Programme Management
ECOTEC's research, consulting and management experience can help you develop your programme strategy, maximise impact, ensure spend targets are met and minimise risk.
We can deliver flexible services ranging from ad hoc advice, regular technical assistance or running an entire programme, including EU Structual Funds. In the last 5 years our UK clients have included central government departments like the Home Office, Cabinet Office and Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) as well as the New Opportunities Fund, Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) and Local Authorities.
Our management experience in this regional as well as national context means we can offer a range of benefits which include:
- full range of expertise in-house
- access to the policy expertise of over 250 team members
- tried and tested systems that can be adapted to suit any programme
- cost effective, fast set-up
We can help you:
Maximise visibility and impact
We invest time to understand the support needs of Managing Authorities and projects, working at all levels to support communication, dissemination and the 'mainstreaming' of outcomes into wider policy and practice.
Achieve targets
The pressure to achieve expenditure targets can be immense and tends to peak toward year ends. Our approach is to continually assess individual projects' capability to contribute toward targets - from pre-application support through to assessment and on-going monitoring and audit.
Our custom-built IT systems provide detailed analysis of expenditure profiles, allowing us to target support where it's needed most, through dedicated case-officers who develop a real understanding of individual projects.
Manage risk
Risk analysis is fundamental to our approach at all stages of programme management, in particular with regard to expenditure targets and eligibility rules. Our dedicated Assurance Team is on hand to conduct regular monitoring and audits that give peace of mind by addressing potential problems early on.
Ecotec does not do 'off-the-peg'. Our service will be developed to your precise needs and specifications. We can 'mix and match' programme management elements with other ECOTEC services, e.g. evaluations (ex-ante, interim, ex-post), surveys and consultancy.
Service Portfolio: Equal
Equal is an initiative funded through the European Social Fund (ESF). The programme tests and promotes new means of combating all forms of discrimination and inequalities in the labour market, both for those in work and for those seeking work. Equal also includes action to help the social and vocational integration of asylum seekers.
Equal operates across thematic fields which embrace the four pillars of the European Employment Strategy and support for asylum seekers. The programme funds activities implemented by strategic partnerships called Development Partnerships (DPs). Each DP addresses one thematic field.
Equal encourages participation and transnational co-operation through partnership building across five priority areas which are closely focussed on key issues of concern in Britain. The programme helps to develop good practice that can enhance the delivery of mainstream UK and Structural Fund activity.
ECOTEC has been the GB Support Unit for Equal from the outset of the Programme in 2001. Our role has been to develop the full range of support mechanisms and systems, including:
- Developing application materials and systems
- Managing application rounds (incl. assessment of applications)
- Supporting DP’s day-to-day work, especially around the management of complex ESF rules and regulations (incl. a helpline service, monitoring visits and workshop events)
- Supporting mainstreaming and dissemination of outcomes through web, print and video media and events
- Developing and supporting Thematic Networking Groups, which bring together policy-makers and DPs for the exchange of innovation and practice.
In total we have supported some 180 DPs, averaging 10 partner organisations each and have overseen the flow of some £250m+ of ESF funding. We have helped DPs achieve both lasting impact in terms of policy interventions and have consistently met the European Commission’s challenging ‘N+2’ expenditure and compliance targets for DWP/DfES.
For more information on Equal see www.equal.ecotec.co.uk
unus.goga@ecotec.com
+44 121 616 3600
Other projects in this Portfolio
