European Social Fund in England

New equality mainstreaming plan and good practice guides

The new ESF gender equality and equal opportunities mainstreaming plan for the 2007–2013 programme is now available.

The plan has been prepared by the ESF Managing Authority in consultation with the national ESF Gender Equality and Equal Opportunities Sub-Committee. The Sub-Committee will oversee the progress of the plan.

The new plan builds on substantial experience of mainstreaming equality in the 2000–2006 programme.

It sets out the vision for mainstreaming equality in all of the key aspects of the programme including planning, delivery, monitoring and evaluation.

The main aims of the plan include:

• developing knowledge capacity through an ESF technical assistance project which will:
• identify specific job-related training needs
• provide a menu of support for Managing Authority and Co-financing Organisation (CFO) staff
• develop a menu of guidance which CFOs can use with their providers;
• promoting the visibility of the equality theme – for example, by launching a national ESF gender equality and equal opportunities award which recognises good practice by ESF providers;
• delivering equality impact assessments for CFO plans and procurement processes, and reviewing these to inform the second phase of the programme;
• assessing progress towards coherent equality participation targets set at national and regional level; and
• encouraging regional input at national Sub-Committee meetings through presentations as well as through reporting mechanisms.

The plan also aims to promote high level commitment to developing reporting systems.

As well as the mainstreaming plan, ESF good practice guides on gender, ethnicity, age and disability are also now available on the equal opportunities page.