ESFA - recognised by the European Commission: designated as the ESF Delegated Authority for the Social Innovation+ Initiative
On the 7th of November, 2022, the Lithuanian European Social Fund Agency and the European Commission officially signed an agreement for the management of the ESF Social Innovation+ Initiative.
In July 2021, the European Commission published a call for expression of interest to select an entrusted entity for the indirect management of the ESF+ Social Innovation+ Initiative.
Following the call for expressions of interest, the Lithuanian European Social Fund Agency (ESFA) was selected to become the entrusted entity for the indirect management of the Initiative during the 2021-2027 period.
At ESFA’s Annual Conference 2022, Ms. Ruth Paserman, Director of the Directorate Funds, Programming and Implementation of the Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion of the European Commission, stated: “We are starting a new period in the European Union‘s cohesion policy and the European Social Fund+ and, in this period, we are putting a strong emphasis on social innovation. We believe that innovative solutions are needed for the big societal challenges of today, because of the green digital transition, the demographic challenges, migratory challenges and the sustainability of our welfare systems. And this is where ESFA, entrusted to implement this initiative on the Commission‘s behalf, is a very important partner for the European Commission.“
The Acting Director of the Lithuanian European Social Fund Agency Ms. AUDRONĖ ALIŠAUSKIENĖ, highlighted the crucial role of the new Initiative in supporting EU member states in accelerating the introduction of innovative solutions to meet urgent social problems: “We thank the European Commission for its support in the implementation of the ESF+ Social Innovation+ Initiative. As Europe faces a series of crises, the development and expansion of social innovation play a more important role than ever in solving social problems. We strongly believe that partnership, engagement, networking and the activity of social innovation developers will help us to find the best ways to reduce social exclusion, which Europe needs so much today. I am very happy to announce that the first activities of the Initiative are expected to commence this year.”
Prior to signing this agreement, the European Commission performed a thorough assessment of ESFA’s accounting, control, procurement and data management systems, rules and procedures to ensure that ESFA had met all European Commission's Pillar Assessment criteria. This accreditation reaffirmed that the experience of ESFA's team and the management of the programs entrusted to meet the highest international quality standards.
The European Social Fund+ is the EU’s main instrument investing in employment, social inclusion and education and skills. For the 2021-2027 period it provides the 27 EU Member States with about 100 billion EUR to invest in human capital.
In this context, new emphasis is put on social innovation, including a new initiative ESF+ Social Innovation+. With the budget of around EUR 197 million this Initiative aims to accelerate the transfer, and scaling up of tested innovative solutions, particularly in the areas of employment and labour mobility, education, social inclusion, including contributing to poverty eradication. Thereby, the initiative contributes to a more social and inclusive Europe, implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights’, and to fair, green, and digital transitions.
The ESF+ Social Innovation+ Initiative will be implemented by the European Competence Center for Social Innovation (created and managed by ESFA) in two work streams:
- Social Innovation Grants which will be implemented through EU-wide calls for actions:
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- to roll out proven social innovations in EU Member States and EaSI participating countries by matching “demand” and “supply”,
- to conceptualize and validate innovative approaches, taking into account results of relevant projects and actions across Europe and other available evidence,
- to support transnational cooperation, capacity building, mutual learning and joint activities of organizations or networks, which play a strategic and structuring role in supporting social innovation in Member States and EaSI participating countries.
- Knowledge Sharing. Under this work stream the Centre organizes transnational exchange and cooperation through knowledge sharing, mutual learning, and capacity building for social innovation stakeholders. It will become a knowledge hub of social innovation, notably with a view of creating enabling conditions for the transfer of good practice and scaling up of tested social innovations.
Background
In a rapidly changing world, social innovation is becoming increasingly important to shape the challenges ahead in the interest and for the benefit of European citizens. The transition to a low-carbon economy, demographic changes, the shift towards an IT-based economy, the COVID-19 crisis and migration related issues have already started transforming the world of work, education, training and social services.
Promoting social innovation can notably help to:
- strengthen the social dimension of economic activity through fully implementing the principles of the European Pillar of Social Rights,
- adapt employment, education and training, and social inclusion policies to overcome current deficiencies and to meet future needs,
- repair the economic & social damage brought by the pandemic, and rebuild a fairer, more inclusive, participative & sustainable economy and society
- involve, engage, and mobilize European citizens in shaping their living & working conditions, thus creating ownership in social change and reforms.
Under the Social Innovation Grants,the first calls will include:
- support for rolling out the ALMA Initiative, with an allocation of € 15 million,
- support to improve professional capacities, and organize transnational learning and cooperation of social innovation support structures, such as National Competence Centers, with an allocation of € 8 million,
- support for validating and scaling-up of innovative solutions to support the inclusion of young people, focusing on their skills, with an allocation of € 7 million.
The European Competence Centre for Social Innovation will develop a professional infrastructure and organise transnational exchange and cooperation activities to connect relevant social innovation stakeholders, including funders, support organisations, and national thematic. In this context, organizing and nurturing the Community of Practice on Social Innovation and Community-led Local Development will be a main resource and dissemination channel for the European Competence Centre on its way becoming a European knowledge hub of social innovation.
In addition, ESFA will be continuing the work in supporting and facilitating the other existing Communities of Practice (COP) on Employment, education, and skills, and on Social Inclusion. It will also start organizing the work of an additional COP on Migration, and will renew the activities of CoP on Material Support (Ex FEAD community).
ESFA will also be in charge of supporting the existing EU Roma and ALMA networks to facilitate the exchange and sharing of experiences and expertise.
The Communities of Practice and networks will be the main vehicle for driving forward transnational cooperation between ESF+ bodies, support structures, such as the National Competence Centers for Social Innovation and EaSI contact points, and other relevant social innovation stakeholders.
