The European Social Fund (ESF+), created in 1957, is a structural fund of the European Union, formerly known as the ESF for the 2014-2020 programming period. While maintaining continuity, the ESF+ brings together several financial instruments including the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) and the Fund for European Aid to the Most Deprived (FEAD).
WHAT IS THE EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND (ESF+)?
The national ESF+ programme “Employment, Inclusion, Youth and Skills” 2021-2027, validated by the European Commission on 28 October 2022, contributes to the challenges of the territory over 7 years, according to the strategic objectives of the European Commission.
This national ESF+ program, managed by the General Delegation for Employment and Vocational Training (DGEFP), aims to:
• Support actions related to employment and workforce mobility, education, and social inclusion,
• Supporting the digital and green transitions, job creation through smart specialization skills and improvements to education and training systems,
· Support temporary measures in exceptional or unusual circumstances.
In concrete terms, the ESF+ will be used to strengthen the integration into employment of those who need it most: RSA beneficiaries, long-term unemployed, young people, etc. It will also support the skills development of employees in companies facing digital and ecological transitions.
The programming of European funds for 2021-2027 takes into account the multiple consequences of the economic, environmental, and health crises. This strategy is focused on 5 priorities:
1) A smarter Europe, through innovation, digitalization, economic transformation and support for small and medium-sized enterprises.
2) A greener, zero-carbon Europe that implements the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement and invests in the energy transition, renewable energy and the fight against climate change.
3) A more connected Europe, equipped with strategic transport and digital communication networks.
4) A more social Europe, which will give concrete expression to the European Pillar of Social Rights and support quality jobs, education, skills, social inclusion and equal access to healthcare.
5) A Europe closer to its citizens, which will support locally driven development strategies and sustainable urban development throughout the European Union.
Under this new programming, the ESF+ will finance actions on the fourth objective.
Seven priorities have been identified:
Priority 1: Promote the professional integration and social inclusion of those furthest from the labor market and the most vulnerable or excluded:
• Active integration and inclusion towards employment
• Combating poverty and exclusion
Priority 2: Promote access to employment for young people and strengthen their employability, particularly through educational success (youth employment):
• Access to employment
• Education and initial training
Priority 3: Improve skills and education and training systems to better support economic changes:
• Training and skills
• Quality of the education and training system
Priority 4: Promote a job-creating labour market that is accessible to all and an inclusive and healthy work environment:
• Gender equality
• Quality of working life
• Access to employment
Priority 5: Food and material aid to the most vulnerable
• Provision of material assistance in connection with social support
Priority 6: Promote social innovation and the dissemination of innovative approaches (innovative social actions)
• Strengthening the conditions that enable social innovation
• Support for social experimentation
• Support for scaling up innovative projects
Priority 7: Addressing the specific challenges of the outermost regions
• Access to employment
• Quality of the education and training system
WHAT IS THE AMOUNT ALLOCATED FOR THE ESF+ IN SAINT MARTIN?
The ESF+ allocation for the territory of Saint-Martin is €20,850,000.00. These funds are managed by the Collectivité of Saint-Martin in its capacity as an intermediary body.
HOW TO SUBMIT A GRANT APPLICATION?
The grant application is submitted electronically via the Ma démarche FSE+ platform. https://efpconnect.emploi.gouv.fr/auth/realms/efp/protocol/cas/login?TARGET=https%3A%2F%2Fma-demarche-fse-plus.fr%2F https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YO2F7ZMNHyU (Tutorial: How to submit my ESF+ grant application?)
The project promoter responds to a call for projects published by the Collectivité. This must correspond to one of the priorities of the national ESF+ program.
The project leader creates their account and submits their application on the Ma démarche FSE+ platform.
The project must not be completed by the date of submission of the funding application.
The subsidy payment is made only as reimbursement for expenses already incurred and duly justified.
The participation of the European Union must represent a real leverage effect, by enabling the co-financing of operations that could not have been implemented without this participation.