Three of this year's ESF Equal Opportunities and Sustainable Development Mainstreaming Leader Awards 2013 were focussed on equality in FEdefinition and skills. The awards were presented at Birmingham NEC on 14 November.
- One of the joint winners of the ESF Equal Opportunities Mainstreaming Leader (policy and plan) Award was Michaeljohn Training School, which offers apprenticeships in hairdressing . The project has developed strong equality policies which are user friendly and fully integrated into the daily working lives of both their apprentices and the training providers at the school.
- The ESF Genderdefinition Equalitydefinition Leader Award went to Sheffield City Council and the Youth Association for South Yorkshire (YASY) for their Make a Move (MAMS) and MAMS Too projects, which provides support for disadvantaged young people in Sheffield. The projects provide specialist help for young people on housing, debt, relationships, money management and preparing for work.
- Finally, one of the joint winners of the ESF Equal Opportunities Specialist Project Leader Award was Telford and Wrekin Council's Turnaround Project. The project used extensive research and engagement to attract young people in NEETdefinition unemployment ‘hot-spots’.
Full details- including presentations from some of the projects- are available at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/esf/news/mainstreaming-2013.shtml