Organisation Name: SW Wales Local Authorities

Project Description: A Region where equality of opportunity and access to high quality learning opportunities are guaranteed'

Mission Statement

The Regional Learning Partnership South West Wales will achieve its vision by: putting the needs of learners first by working together; transforming the way learners access learning opportunities; increasing the skills levels of learners in the region for the benefit of the economy; providing high quality and accessible learning opportunities for all in support of personal aspirations; providing creative and innovative solutions to learning and promoting learning as part of our cultural, bi-lingual and social heritage.

The Regional Learning Partnership (RLP) will bring together partners involved in all post-14 learning to ensure a co-ordinated, shared and planned approach across the region which is quality assured, demand-led and cost effective and which effectively contributes to a reduction in economic inactivity, improves the skills of the workforce and contributes to the delivery of a knowledge economy. Through the Partnership the project will identify and drive forward transformational change for post 14 learning. The Remit of RLPSWW is as follows:

Remit

The remit for the partnership is to ensure publicly funded learning providers and associated organisations work collaboratively, effectively and efficiently to meet the demand needs of learners, the regional economy and society in South West Wales.

Focussing on all age learning from 14 years upwards, the partnership will: Develop a Strategic Planning Framework for all education and training reflecting the needs of the region, government priorities and local delivery solutions; Undertake research to identify training needs and solutions for a vibrant knowledge economy; Facilitate collaboration between providers and agencies in order to optimise the utilisation of resources; Utilise Convergence and potentially Trans-national Funding as a driver for change and as means of adding value to core provision; Focus on quality, efficiency and effectiveness; Develop strategies and operation systems to underpin the operation of EU funded projects; Ensure that there is capacity to influence and to provide a regional response to Welsh Assembly Government initiatives; Achieve equality of opportunity for learners in a bilingual environment and Ensure that there is appropriate opportunity for progression at all levels through to Higher Education. Connect and fit with Community Strategies linking with Economic Regeneration, Health and Wellbeing and Environment Strategies to progress and develop the Learning Agenda through a wider sphere.

These aims will be achieved by: Establishing, or linking in with current groups/networks, Task & Finish work groups, project teams and longer term Operational groups in, for example: - Strategic Planning - 14-19 Learning Pathways - Adult & Community Learning - Skills & Workforce Development including SSC liaison - Bilingual and Welsh Medium Provision - Quality - Project administration - Research & dissemination Sharing information and the dissemination of good practice through common staff development activities; Sharing evaluation methodologies and quality systems and Joint marketing and publicity initiatives; The development and delivery of regional, strategic, EU funded projects delivered locally and collaboratively by appropriate partnership teams operating within a contractual agreement with the lead partner.

Over time and with further development, the Partnership will aim to inform the restructuring and commissioning of provision of publicly funded training and education across South West Wales.This RLP Priority 4 project will develop the Regional Learning Partnership, to ensure it is fit for purpose, relevant and efficient for its partners and is able to provide a strategic steer and a transformational approach to meet the learning needs of the people in the South West Wales Region. Specifically it will:

Develop & implement the RLPSWW concept and progress a shared vision with clear roles and responsibilities; Develop & implement the RLPSWW governance structure with a clear distinction between the planning & funding role and support a network of cross-sector learning providers; Build the capacity of partners of the RLPSWW to ensure that all members are treated equally and able to contribute fully to strategic processes. Establish communication protocols and systems between and within organisations; Promote the RLPSWW at a strategic level and clarify it's position to other partnerships, groups etc; Develop & implement quality and data collection systems; Develop & implement the systems and resources to support existing partnerships towards sustainability; Develop & implement a long term strategy supplemented by annual delivery plans; Facilitate transformational change to the empowerment and benefit of learners.

