Press releases

Please find below press releases from projects funded under the Programme.

Pan London 2/On Your Marks

May 2008

EX POLICEMAN RETRAINS AS GYM INSTRUCTOR AND WINS NATIONAL AWARD | 425kb

Paul McNeill was presented with the Outstanding Regional Learner of the Year Award for London at the Adult Learners' Week National Awards Ceremony on 19th May.

Paul, 41 found a new career as a Gym Instructor through vocational training with YMCAfit. After suffering from two strokes which effectively ended his career as a Metropolitan Police Officer Paul decided to join a gym as part of his rehabilitation. This became the inspiration for a new career.

Paul had been out of learning for 20 years but says, "I decided that I would not lie down and accept an uncertain future�I still had the ability to move around although this had been limited, and I could read and write. I decided that I would have a try and prepare for another career path."

August 2007

COMMUNITY INTERPRETING AND ADVOCACY PROJECT BUILDS ON 50 YEARS OF EUROPEAN UNION | 111kb

2007 marks the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome which created the European Economic Community and led to the establishment of the European Union (EU). Although the EU has developed since 1957, growing from 6 to 27 members, today�s member states remain united around core values and work together towards common goals. The European Social Fund (ESF) was set up to achieve one of these goals, namely, to increase employment and promote occupational and geographical mobility. ESF has played an important role in increasing economic growth and social cohesion in the EU through supporting the people of its 27 member states to improve their skills and job prospects.

Increased geographic mobility throughout the EU and the world has changed London significantly over the last 50 years. One LSC Pan London ESF Programme 2 project working to increase social cohesion between London�s multinational communities is the �Community Interpreting and Advocacy Programme�, led by the Mary Ward Centre. The Programme provides high quality training to unemployed people from minority ethnic groups who want to work as community interpreters.

HALF-TIME FOR WOMEN�S SPORTS COACHING INTIATIVE | 66kb

The Women�s Sport Foundation�s (WSF) Women into Coaching 2 � London (WiC2) programme celebrates not only its first anniversary today but, one year into the two-year programme, 50% of the 200 course spaces available have been filled.

May 2007

BRIDGE BACK TO A LIFE WITH PURPOSE | 222kb

A group of Londoners received the European Social Fund Group Award during Adult Learners Week (19-25th May). The group has been recognised for their enthusiasm and commitment to training on the Inside Knowledge project. The project enabled them to move from depending on homelessness support services to becoming support workers themselves. After benefiting from support in the past they wanted to give something back to society and help others in need.

MORE SKILLS AND EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR LONDON | 54 kb

15 new projects aiming to support the regional skills priorities in London on key themes of worklessness, Level 3 training provision and promoting skills development for 2012, have started delivery.

Jan 2007

ECOTEC APPOINTED BY LSC TO MANAGE SECOND PAN-LONDON ROUND OF EUROPEAN FUNDING | kb

The London Learning and Skills Councils (LSC) have appointed ECOTEC as the Co-ordinating Organisation for the programme management of a second major regional European Social Fund (ESF) Programme. The LSC pan-London 2 programme will build on the current Pan London 1 programme, also managed by ECOTEC, to assist up to 16,000 people to re-skill themselves and access the London labour market.

Sept 2006

One source of over £0.5 million worth of free training available | 38kb

Health and Social Care providers across London have the opportunity to access their share of one source of over £0.5 million worth of training, co-financed by the pan London Learning and Skills Councils (LSCs) and the European Social Fund (ESF).

June 2006

LONDON REGION LSC ANNOUNCES SUCCESSFUL EUROPEAN SOCIAL FUND PROJECTS TO BENEFIT LONDON | 111 kb

39 regional projects (subject to contract) will be offering disadvantaged groups across London new learning and employment opportunities over the next 2 years, the London region Learning and Skills Council (LSC) announced today.

Results of the LSC Pan London ESF Programme 2 tendering round, co financed by the European Social Fund and the Learning and Skills Council, are now available following a Moderation Panel comprising key strategic bodies at regional level.

March 2006

EUROPEAN FUNDING TO HELP LONDONERS HOST A WORLD CLASSOLYMPIC EVENT | 113 kb

The London Development Agency (LDA) and the Learning and Skills Council in London (LSC) are leading on the London part of the Greater South East European Social Fund (ESF) Olympics Initiative. This Programme will make available around �5.8 million for activities to help prepare Londoners for opportunities brought by the 2012 Olympic and Para Olympic Games.

