We invite organisations to submit proposals for the use of £60,000 grant funding under the council’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). The funding is to support the delivery of UKSPF Intervention E33: Supporting People into Employment and Training.
About the UKSPF Skills Programme
Oxford City Council has allocated funding under its UKSPF programme to support the delivery of People and Skills outcomes in year 2024-25. Reflecting the corporate priorities to build a more inclusive and greener local economy this investment will focus on providing person-centred support for those furthest from the labour market, and increasing the number of people completing courses in Green Skills. Further information on the council’s UKSPF Investment Plan is available on our Shared Prosperity Fund page.
Grant Funding Opportunity £60,000 - E33: Provision of a People-Centred Inclusive Employment and Skills Pathway
Recognising that a complex range of structural and personal factors can inhibit engagement with training and employment opportunities that already exist, and that this is particularly true in some communities and geographies, the council has committed £60,000 of UKSPF funding to help resource the development of an inclusive referral pathway into skills and employment opportunities. It is essential that this funding provides personalised and flexible support which addresses the unique circumstances, barriers and opportunities of the individual.
Best practice from previous programmes (including the Oxfordshire No Limits programme), suggests that lasting impact is best achieved through targeted, individualised support which is responsive to the needs of the person and delivered through a trusted relationship.
Aims
The project should provide community level triage into skills and employment opportunities for people and communities furthest from the labour market. This should include support and advice and should seek to remove or reduce barriers to engagement.
The primary aim of the funding is to deliver UKSPF compliant outputs and outcomes associated with intervention E33, including, but not limited to:
- Number of people experiencing reduced structural barriers into employment and into skills provision
- Number of people in education/training following support
- Number of people with basic skills following support
- People gaining a qualification or completing a course following support
The council recognises that in order to be responsive to the needs of the individual, it is essential that the proportions and spread of these or any other UKSPF compliant outputs / outcomes (see full list on the GOV.UK website) will need to flex in response to the presenting need.
It is estimated that a minimum of 40 Oxford residents should be impacted through the investment by the end of March 2025.
The council is agnostic on the type and level of training/support so that this is individualised and appropriate to the needs of the individual supported. However, we are interested in proposals that can complement other developments within the wider skills and employment agenda, in particular other UKSPF programme aspirations to increase the number of people completing courses in ‘Green Skills’.
Applicants are encouraged to consider how this work could be delivered in partnership with other local organisations, drawing on the strengths, networks, and expertise of different actors. Collaborative proposals between one or more organisations are welcomed. Collaborative proposals require a single organisation to assume the responsibilities of ‘Grant Recipient’.
Complementary developments
In addition to the investment in an inclusive skills and employment pathway, there are a number of complementary developments which proposals may want to consider when responding to this opportunity:
- UKSPF sponsored the appointment of a city council Green Skills Officer to deliver carbon literacy training to council staff and external organisations and oversee the allocation of a £60,000 bursary fund (parameters to be agreed) to cover the cost of organisations/ individuals attending and completing Green Skills Courses, including but not limited to:
- Green Construction Skills: heat pump installation, insulation, fabric first construction, retrofit assessors
- Carbon literacy training
- Active travel training
- Cycle courier training
- Electric vehicle infrastructure maintenance and installation
- Horticultural and Agricultural skills
- The establishment of a Zero Carbon Oxford Partnership Green Skills Steering Group to bring together local employers, industry, housing providers, and skills and employment providers to coordinate activity and help shape parameters of the Green Skills Fund.
- The council is commissioning a Skills Gap analysis to look at the needs for jobs to support property development, identifying the construction skills and training opportunities which can be addressed through the pipeline of Community Employment and Procurement Plans obtained via planning obligations (i.e. Section 106) for major sites.
- The roll out of a social value brokerage platform (Match My Project) to advertise social value opportunities, including jobs, skills and training offers, arising from local development, council contracts, and the CSR commitments of local businesses.
- The OxLEP Skills Bootcamp programme – launching in 2024 and providing free intensive training across a range of key skills.
- The expanding range of Green Skills courses being offered in the county through the launch of the Abingdon and Witney College Net Zero Skills Hub, and the Activate Learning Blackbird Leys Technology Campus.
- The work of the Inclusive Employment Working Group of the Oxfordshire Inclusive Economy Partnership, including the possible future appointment of a refugee employment coordinator.
- The Owned by Oxford Community Wealth Building Partnership and the ongoing development of trusted multi-ethnic Community Anchor organisations such as Oxford Community Action, and African Families in the UK.
Application process
- Opportunity advertised - Thursday 25 April 2024
- Deadline for proposals - Friday 10 May 2024
- Assessment of proposals – week commencing 13 May 2024
- Decision communicated – Friday 24 May 2024
- Grant agreement agreed – w/c 20 May 2024
Assessment criteria
Proposals will be assessed according to the following criteria:
Qualifying Criteria
| Does the proposal... | Yes/No |
|---|---|
| Include a single accountable lead organisation with sufficient financial health (budget, reserves) that it is capable of covering clawback if the outputs/outcomes aren’t met? | Yes/No |
| Demonstrate a readiness to mobilise within the timeframe of the UKSPF programme? | Yes/No |
| Demonstrate an ability to comply with the requirements of the UKSPF programme performance and monitoring | Yes/No |
| Pay staff at or above the Oxford Living Wage (£12.49 per hour)? | Yes/No |
| Based on above – does it meet the qualifying criteria? | Yes/No |
Assessment Criteria
Proposals will be assessed according to the following criteria:
| To what extent does the proposal | Points available |
|---|---|
| Demonstrate a credible route to deliver an appropriate level of outputs and outcomes? | 0-10 |
| Represent a cost effective use of UKSPF funding? | 0-10 |
| Demonstrate an ability to meaningfully engage with individuals from diverse and multi-ethnic communities in Oxford? | 0-5 |
| Demonstrate a willingness to work with people ‘from where they are’? | 0-5 |
| Recognise local skills and employment imbalances, the factors driving these imbalances, and the ways to address them? | 0-5 |
| Bring local knowledge and networks which can support the delivery of the outputs and outcomes? | 0-5 |
| Demonstrate an ability to work with and amplify the outputs and outcomes of the council’s other UKSPF priorities, including green skills (bursary funding) and community wealth building (Match My Project)? | 0-5 |
| Leverage other sources of match funding or resources? | 0-5 |
| Total Score | /50 |
Grant agreement
Discuss this opportunity
To discuss this opportunity, please contact our Economic Development team:
Contact the Economic Development Team
Address: Oxford City CouncilTown Hall
St Aldate’s
Oxford, OX1 1BX
