Train to Gain Enhancement Fund

Thanks to Amanda Vickers at the Regional Forum for this alert:

The Train to Gain Enhancement Fund is of interest to voluntary sector employers and training providers because it supports many more types of training, indeed everything that can’t be funded through the main Train to Gain programme. The estimated total Fund allocation for Yorkshire and the Humber is £50m, and it will be a live fund operating until March 2010, with tendering rounds every two to three months.

The Voluntary, Community and Faith sector is a priority sector for the Enhancement Fund, particularly through the Commissioned Delivery route and the Single Business Application route. There is more about the different routes to access the fund later in this article, but for those who have worked with the Skills Fund, the Enhancement Fund is similar in purpose and processes.

The Train to Gain Enhancement Fund is funded by the European Social Fund (ESF), the Learning and Skills Council for Yorkshire & Humber (LSC) and Yorkshire Forward (YF). Management of the Fund was awarded to the West Yorkshire Consortium of Colleges (WYCC) and Calderdale College is leading this fund and is the accountable body. This means that the college is effectively acting on behalf of the LSCYH to commission and then contract with organisations who will deliver the activity.

What can be supported?

Of greatest interest to the voluntary and community sector is possibly the bespoke training, for organisations with their own training courses suited only to them, and the non-accredited training. Levels 1 to beyond 4, and other accredited qualifications are also covered, where these are not met by the main Train to Gain programme.

Three Routes to the Fund

Single Business Application (£9-15m)

The Single Business Application (SBA) is specifically for meeting the needs of individual businesses or organisations. It applies to employees over the age of 16, and the Voluntary and Community sector is a priority sector. A possible downside of this route for the VCS is that a 40% cash contribution is expected, so it is advisable to consider training needs and budgets carefully.

Contact: sba@calderdale.ac.uk

Provider Route (£6-10m)

This is a direct application route for providers, or small cohorts of organisations, such as learning consortia. The main eligibility is that there should be a common training need. There is no minimum value, and a maximum value of £100,000. Again, a 40% employer contribution is expected. Approval timescales are short – with approval being within 15 days of receipt of an endorsed and fully completed application, and contracted activity expected to begin 15 days following approval.

Commissioned Activity (£15-25m)

The following specifications have been launched: A Pre Apprenticeship Programme to improve levels of e2e learners progressing onto an Apprenticeship programme (for South Yorkshire); Skills Advisor Programme; and a Rapid Response Redundancy Programme, presently establishing a list of preferred providers who can offer support to individuals facing redundancy.

Contact: www.enhancementfund.co.uk