The European Commission has agreed to contribute £2bn to a proposed new £4bn European Social Fund programme for England for 2007 to 2013. All regions of England will benefit from the new programme, which will fund a range of activities such as job search advice & support, confidence building, basic skills and vocational qualifications.

Target groups for the new European Social Fund programme include unemployed people, disabled people, lone parents, older workers, ethnic minorities, low skilled people and young people not in education, employment or training.

The programme will invest the £4b over seven years in two key priorities:

• extending employment opportunities by tackling barriers to work faced by people who are unemployed or disadvantaged in the labour market

• developing a skilled & adaptable workforce by training people who lack basic skills and good qualifications

The new programme will be formally launched at an event at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London on 29 October 2007. The first application rounds will take place in the autumn and new projects will start in early 2008.

In the meantime, the 2000-2006 ESF programme will continue to fund project activity until the middle of 2008.

Read more at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/mediacentre/pressreleases/2007/sep/emp033-040907.asp