framework of providers, connecting beneficiaries to and providing ongoing support when they enter further education, apprenticeships, self–employment/employment or training.”