Email Address: mrphillips@carmarthenshire.gov.uk

Geographical Area of Operation: South West Wales (Local Authority areas of Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire & Swansea)

Organisation Core Business: Local Authority

Who will be involved in delivering the project: The creation of the Regional Learning Partnership (RLP) will bring together all stakeholders in 14+ education and learning and aims, through collaborative working. Currently within the region there is a broad range of providers offering education and learning opportunities including 5 Local Authorities, 5 Colleges, 5 CVCs, 3 Universities, 2 Higher Education institutions, the WEA, private training providers and community based organisations, as well as other learning providers who are based outside but who reach into the region. This project will provide a regional strategic approach, based on a shared vision and planning, whilst retaining local delivery. The governance structure will ensure that all members of the partnership and all sectors are treated equally in any strategic process and decision making which will engender a spirit of trust and responsibility. Each of the 5 counties has a learning network, although the partners and the size varies. The focus will be on "Regional Strategic Planning - Local Delivery." The Regional Strategy will ensure a co-ordinated approach, enable best use of resources (including staff, training opportunities, marketing, use of data etc).

Who will be the end beneficiaries: Local citizens & communities and who access RLPSWW learning opportunities

Spatial area/s to be covered by the project: Swansea Bay- Waterfront and the Western Valleys, Pembrokeshire the Haven. Central Wales

What might the outputs be (activity measures): Employers assisted; research studies; learning and development startegies

What might be the results of the project: participants entering further learning

What would its impact be Public service quality improvement; Making efficient and effective use of existing resources - human, physical and financial; Consistent and equality of provision for learners at all levels across the region; Contribution to local communities, business and the wider economy through enhanced skill levels of our citizens; Increase in public service efficiency (including reduced costs of service delivery); Value for money for learners at all levels across the region; Learners are empowered through more informed choices; Citizen satisfaction with public services.

Roughly what might be the scale of the project: 5 counties

Estimated Cost: £2.5million over 6 years, tbc

Where might the match funding come from: Partners and DCELLS (under negotiation)

Date:12/05/08

Organisation Name:  Creative & Cultural Skills

Project Description: Training and development of the creative and cultural industries workforce in Wales, covering advertising, crafts, cultural heritage, design, literature, music, performing arts and visual arts industries.

Creative & Cultural Skills is the Sector Skills Council that represents these industries. The evidence from employers clearly demonstrates needs for higher level skills for the creative knowledge economy.  Based on robust evidence of needs, Creative & Cultural Skills has produced a strategic 'blueprint' and programme of action (Sector Skills Agreement) that aims to transform and enhance the education, training and development of the workforce; including growth of jobs and progression and entry into leadership. 

Creative & Cultural Skills is working in partnership with the Arts Council of Wales, Welsh Assembly Government and the Creative & Cultural Skills Wales Employers Group.

Creative & Cultural Skills will work with Skillset to identify shared skills issues and cross-over with Skillset and their delivery partners.

Background

The creative and cultural industries have experienced rapid growth across the UK over the last ten years.  In Wales the creative industries are identified as a key driver of business growth (Wales: A Vibrant Economy (W:AVE) 15: 2005) as is the role of culture (Creative Futures 50: 2002).

In Wales the workforce across advertising, crafts, cultural heritage, design, literature, music, performing arts and visual arts industries is 19,000 contributing £454M GVA to the UK economy. The largest industries are the Arts and Design. To 2014 a growth of 10,000 jobs are expected in Wales with 50% in expansion and 33% as higher skilled jobs.  In terms of scale, important industry features are the high numbers of micro businesses, and people who are self employed or freelance with a small number of large businesses and organisations.

Diversity in terms of ethnicity and gender is a workforce and business issue for the sector: the workforce in Wales is 65% male and 99% white; addressing this would be one of the objectives of the programmes.

The industries have both a global and local market and are seen to contribute to economic and community regeneration for example in Aberystwyth Arts Centre (The Economic Impact of Aberystwyth Arts Centre, J. Bryan et al, 2004) and Galeri in Caernarfon.

