The ESF is the European Union’s (EU) main instrument for investing in human capital. It contributes to EU social, employment, education and skills policies and structural reforms in these areas. The 2014-2020 program has therefore given way to that for the 2021-2027 period which bears the name ESF+.
To support the implementation of social innovations, a toolbox has been developed to help Member States make strategic use of the national resources available to them via the ESF+ as well as to help local and regional authorities as promoters of projects so that they can benefit from ESF funding. The Commission has therefore published two guides to enable stakeholders to develop innovative solutions to current societal challenges.
- The first is a practical guide to social experimentation (practical guide for project promoters on social experimentation) for project promoters. It provides a solid understanding of social experimentation and practical guidance for project development.
- The second (toolkit for scaling-up social innovation) examines social innovation from the perspective of scaling up innovations that have proven to work. It presents the seven steps to follow to make strategic use of the ESF+. It is aimed in particular at Member State authorities involved in the design and implementation of ESF+ programmes, but can be a source of inspiration for other stakeholders.
The objective of these two guides is to accompany readers throughout the process of social innovation: from the identification of social challenges to the development of innovative solutions, to the demonstration of their potential and finally to help in the deployment of the most convincing models on a larger scale.
Why are local authorities concerned? These two guides shed real light on the objectives and orientations of the ESF+. By consulting them, local authorities will be able to build projects that follow its guidelines and meet the objectives, thus maximizing the chance of being financed by the ESF+.
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