7 Community Initiative: Equal
104. Equal is a Community initiative that funds new
ways of combating discrimination in the labour market, for those
in work and those seeking work. Equal is funded from the ESF,
but separately from the funding for Objectives 1, 2 and 3. For
the current programming period, Equal's total financial allocation
is €3 billion. The GB has been allocated £241 million
for 2000-06, of which £21 million is for Scotland and £13
million for Wales.[203]
Equal is administered nationally by the DWP. Project applications
are assessed by the Equal Support Unit,[204]
and reviewed by thematic groups of policy specialists before a
recommendation is made to the Equal GB Monitoring Committee. The
Equal programme operates across eight themes that are defined
in terms of the European Employment Strategy, plus an additional
theme directed at helping asylum seekers, which is of particular
interest in London. The nine themes are: employability, combating
racism, business creation, strengthening social economy, promoting
lifelong learning, supporting adaptability of firms and employees,
reconciling family and professional life, reducing gender gaps,
and helping integration of asylum-seekers. To be awarded funding,
organisations operate in one of the thematic areas, having agreed
a strategy that encourages innovation and trans-national links.
According to the Government:
" Equal operates by bringing together in
'development partnerships' the key players in a geographical area
or sector. The partnerships enable partners from the public sector,
non-governmental organisations, social partners and business sector
(in particular SMEs) to pool their expertise and experience. They
operate in one of the thematic areas having agreed a strategy
within which they will consider, develop and try out new ways
of dealing with problems of discrimination and inequality"[205]
105. Equal's distinctive contribution is to support
innovation in countering inequality and sharing good practice
across national borders. Organisations taking part in Equal seek
to help "victims of discrimination and inequalities, whether
employed or seeking employment opportunities. Such groups include
women, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, older workers,
refugees, ex-offenders, drug and alcohol misusers and asylum seekers."[206]
One controversial aspect of the GB Equal programme is the treatment
of asylum seekers.[207]
The Greater London Authority (GLA) told us that "the Government
decision to deny ESF support to any training project catering
for asylum seekers has serious implications for London."
It goes on to add that there is
"the possibility of giving ESF support to
courses that recruit asylum seekers for pre-vocational training:
for example ESOL [English for Speakers of Other Languages] and
basic skills, advice and guidance, confidence building and orientation.
But this would need explicit agreement by relevant Government
departments that asylum seekers could be treated as eligible for
these courses."[208]
106. The Greater London Authority (GLA) called on
the DWP to encourage the Home Office to repeal its ruling so that
asylum seekers would be deemed eligible for pre-vocational training
courses supported by European Social Fund resources. In evidence,
the Minister told us that the Government was planning to issue
new guidance on this. He said:
"There are now plans to revise the ESF guidance
so that asylum seekers, without permission to work, can be eligible
to benefit from pre-vocational activities funded by mainstream
ESF and from the whole of the Equal programme. As you know up
to now it has only been within the asylum seeker element of Equal
that pre-vocational training can be provided. It does mean that
of course asylum seekers would not be entitled to vocational training
or the normal range of help provided by Jobcentre Plus into employment
until their status has been confirmed as refugees. However, we
are planning to issue new guidance soon to ESF organisations to
make it clear that this is now the change that will take place."[209]
We welcome this. The guidance was issued in June
2003 and applies to mainstream ESF and not just Equal.[210]
Although Equal encourages innovative projects, it is important
that the projects should not just be interesting, but should allow
best practice to be shared across international borders. The
sharing of information may be accomplished by organisations developing
partner organisations in other countries for the purposes of networking
and organising exchange visits. Some projects may be involved
in "blue skies" thinking on ways of addressing things
like gender pay gap issues - without necessarily providing tangible
outcomes.[211] The
guidance, case studies and examples of best practice are a useful
source of information. The Minister told us that Equal was "a
programme which should be fairly light on its feet in terms of
trying to find new ways forward in a way which is not always possible
through mainstream programmes." [212]
203 There are separate programmes for GB and Northern
Ireland. The Department is responsible for implementing Equal
in Great Britain in partnership with the Scottish Executive and
Welsh Assembly Government. Back
204
For more information on the Support Unit see www.equal.co.uk/support Back
205
Ev 95 Back
206
www.golondon.gov.uk/europeanprogrammw/equal.asp Back
207
The asylum seeker theme is managed on a UK basis as part of the
Great Britain programme. Back
208
Ev 157 Back
209
Q194 Back
210
Changes to ESF disability rules for asylum seekers, ESF Division,
June 2003. Back
211
Q190 Back
212
Q190 Back
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