The Creative Blueprint research has identified the following key drivers for skills: globalisation; changing demographics; technological change; environmental change; government policy and; a changing job market.  The impact of these varies by industry, but are reflected in the current and future skills needs, which include creative and technical skills, leadership and management, information and digital technology, business skills and professionalism, negotiation and selling/marketing and PR.  Running through these are three themes that are common to these diverse industries: the central importance of creativity; communication and; having a customer/client/audience focus.  All have an impact on business success.

There are nine key skills and workforce issues that require action based on the drivers and needs identified above:

            Entry to the sector

            Management and Leadership

            Business and Enterprise

            Continuing Professional Development

            Diversity

            Qualification reform

            Information, Advice and Guidance

            Creativity and Culture in Schools

            Industry intelligence and research

These issues are also identified in Welsh Assembly Government's Skills That Work for Wales (2008) with a strong emphasis for closer integration between skills development and business support services.

The Programme

The programme is focused on delivering higher level skills that address gaps and shortages as identified by the Creative Blueprint research to support growth and expansion of creative and cultural businesses and organisations.

Creative and Cultural Leadership

Creative talent and drive are not in short supply, but the management and leadership skills to harness creativity for continued and future business success are needed. They are particularly important for meeting the challenges of globalisation, technology change and the growth of project working.

The programme in Wales will address the need for industry tailored leadership and management development, including business and entrepreneur development. This will include a range of delivery mechanisms taking account of industry preferred methods and support; for example networks, mentors and action learning.

This programme is aimed at increasing business and organisations sustainability and success. Creative Choices°, the first online service to support every individual and business looking to enter and progress in the creative industries and cultural sector, will provide access to online leadership and management tools, information and networks.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Sustainable CPD provision is needed that meets both creative and business skills needs and develops FE/HE partnerships. This includes embedding continuing development in businesses, access to specialist provision, accreditation of informal or industry learning and creative solutions that recognise the role and value placed by industry on informal learning and networks; including work-based learning, coaching and mentoring.

CPD is essential to the continual 're-skilling' of the creative and cultural workforce, to keep pace with change, be innovative, and meet the government's ambitions for the industries in the wider economy.

As with the leadership programme, Creative Choices° will support Continuing Professional Development.  It will include diagnostic tools to help managers identify their learning needs and provide up-to-date, industry endorsed, high quality bilingual information to individuals, employers and learning providers on labour market intelligence, learning, job and career opportunities. Creative Choices° will be linked with Careers Wales online.

Centre for Excellence

A Centre for Excellence, linked to the Wales Millennium Centre, will provide high quality industry led continuing professional development and address entry to industry in technical and specialist skills gaps. Creative Apprenticeships will form part of the curriculum offer. A network across Wales will link employers and education, building on established partnerships. A National Skills Academy (NSA) for Live Music and Performing Arts is in development for England and a Scottish Performing Arts Academy is proposed. The ambition is to network the Academies across the UK to share and develop good practice and innovation and to enhance the training provision offer. International links will also be explored for the UK as a centre of global excellence.

UK Design Skills Alliance

The UK design industry skills panel of Creative & Cultural Skills in collaboration with the Design Council produced Higher Level Skills for Higher Value (2007), which identified the need for changes in education and training to meet a fast changing business world and that industry does not undertake enough continuous professional development.

The Design Blueprint (2008) is the industry workforce plan to address these issues:

Designers' Knowledge Base- professional practice framework and campaign As a framework for design excellence, the Knowledge Base will define skills, knowledge and competencies through peer reviewed case studies, share good practice, provide information and advice on careers, education and training provision and diagnostic tools for development. There will be close links to Creative Choices°.

Strategic Analysis and Future Thinking

Accurate and up to date information and analysis on the state of the design industry, skills needs and future trends is essential to informing and developing the Alliance and the programmes.

Multi-disciplinary network

The Design industry has identified the need to develop multi-disciplinary programmes at Higher Education level that match the types of project team and multi-disciplinary working that are increasingly the norm in the industry. A network of Colleges and Universities will be developed to support programme and skills development for multi-disciplinary Design education.

