7 July 2005 - Publication of DWP Research Reports 254 and 258: 258: Follow–up survey of ESF leavers and, 254: European Social Fund: A profile of ‘inactive’ beneficiaries
New research published today by the Department for Work and Pensions provides longitudinal data on a group of beneficiaries who received ESF funded training between June and November 2002. The Follow-up survey of ESF leavers re-interviewed people originally interviewed six months after they had received training. The latest data tells us what impact the training has had over time. In addition, in-depth interviews were carried out with a small sample of ‘inactive’ beneficiaries from the overall sample. This is reported in the companion report ESF: A profile of ‘inactive’ beneficiaries.
The main findings are:
- The overall proportion of beneficiaries in employment continued to increase and stands at 61% compared to the 53% in work at the time of the original survey. This represents a substantial increase in the longer term as only 38% had been in work immediately prior to training.
- People who were inactive were the least successful at securing employment - just under a third moved into work since the start of their training - reflecting their distance from the labour market.
- Of all those who had moved into employment since the start of their training 70% were still in work.
- Nearly three-quarters of beneficiaries agreed that ESF had increased their likelihood of attending further training with 46% having participated in other training since their ESF course.
- Generally the skills acquired had been of lasting benefit with the acquisition of IT skills and improved confidence and self-esteem the most frequently cited.
- The companion report emphasises the importance of recognising that ‘inactives’ are a diverse group with varied work outlooks and differing needs. They include people with long-term illness not actively seeking work, lone parents in receipt of benefit, those with intensive caring responsibilities, and women returners to the labour market not registered as unemployed.
- ‘Inactives’ benefited from needs assessment, tailoring of course content, provision of support for learning and help received with finding work or onward progression.
- Despite the diversity in ESF courses undertaken, several factors facilitated beneficiaries’ participation including: a preference for training in community or localised settings which were seen as less intimidating by inactive beneficiaries, good group dynamics and flexible structure regarding attendance and pace of learning.
Note to editors
1. The European Social Fund (ESF) is an EU fund which supports Member States’ employment and skills strategies. About £4 billion of ESF is available in England in 2000-06 to fund additional job and training opportunities. The funding supports the following priorities:
- helping unemployed and inactive people into work; providing opportunities for people at a disadvantage in the labour market;
- promoting lifelong learning;
- developing the skills of employed people; and
- improving women’s participation in the labour market.
2. Further information on ESF is available on the ESF website at www.esf.gov.uk