About Civil Society Involvement
Civil Society Involvement was a programme designed to enhance the voice of the third sector at a national level. Civil Society Involvement sought to understand the key issues within the ESIF programme which were affecting the ability of third sector organisations to use European funds effectively, and look ahead to how the funding landscape will look in future.
Civil Society Involvement worked for all third sector organisations involved in European funding programmes, to facilitate a healthy exchange of knowledge and make sure that their voice was heard at a national level. We worked collaboratively to understand the issues within the current ESIF programme which were affecting the ability of third sector organisations to use European funds effectively.
This was achieved through skilled representation at the Growth Programme Board and its nine national sub-committees, to ensure that current issues were addressed, and that European funding was as accessible as possible for the 2014-2020 programme. The programme also aimed to contribute to and influence discussions around the UK Future Prosperity Fund and any other legacy funds.
How Did Civil Society Involvement Work?
Civil Society Involvement worked cohesively with the third sector to:
- Be a listening ear – understand and unpack the issues that the third sector are facing within the current ESIF programme
- Be a collective voice – raise these issues through dedicated CSI representatives who sit on the national committees and will pro-actively work for solutions
- Influence and make change – gather the knowledge and experience of third sector organisations in the delivery of European Funded services to influence the focus of the remaining 2014 – 2020 programme, and to feed into discussions around the Future Prosperity Fund and other legacy funds
- Get key information to you fast – CSI will communicate the information gathered to the sector through easy-access digital and web-based channels.
About the Partnership
The programme was led by The Women’s Organisation, with the Workers Educational Association (WEA) and Citizens’ Advice Halton working as project partners. As national organisations, the project partners have reach into diverse communities, which was instrumental to the success of the programme.
For More Information on Civil Society Involvement
Telephone: 0151 706 8111
Email: hello@thewo.org.uk
Our Funders
Civil Society Involvement was funded through the ESF Technical Assistance Programme and will run from January 2018 – December 2023.
The project received funding from the European Social Fund as part of the 2014-2023 European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme in England. The Department for Work and Pensions (and in London the intermediate body Greater London Authority) was the managing authority for the England European Social Fund programme. Established by the European Union, the European Social Fund helped local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which support skill development, employment and job creation, social inclusion and local community regeneration. For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding.
