““Focusing on Europe”Focusing on Europe”

Maximising European Opportunities Maximising European Opportunities & Funds& Funds

Laura LeonardLaura Leonard

European ManagerEuropean Manager

NI Best Practice Scheme

Belfast City Council Best Practice Day, 29 November 2005

Background to BCC EU Unit

Unit Structure

Key Priorities

Some Examples of Our Best Practice

Introduction

1990s – Ad hoc activity

Increasing activity / Eurocities

Making the Case

Formal Establishment

Background to UnitBackground to Unit

Strategic Fit

Eurocities Strategic Objectives

Northern Ireland Programme for Government

Corporate Plan

Capital City

Unit Structure

European Manager

2 European Officers

1 Regional Project Officer

Admin Support

Key Priorities

Information Dissemination European Awareness City Promotion Networking Lobbying Project Delivery Trade Opportunities

3 Examples of Unit’s Best Practice

Unit Priorities:

• Networking

• Promoting Belfast in Europe

INTRODUCTION

What is Connect?What is Connect? Peace II Funding – Measure 4.1Peace II Funding – Measure 4.1 To support development links with other To support development links with other

European Regions (including Central and European Regions (including Central and Eastern European Europe) to facilitate the Eastern European Europe) to facilitate the exchange of best practice and lesson exchange of best practice and lesson learning in the context of approaches to learning in the context of approaches to economic, social, urban development and economic, social, urban development and local governancelocal governance

CONNECT AIMS & OBJECTIVES

To establish a European Regional Network To establish a European Regional Network To encourage dialogue and foster links and co-To encourage dialogue and foster links and co-

operationoperation To engage in European NetworkingTo engage in European Networking To promote the image of the Comet Region and To promote the image of the Comet Region and

share the regions unique experienceshare the regions unique experience To ensure that urban affairs are placed high on To ensure that urban affairs are placed high on

European Unions Policy AgendaEuropean Unions Policy Agenda

CONNECT PARTNERSHIP

COMETCOMET

VALENCIA (Spain)VALENCIA (Spain)

Rybnik (Poland)Rybnik (Poland)

Stockholm (Sweden)Stockholm (Sweden)

Vilnius (Lithuania)Vilnius (Lithuania)

PROJECT DELIVERY

Planning MeetingsPlanning Meetings

Recce VisitsRecce Visits

Inward VisitsInward Visits

Outward VisitsOutward Visits

Reporting and Information DisseminationReporting and Information Dissemination

PROGRESS TO DATE

Valencia ExchangeValencia Exchange

Rybnik ExchangeRybnik Exchange

Stockholm ExchangeStockholm Exchange

NEXT STEPS

Pursue Opportunities from Valencia and Pursue Opportunities from Valencia and

StockholmStockholm

Vilnius ExchangeVilnius Exchange

Final ConferenceFinal Conference

Women Into Non-Traditional Sectors Project (WINS)

Unit Priorities:Unit Priorities:

• LobbyingLobbying

• Trans-national NetworkingTrans-national Networking

WHAT IS WINS?

WHAT IS WINS?

WHAT IS WINS?

WHAT IS WINS?

Training & Work Experience in non Training & Work Experience in non traditional jobstraditional jobs

WHAT IS WINS?

Why?

Largest possible talent poolLargest possible talent pool

Better decisionsBetter decisions

Better customer identificationBetter customer identification

Alleviating skills shortagesAlleviating skills shortages

Cleansing

DRIVING

Crafts

Horticulture

Role Models

Who is it for?

WomenWomen

Returning to workReturning to work

Interested in a new careerInterested in a new career

What do we want to achieve?

Address the gender imbalance in the Address the gender imbalance in the workforceworkforce

Direct benefit to womenDirect benefit to women

Demonstrate commitment to equalityDemonstrate commitment to equality

Improve our policies and practicesImprove our policies and practices

WHEN?

Jan – Mar 2006Jan – Mar 2006

15 hours a week15 hours a week

8 weeks of training8 weeks of training

4 weeks of work experience4 weeks of work experience

Assistance with Childcare and TravelAssistance with Childcare and Travel

“New Europe, New Faces” & “Opportunity Europe”

Unit Priorities:Unit Priorities:

• Information DisseminationInformation Dissemination

• European AwarenessEuropean Awareness

Outputs of Enlargement Programme

• Total audience – 20,000 people

2,000 at EuroFair with 40 exhibitors;2,000 at EuroFair with 40 exhibitors;

110 at each of the community/voluntary and the business seminars110 at each of the community/voluntary and the business seminars

24 students on exchange visits24 students on exchange visits

16,000 viewed the photographic exhibition16,000 viewed the photographic exhibition

• Extensive PR Exercises:

15,000 flyers distributed15,000 flyers distributed

22 billboards mounted over the city22 billboards mounted over the city

Radio interviewsRadio interviews

coverage in international, national, regional and local presscoverage in international, national, regional and local press

• Willingness to see this type of programme to be continually rolled out

• Recently awarded the “Federation Francaise des Maisons de l’Europe”

for citizens’ participation

“Opportunity Europe”

• No direct EC funding

• Same partnering organisations

• Activities to coincide with European Day of Languages

• Outputs for 2005:

25% increase in exhibitor numbers25% increase in exhibitor numbers

realised 2004 attendance figure at EuroFair in its first realised 2004 attendance figure at EuroFair in its first afternoonafternoon

fun element combined with educational purposesfun element combined with educational purposes

Questions ? ? ? ?