Visiting Design professionals' network

The Design industry has identified that a network of key industry practitioners connected to education would support industry relevant qualification development and delivery. The aim is for a UK wide network.                                      

Aims and Solutions

Supporting the knowledge economy, including the development of higher level, graduate and post graduate skills:

            Creative & Cultural Leadership

            Continuing Professional Development

            Centre for Excellence

            Creative Choices° (Wales Careers Strategy)

            UK Design Skills Alliance

Improving research into skills needs and systems for matching learning supply to demand from employers and individuals:

            Continuing Professional Development

            Creative Choices° (Wales Careers Strategy)

            UK Design Skills Alliance

Supporting employers in identifying and addressing the skills needs of their sectors at all levels, including management, technical and craft skills:

            Creative & Cultural Leadership

            Continuing Professional Development

            Centre for Excellence

            UK Design Skills Alliance

Matching and improving learning provision so that it better meets labour market needs, thereby reducing skills gaps and shortages:

            Creative & Cultural Leadership

            Continuing Professional Development

            Centre for Excellence

            Creative Choices° (Wales Careers Strategy)

            UK Design Skills Alliance

Helping workers and enterprises adapt to new forms of work organisation and new technologies:

            Creative & Cultural Leadership

            Continuing Professional Development

            Centre for Excellence

            UK Design Skills Alliance

These higher level skills solutions are supported by programmes in research, Creative Choices° and qualification reform.  All of these programmes in Creative Blueprint Wales have been agreed by Welsh Assembly Government, Wales TUC, HEFCW, Careers Wales and Jobcentre Plus.  Creative Blueprint Wales and this proposal for Convergence funding are supported by the Wales Employers Group and a wide range of partners.

Email Address: victoria.pirie@ccskills.org.uk

Geographical Area of Operation: All Wales

Organisation Core Business:  Creative & Cultural Skills is the Sector Skills Council that represents the advertising, crafts, cultural heritage, design, literature, music, performing arts and visual arts industries.  As an employer led organisation, Creative & Cultural Skills focuses on the development and delivery of skills and workforce development for industry that: reduces skills gaps and shortages; improves productivity, business and public service performance; increases opportunities to boost the skills and productivity of everyone in the sector's workforce, including action on equal opportunities and; improves learning supply, at all levels. Skills That Work for Wales (2008) identifies key roles for Sector Skills councils in: strengthening the employer voice in decisions about the development and delivery of skills provision; undertaking labour market and skills needs analysis and; informing the development of new vocational qualifications to meet business needs.

Who will be involved in delivering the project: A core partnership between Creative & Cultural Skills, the Arts Council of Wales, Welsh Assembly Government, and the Creative & Cultural Skills Wales Employers Group.  Discussions are underway for a delivery group of employers, agencies and education partners e.g. CAVA (Culture and Arts in Valleys Authorities), Valleys Creative Industries Forum partners and venues and organisations across Wales.  Creative and Cultural Skills will collaborate and seek to work in partnership with Skillset, the Sector Skills Council for the audio and visual industries, to address cross-sectoral training and workforce needs.

Who will be the end beneficiaries: Individuals, entrepreneurs, micro-businesses and SMEs working in the advertising, crafts, cultural heritage, design, literature, music, performing arts and visual arts industries, women, older participants, BME participants, participants with work-limiting health condition or disability, female participants who work part-time. 

Spatial area/s to be covered by the project: All Convergence areas.

What might the outputs(activity measures The number of people participating in the following workforce development programmes and achieving related qualifications/accreditation:

What might be the results of the project: The results of the project will: . Enable employers and individuals to progress and develop higher level skills; .         Widen access to the industries; .        Develop industry employer led sustainable training including work-based accreditation and qualifications; .            Through a sustainable research programme, identify future higher skills demand and the impact of higher skills development on the creative and cultural economy. 

