Joined-up Funding
This element of work is overseen by the Performance and Resources Group. The principle role of the group is to:
- Report/provide information to the Jobs Strategy Group and in doing this drive up performance of contracted provision and minimise duplication.
- Allocate funding in the control of the Edinburgh City Strategy Pathfinder.
Two sub-groups report to Performance and Resource Planning: the Funding Panel and the Caselink Users Group.
Pathfinder Grant
Edinburgh’s Jobs Strategy consortium was awarded the following allocations by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP):
2007/08: £522,807
2008/09: £404,744
2008/09: £507,567
2008/10: £521,682
The grant is intended to be used as flexibly as possible to assist persons domiciled in Edinburgh to train for, obtain and retain employment and support the achievement of outcomes, targets and indicators as agreed with DWP.
Over the first 2 years of this funding:
- 14 projects were funded or partly funded
- 1814 clients were registered
- 650 people were supported into work
- 125 people achieved other positive outcomes (education, training or volunteering)
- 86 people retained their jobs with the help of in work support
- 414 jobs were created
A full summary of projects funded in 2007 – 2009 is in the document library.
Alignment of Funding
Strategic partners routinely bring their funding decisions to the panel for information and discussion. A number of pathfinder funded projects were also supported by other funding sources. Total additional funding amounted to £1,068,279 which was made up as follows:
- Private Sector: £168,000
- Voluntary Sector: £193,219
- Scottish & Local Government: £159,399
- Other statutory agencies: £45,500
- European funding: £492,161
- DWP Seedcorn: £10,000
Development work on alignment of funding is ongoing. Current objectives are to:
- take overview of need in order to drive pattern of delivery and fill gaps
- use information from mapping to inform budget allocations
- develop and implement process for proposals for multi-funded projects (commissioning)
- establish peer review of partners' funding decisions and processes
- develop process for collaborative management of discretionary funding streams linked to strategy (Fairer Scotland Fund and Pathfinder Grant)
Supporting actions are identified in the operational plan and progress is reported to the Jobs Strategy Group and to DWP quarterly.
