Enterprise and Business Committee
Inquiry into EU funding opportunities 2014-2020
Evidence from European Training Services – EUO 11
ETS has been working in the field of European Mobility since 1986. Each year, on average, it sends and receives around 300 young people to and from Europe on mobility programmes funded by the EU. It has a very broad network of European partner institutions across the member states. For the last 15 years its main source of funding has been Leonardo 1 and 2 and the lifelong learning programme where it has received well over 1 million euros of funding each year.
Its head office is in Penarth, Wales. We have been recognised as one of the leading promoters of mobility projects by the British Council and Ecorys over the past 28 years.
Programmes have targeted a variety of young people:
-Graduates
-Care Leavers
-Ethnic minorities
The new Erasmusplus programme presents a new set of challenges for the organisation of mobility for the next 6 years in particular in relation to co-funding.
The benefits to the Welsh economy from organising European mobility initiatives are numerous
-A more highly skilled labour force through the acquisition of linguistic, technical and generic skills
-Opportunities to promote Wales and its business culture and companies across Europe
-The development of institution contacts across Europe for Welsh stakeholders
There are real opportunities under Erasmusplus and substantial sources of funding. However as a general rules the levels of funding are inadequate particularly in regard to the funds available for the “organisation” of mobility.
Until this year, the Welsh Government has been proactive in providing co-funding for certain mobility initiatives in Wales. If this can be continued in the future then it will provide the means to optimally access European funds under Erasmusplus