What would its impact be These programmes will increase access to skills and deliver better skills for stronger, sustainable industries in Wales and aid the growth of 10,000 jobs that is expected with 50% in expansion and 33% as higher skilled jobs. These programmes will also widen entry routes into industry and increase the diversity of the workforce. We will work to deliver these programme through networks and partnerships.  Networks and partnerships are an important means of developing and delivering business and through these collaborations lies one of the means to achieve sustainable, increased employer commitment and investment in skills and workforce development.

Roughly what might be the scale of the project: Five year programme providing a wide range of training and development opportunities across leadership, management, continuing professional development to meet creative and cultural business needs.

Estimated Cost: £20,000,000

Where might the match funding come from: Welsh Assembly Government, employers and partners.

Date:15/04/08

Organisation Name:  Menter Mon / Annog Cyf

Project Description: a.    Provide a practical, meaningful and appropriate response to the

singular most potent threat to the economy of North West Wales over the next four years.

(see Tribal HCH report Socio Economic Impact Assessment February 2006)

b.         Undertake career restructuring actions with the 1200 + workforce (all

NVQ levels 3 – 5) currently working for a range of employers at Wylfa

(Anglesey) and Trawsfynydd (Gwynedd) in order to overcome the critical changes forthcoming in the industry (the closure of Wylfa; the reduction in decommissioning employment at Trawsfynydd)

c.         Provide training interventions which will allow the skills of

beneficiaries to remain in the regional economy of North West Wales in new and emerging growth areas. A comprehensive programme of auditing, retraining and redeployment will be implemented over a four year period in order to ensure that the threat is turned into an opportunity within the regional knowledge economy.

(see ESYS report North West Wales – Economic Futures, commissioned by Welsh Assembly Government September 2006)

d.         Assemble and coordinate a wide range of public, voluntary and private

sector deliverers to achieve the declared economic outcomes given below in an integrated manner ie Gyrfa Cymru, Job Centre plus, Cyngor Ynys Mon, Cyngor Gwynedd, enterprise agencies, FE, HE  and private sector retrainers. The task in hand is far greater than current delivery capacity. In order to keep these skills in our economy, and allow them to create a new generation of entrepreneurship a flexible but well structured programme is required.

e.         The deployed career restructuring programme will comprise of four phases

            AUDIT PHASE  1 – 12 months

Diagnostic phase where all beneficiaries undertake comprehensive skills, aspirational and adaptational  auditing, alongside ‘Change Engineers’ courses.

            ACTION PLANNING PHASE 7 – 18 months

Shaping the Future Phase built upon one to one mentoring and the production of individual action plans, based upon the results of phase 1 but fashioned also by local economic data in terms of skills gaps and regional need.

            FIRST IMPLEMENTATION PHASE 13 – 24 months

Redirectional provision where a range of training programmes are procured or sourced for beneficiaries to implement their individual action plans

            SECOND IMPLEMENTATION PHASE 19 – 36 months

The redeployment of beneficiaries into jobs, new business starts and other economically beneficial outcomes

Email Address: gerallt@mentermon.com

Geographical Area of Operation: Ynys Mon and Gwynedd

Organisation Core Business:  Economic development

Who will be involved in delivering the project: A partnership delivery team comprised of the following partners will manage and oversee the project

Who will be the end beneficiaries: The 1200+ workers and staff currently employed by various contractors (220) and by Magnox North (360) at Wylfa, Ynys Mon, and the contractors (360) and Magnox (240) at Trawsfynydd, Gwynedd, the majority of whose jobs are scheduled to end in 2010 / 11

Spatial area/s to be covered by the project: North West Wales Spatial Plan Area

What might the outputs(activity measures Total participants (Employed)           1200

Female participants                                                                                          160

Participants accessing Level 4 and above training*                                        800

Employers assisted or financially supported*                                                   220

Learning and development strategies*                                                               20

Projects delivering specialist training in sustainable development*                   35

What might be the results of the project: Level 4 and above*                  800

-Female                                                                                               140

-Older participants                                                                              130

-BME participants                                                                              

-Participants with work-limiting health condition or disability   25

What would its impact be Skills level of employment            320 jobs at Level 4

                                                                                    140 jobs at Level 5

Pay level of employment                                        600 jobs at 30K+

Women in management                                        100

Participants gaining part qualifications               700

Roughly what might be the scale of the project: his is a large restructuring project which will address a significant proportion of well paid jobs in North West Wales which are to be brought to a close over the next three years.