Pan London 1

December 2006

SKILLS BOOST FOR LONDONERS: SIXTEEN NEW SKILLS AND EMPLOYMENT PROJECTS ANNOUNCED | 112 kb

Over £5m worth of investment in skills was announced today by the LondonLearning and Skills Council (LSC). 16 new projects (subject to contract) will help both unemployed and employed Londoners into training to access employment or enable progression into further learning. Key sectors of the economy, including retail, tourism and leisure, social care and construction, are set to benefit from a better skilled workforce in London.

EVENT AT CITY HALL LAUNCHES LONDON REPORT AND DATABASE FOCUSING ON DISADVANTAGED GROUPS | 114kb

A half-day event held at City Hall in London launched on 8th of December the results of the 2-year London-based research project Disadvantage, Disengagement and Discrimination in London (3Ds London) led by the Working Lives Research Institute

November 2006

LONDON EURO MP CELEBRATES SUCCESS OF WOMEN MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP PROJECT IN THE CAPITAL | 213kb

Women who participated in the Elevate - Management & leadership training for women programme -celebrated today the achievements of this 2-year project at the project's final event at City Guildhall in London

SMALL LONDON CONSTRUCTION ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANCY SHORTLISTED FOR GREEN INNOVATION AWARD | 216kb

Thanks to the innovative Cafe Van idea, London-based Kotuku has been shortlisted for the 2006 Building Sustainability Awards.

October 2006

MEMBER OF EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PRAISES SUPPORT FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED IN LONDON | 171kb

Robert Evans, Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for London, visited today a project in Oval, South London, which helps excluded African and Caribbean visually impaired people into learning and employment.

September 2006

Time to celebrate successes of Unique Women's coaching project | 209kb

London's newest women sports coaches will gather on the evening of Wednesday 27th September at the House of Sport, Bloomsbury Square, Holborn as guests of the Women into Coaching project team for the Women, Get Set, Coach! seminar.

July 2006

FREE LANGUAGE TRAINING TO BOOST INTERNATIONAL TRADE | 61kb

Companies in the capital are being invited to take advantage of a free business language training programme to help improve their international trading.

May 2006

Life-changing experience | 85kb

Andrew Campell, from South London, will receive the London Region ESF Individual Award during Adult Learners’ Week (20–26 May 2006). Andrew has been recognised for making a difference to his life and the lives of others through learning following a period of homelessness. The City Lit Inside Knowledge project, funded by the Learning and Skills Council Pan-London European Social Fund Programme 1, gave him the opportunity gain the City & Guilds Level 2 certificate in supporting homeless people’s needs, and to complete a work placement at an alcohol support project in Camden.

March 2006

London MEP praises EU-funded construction project | 163kb

Euro MP for London, Robert Evans, visited on 24 March the EU-funded “Construction Learning” project in Brent to see how European funding is providing workers in the capital with the right tools for the industry.

New opportunities for learning in the community thanks to pan-London European funded project | 62kb

The Latin American Association in Kilburn and Arachne Greek Cypriot Women’s Centre in Finsbury Park have both recently been recognised by the British Computer Society examining authority. Both centres can now offer their users the opportunity to study the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL) exam—an important training qualification that recognises competency in IT.

November 2005

Minister vists Somali women’s project | 298kb

Somali women today celebrated their hard work at an award ceremony in London. Parliamentary under Secretary of State, James Plaskitt MP (Minister for the European Social Fund) praised the work of groups across the capital who have come together to help Somali women step into jobs with confidence.

Hope for coaches as top sports personalities endorse new coaching initiative | 226kb

The Women into Coaching–London (WiC) project has met and exceeded its target number of coaches and aspiring coaches who have been given the opportunity to train and develop their coaching and leadership skills in one of five disciplines on offer for free.

October 2005

New Start 50+ can help you if you are over 50 and unemployed… | 299kb

The New Start 50+ project is a London-wide partnership between Prospects Services Limited and Age Concern and is supported by Help The Aged and The Third Age Employment Network. The project provides free training and support for the over 50s.

Refugees in London: reaching their full skills and employment potential | 266kb

Refugees hoping to reach the top of the career ladder will be helped by a groundbreaking project launched on 12 October 2005. Organisations from across the capital have come together as London Refugee Economic Action (LORECA) to harness the skills and economic potential of this minority group.

July 2005

Faith In London helps hard-to-reach groups thanks to the European Social Fund | 74kb

The Skills Leap Project was officially launched by Faith In London (FIL) with its partner, Bangladesh Welfare Association Croydon (BWAC), on Monday 25 July 2005 at the Oshwal Centre in Croydon.

June 2005

Skills for Economic Inclusion Network Launch | 71kb

Last week saw the launch of LVSTC’s SKEIN capacity building project. The project run by the London Voluntary Sector Training Consortium (LVSTC) will target organisations in the all the London boroughs.