What do you need to know about your LEP and what opportunities are there for the VCS? – Post event page

One East Midlands, through the ERDF Reach & Impact project in partnership with local infrastructure organisations, hosted a series of free county events throughout July and August 2013 to enable stronger and productive relationships between the VCS and LEPs. 

The events took place in Derby on 2 July, in conjunction with Community Action Derby, Northampton on 11 July in conjunction with Northampton Volunteering Centre, in Nottingham on 12 July in conjunction with Nottingham CVS, in Horncastle, Lincolnshire on 1 August in conjunction with Involving Lincs, and in Leicester on 8 August in conjunction with Voluntary Action Leicestershire.

The LEPs have a new strategic role for the delivery of a large proportion of the next round of EU Funds, including ERDF and ESF, from 2014-2020. LEPs will be responsible for ensuring local growth outcomes are delivered by working with a range of local partners, including the VCS.

In maximising the VCS role in enabling economic inclusion, it has become even more important for the VCS to demonstrate their social and economic contribution and the key role they can play under the EU structural funds programme. 

There was an opportunity at the events for delegates to hear from the representatives of the LEP from your area, who will be discussing the LEPs future role, priorities, engagement strategies and opportunities for the sector. Colleagues from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and the Department for Business Innovations & Skills (BIS) were also present to contribute to the day.

The events enabled VCS organisations to:

  • Understand the future role of LEPs in EU Structural Funding
  • Improve/increase the LEPs understanding of the positive social and economic contribution the VCS can make under the EU Structural Funds programme
  • Clearly indicate to LEP’s what the VCS contribution could look like under the new EU Structural fund programme and why LEP strategic plans should be inclusive of the VCS as both strategic and delivery partners
  • Build capacity, skills and knowledge for effective management of EU funded projects

The audience for the events was VCS organisations, social enterprises, generic and specialist support providers to the VCS. They were appropriate for senior managers, trustees, management committee members, and policy leads.

Presentations from the Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire events are available to download below. Please note that where different presentations were used at different events this is highlighted in brackets.

All of the presentations from the Lincolnshire event, combined in one document, are available here.

The events in Derbyshire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire included workshop sessions in the afternoon, which looked at some of the essential skills and knowledge needed for delivering a project under the ERDF programme, including project management, state aid, understanding local economy, and marketing EU projects.

Presentations from the workshops are available to download below.

Alongside the events, One East Midlands also published a policy briefing on LEPs and their role in the 2014-20 EU Funding Programme. To download it click here.

Downloads: