The Sharing Prosperity Fighting Fund

In November 2019, ERSA launched 'Sharing Prosperity: Building Better Employment Support for the UK', a report with evidence and recommendations from the sector on how monies from the EU could be replaced with a new fund. Join our campaign #SharingProsperityUK

UPDATE AUGUST 2020:

ERSA is continuing our work shaping and influencing UKSPF employment and skills provision.

In the absence of a consultation this is the opportunity for the employment support sector to input and influence. Whilst developing the survey ERSA consulted DWP, MHCLG and the Department of Education. All have asked ERSA to share our findings.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) COVID-19 Survey 2020 is now closed, mor details will be announced shortly.

ERSA members wishing to join the ERSA UKSPF Working Group should email the ERSA Team via policy@ersa.org.uk.

The report is here Sharing Prosperity: Building Better Employment Support for the UK.

Download a summary document here

Sponsored by The Salvation Army and Shaw Trust, the report details how the UK has benefited from European Social Fund (ESF) support.

Over 1.1 million people have gone into work after leaving a programme supported by ESF during the last round of funding (2014-2019) making a big dent in the UK unemployment figures. Read the full press release here.

This report is a great start and has already been used to influence politicians, but the work doesn’t stop there.

If we are to be successful in securing the on-going funding ERSA members need to continue the life changing work they do using the current ESF funding our campaign must continue.

In the coming months we need to:

Complete a further research project to evidence what could be lost if ESF isn’t replaced
Produce a follow-up paper using the outcomes of the research
Run a serious of regional events to engage with local providers and commissioners
Hold roundtable meetings with ministers and government officials to shape the future of funding
Provide commissioners with the evidence of what could be lost and what could be done better.

To do the above we need organisations like yours to support this campaign. We are asking you to join our fighting fund through donations of £100 upwards. This will make a real difference and allow this vital work to continue. Donate now.

We have already had pledges and donations, taking our running total to £2,200. Contributors include Fed Cap and Belina. All contributions will be recognised in future reports and you will be helping to shape the future of government funded employment support.

On #GivingTuesday a fundraising page has been set up and if you donate through the ERSA PayPal Giving site between Tuesday 3 December and 31 December, PayPal will donate an extra 10% of your donation (terms and conditions apply). Importantly, through this site, ERSA will receive 100% of your donation to support this vital campaigning work. Donate now.