The Thematic Seminar on ‘An integrated approach to support beneficiaries towards their social inclusion. Creating synergies between FEAD and other funds’ took place online on 29-30 April 2021.The Thematic Seminar was the third mutual learning event of a cycle of capacity-building activities planned during the transition period (2020-2021), and aiming at improving the delivery of the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD) at national, regional and local level.
The event, hosted by the Spanish Ministry of Employment and Social Economy, brought together local, regional and national stakeholders involved in the implementation of the FEAD, including: managing authorities, intermediate bodies, beneficiaries and partner organisations providing support, members of advisory or monitoring committees, independent experts, civil society organisations and representatives from the European Commission.
The Thematic Seminar focused on how to design and implement integrated approaches to support the social inclusion of end recipients, maximising potential synergies with other initiatives and funding sources and exploring examples of effective partnerships working between public, private and third sector organisations.
The Action Plan of the European Pillar of Social Rights presented by the European Commission in March 2021 emphasises the need of further developing an ‘integrated approach’ to support individuals during all stages of their life and to address multiple causes of poverty and social exclusion. Ultimately, this will also contribute to reaching the three headline targets of the Action Plan.
The European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) will provide resources to Member States for the social and economic recovery after the Covid-19 crisis and to implement the European Pillar of Social Rights. In particular, the specific objectives of the ESF+ is to support Member States in the policy areas of employment, education and social inclusion to contributing to achieving a more social Europe.
The Thematic Seminar focused on the capacity of relevant stakeholders across Europe to build partnerships with other public and private (non-profit) organisations to meet the various needs of end recipients. Existing challenges, such as lacking resources, lacking leadership, top-down approaches, insufficient skills of professionals or the risk of duplication of tasks or competition for funds, highlight the need to further develop personalised approaches during the programming period of the ESF+.
Particular attention was paid to the measures introduced in Spain to offer a more integrated and personalised provision of services to end recipients, namely the Personalised Assistance Model implemented by the Spanish Red Cross, the ‘Social-labour Inclusion Project’ from BANCOSOL (local Food Bank member of FESBAL – FEBA Full Member) and the FEAD Roundtable for coordination of the Local Authority of Fuenlabrada.
Participants had also the opportunity to identify and discuss innovative, promising or good practices from other Member States, and also to look ahead towards the new programming period 2021-2027 and the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+).
Read the report of the Seminar here.
