What is the European Social Fund?
The European Social Fund is a fund provided by the European Union. It’s one of the European Structural and Investment Funds.
The aim behind the European Social Fund is to improve:
- employment and education opportunities across the European Union
- the situation of the most vulnerable people who are at risk of poverty
The most recent European Social Fund programme has focused on 4 objectives. These are:
- promoting employment and supporting labour mobility
- promoting social inclusion and combating poverty
- investing in education, skills and lifelong learning
- enhancing institutional capacity and efficient public administration
In Scotland, the Scottish Government distributes money from the European Social Fund to bodies like local authorities and agencies. In this arrangement:
- the funding it provides is known as a 'strategic intervention'
- the bodies are known as 'lead partners'
European Social Fund in Stirling
In 2015, in our role as a lead partner, Stirling Council applied for strategic intervention funding from the European Social Fund 2014–20 programme. Our application related to the programme's objectives about:
- promoting employment and supporting labour mobility
- promoting social inclusion and combating poverty
This application was:
- approved in November 2015 (phase 1)
- extended in January 2019 (phase 2)
In total, the European Social Fund grant to Stirling Council is £2.17 million.
The projects this money supports will remain funded until June 2023.
About our projects
Stirling Skills and Employability Pipeline
European Social Fund 2014–20 programme funding has been used to support the following initiatives:
- Strategic Intervention Management
- Learning, Employability and Progression
- Thrive to Maximise
Tackling Poverty and Social Exclusion in Stirling
European Social Fund 2014–20 programme funding has been used to support the following initiatives:
- Stirling Enhanced Advice Services
- Supporting New Scots in Stirling
Stirling and Clackmannanshire Inclusion Workers Programme
European Social Fund 2014–20 programme funding has been used to support the following initiative:
- Stirling and Clackmannanshire Inclusion Workers
How to find out more
For more information on the European Social Fund, visit the European Social Fund pages on the European Commission site.
For more information on European funding in Scotland, read the Scottish Government's guidance on European Structural and Investment Funds.
