Project First - Developing Opportunities

Underpinning City College Norwich’s commitment to widening participation is our continued – and successful – pursuit of external funding to develop opportunities for disadvantaged groups, for people who face barriers to the labour market or further learning or those for whom timely and focused intervention supports the sustainable development focus to give everyone the best opportunity to progress. 

The European Social Fund (ESF) is one of four structural funds of the European Union and consists of three Objectives. Objective 1 and Objective 2 support specific geographical areas and Objective 3 supports policies and systems of education, training and employment :

‘to prevent and combat unemployment and to develop human resources and social integration into the labour market in order to promote a high level of employment, equality between men and women, sustainable development and economic and social cohesion’.

ESF support has been available in Norfolk and the East of England through direct or ‘alternate’ (up to 1999) and co-financed (from 2000) opportunities.  Offered through a process of open and competitive tendering, the funds have supported identified needs and skills gaps and worked with specific and disadvantaged target groups, adults and young people.  For hundreds of adults and young people in the county and East of England, ESF support has enabled them to take the first step towards engaging with education, training or the labour market.

City College Norwich has been successful in every round of ESF bidding since the late 1990s, securing more than thirty contracts during the last ten years.  These contracts have offered accredited training at a range of levels from Entry 3 to Level 4; first step engagement and taster opportunities, programmes for women-only groups, activities for young people not engaged in employment, education or training, new qualifications and additional support for apprentices, ESOL learners and businesses.

The funding has enabled the College to reach new audiences, offer new learning opportunities and additional support including travel, childcare and resource costs.
Without the support of the European Social Fund, these projects would not have gone ahead.

The ProjectFirst Bulletin outlines the department’s provision under ESF and other externally funded contracts.  For further information please contact Sarah Taylor, Manager of Project First on 01603 773523 or email sarah.taylor@ccn.ac.uk