The 2007-2013 ESFi Operational Programme will support a small range of innovative projects. These projects will develop, test and deliver innovative ways of extending employment opportunities and improving the skills of the workforce.
Projects will involve at least one partner from another EUi Member State to exchange knowledge, experience and best practice. The transnationali dimension of projects must bring real benefits to the innovative activity by learning from, adapting or mainstreaming approaches from other Member States, and where appropriate transferring good practice to other Member States. ESF will not support transnational activities that merely seek to establish or develop partnerships with other Member States.

The programme’s innovation, transnationality and mainstreaming sub-committee has developed a menu of six themes for innovative and transnational activity:

• active inclusion
• engaging with employers
• ICT and the digital divide
• demographic change (older workers and migration)
• skills for climate change and sustainable development
• social enterprise

A call for proposals for innovative and transnational ESF activities will be launched later in the autumn 2008. The call will invite proposals for regional projects to develop, test and deliver innovative ways of extending employment opportunities and improving workforce skills. Each project will need to involve at least one partner from another EU member state to exchange knowledge, experience and best practice.

Up to three projects will be supported in each region. Regional committees are currently choosing which of the themes they want to focus on in their regions. Projects are expected to start in spring 2009 and will usually run for up to three years.

A call for funding is currently open under Innovation and Transnationality. The deadline to this call is 17 December 2008. To access the call documentation please visit: http://www.esf.gov.uk/innovation_transnationality/