Estimated Cost: £2,100,000 million over 4 years

Where might the match funding come from: £1,204,140 from ESF Convergence (57.34%)

£ 600,000 from Welsh Assembly Government

£ 600,000 from the NDA and local employers / partners

Date:14/04/08

Organisation Name:  Media Skills For Wales Project (MSW)

Project Description: The overall objective of the project is to engage with socially disadvantaged areas throughout Wales in order to contribute to improving levels of media, film and digital literacy and E and web participation.

This engagement will then be used to empower community members through skills development, skills exchange and developing entrepreneurialism.

In the first instance, once community groups are identified, we will actively consult with each group to determine which skills from media, film and TV production they are interested in developing; so as not to duplicate any training they have already undertaken. Where possible, we will also seek to work in partnership with local SMES from the above sectors, to provide placement opportunities and skills sharing, within each local community.

The main aim of this proposal is to develop a strategic approach to multimedia learning opportunities through exciting and imaginative projects that investigate ICT, digital technologies and film,  in order to produce outcomes that have special relevance and meaning to local community groups in disadvantaged areas across the whole of Wales. The project will take an interdisciplinary approach by bringing together voluntary, statutory and professional sectors working with technology, media, electronics and entrepreneurship. The MSW project will offer the first step along a learning and skills development process, where community groups are offered training opportunities, with the intention of leading to specific further, and higher education qualifications; experience of working in creative industries sectors, which can lead to business development and ultimately greater employment opportunities across Wales.

This proposal has grown out of the experiences of a number of successful European Objective One projects that either focus on or have an element of media and film production and developing media literacy at their core; but will seek to develop and converge these different initiatives in order to offer a wider and more targeted approach to skills and sector development.

The Merthyr Media Project, The Zoom Young People’s Film Festival, Catapult in Blaenau Gwent and ITV’s ‘It’s My Shout’ and the developing Love Film and Film Council Film Club project have all demonstrated the potential of media based initiatives for engaging, developing and progressing individuals and groups, by improving skills, confidence and emotional literacy. This proposal seeks to draw on the experience and success of these projects to date, but take the objectives of these projects one stage further; by developing a more strategically targeted model that can contribute to developing the media industry in Wales and the wider social and economic fabric of the nation.

This initiative is aimed at fostering activity based training and production, placement opportunities, and targeted support to develop media based projects and initiatives, working within the economically disadvantaged areas of Wales as identified by European Objective 1 status.

The aim is to support these areas to become independent, socially integrated and economically vibrant, active and ambitious.

This initiative will contribute to the economic and social regeneration of the region, by raising aspirations, developing skills and retaining talent, and in doing so, creating real, well-paid and sustainable employment by supporting the creation of a number of individual and collective micro, small and medium sized enterprises.

The Media Skills for Wales project (MSW) will consolidate the links made by existing partnerships that focus on outreach activity working with deprived communities across Wales. The partners includes:

Skillset Screen Academy Wales

Merthyr Media Project,

The Zoom Young People’s Film Festival,

Catapult in Blaenau Gwent

ITV’s  ‘It’s My Shout’ and the developing Love Film and Film

Council – Film Club project –

MSW will be led by Skillset Screen Academy Wales (SSAW) and represents a partnership approach from the above projects and a number of key institutions and agencies within Wales, including:

•           CYFLE

•           Film Agency Wales

•           OFCOM Cymru

•           ITV

•           BBC Wales

•           S4C

•           Skillset Cymru in partnership with SSAW working through the partner HEs

and with already established links within Further Education colleges and outreach organisations such as First Campus

•           Skillset’s Media Academies (when they are fully in place across Wales)

By using the expertise of the above partners and the experience they have gained by working in outreach contexts to date, MSW seeks to work with a much wider range of deprived communities across the whole of Wales. The MSW project will not duplicate existing provision but offer additional and new opportunities to create a clear outline of activity aimed at developing routes of progression from training to employment in the media and film sectors, to increase sustainability and capacity of the sector across Wales. It will do this by working with the partners as outlined above and by seeking new partnerships, especially with indigenous SMES in the economically disadvantaged areas across Wales, by providing opportunities to develop skills in:

Film production

Post Production

Multi Media – including web authoring, editing and coding and E learning

Computer Game authoring and development

Animation

TV and broadcast design

Entrepreneurship

Networking

Training the Trainers

Skills development will be managed through new training initiatives in the above sectors; through existing schemes and partnership (as listed above) and through bespoke workshops, masterclasses, residencies, and placement and networking opportunities. Business skills development will be central to all training provision and placement opportunities, so that the more economically dormant areas of Wales can develop more sustainable and vibrant economies that can contribute to a Welsh media industry which will be able to compete within a European and Global economic environment.

Lead Partners:

Skillset Screen Academy Wales (SSAW) which constitutes the University Wales Swansea Metropolitan University, Newport’s International Film School Wales and the University of Glamorgan) will be the lead partner in the project and will work to consolidate existing strategic partnerships across Wales, to develop a ‘Convergence’ based initiative. The partnerships listed in the opening section of the PIF will not only steer the content of the project,  but will contribute their experience in working with communities and their links and contacts across Wales, to make this a Wales wide initiative. The aim is to bring together communities, trainers, service providers and industry professionals,  in order to provide a strategic approach for developing confidence and an entrepreneurial spirit in some of the most economically disadvantaged areas of Wales and enable Wales to take its rightful place in the forefront of the digital economic environment of the Twenty-first century.

The 6-year plan for the project will adopt a strong action research element to project delivery to ensure that activity is continually evaluated and monitored to ensure it is effective and grounded within the communities and the industry that it seeks to serve. This approach is based on previous experience and success developed by European projects such as the ‘Equal North Merthyr Tydfil Regeneration Partnership’.

Email Address: emma@screenacademywales.org

Geographical Area of Operation: Wales Wide

Organisation Core Business:  Training, Teaching, Research and Integration

Who will be involved in delivering the project: SSAW  (Universities of Glamorgan – CCI Newport and Swansea Metropolitan), ITV It’s My Shout, Merthyr Media Project, ZOOM Cymru, Cyfle, working with partners listed above.

Who will be the end beneficiaries: Economically inactive, unemployed, NEET and employed people on low income, people with work limiting health conditions or disabilities; BME communities, women, lone parents older people.

Spatial area/s to be covered by the project: All of the European Objective 1 areas of Wales

What might the outputs(activity measures  Engaging with economically inactive, unemployed and employed. Estimates suggest 5,000 unemployed or economically inactive people would be assisted over 6 years and experience suggests that a greater number overall, particularly in the area of skills development, will be engaged

What might be the results of the project: Increasing skills, employability, community awareness and integration, entrepreneurship and innovation across Wales; developing opportunities for more people to engage with FE and HE provision to further develop their skills and employability and to contribute to the development of the media industry in Wales, to continue competing in the global market.

What would its impact be Improving the economies and aspirations of the target areas by decreasing the number of economically inactive people by improving skills, confidence and empowering disadvantaged communities.

Roughly what might be the scale of the project:  Six year project. Current estimates of 5,000 economically inactive or unemployed people benefiting from the programme, but there is also scope to develop skills and employment opportunities for those currently in low skilled occupations or temporary work

Estimated Cost: Total project cost for six years is £12m (£2m per annum).

Where might the match funding come from: SSAW, OFCOM, ITV, Zoom through support in kind.

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