Title Page
Copyright
Contents
Acknowledgements 10
The Authors 11
Glossary of terms 12
Summary 16
1. Introduction 22
1.1. Gender Equality and Equal Opportunities Mainstreaming Plan 24
1.2. Management of Gender Equality and Equal Opportunities within ESF 25
1.3. Research aims 27
1.4. Methodology 27
1.4.1. Literature review 27
1.4.2. Review of ESF providers' Equal Opportunity policies 28
1.4.3. In-depth interviews with strategic stakeholders and CMs 29
1.4.4. Regional Case Studies 31
1.4.5. Quantitative analysis of MI and Cohort Survey data 33
1.4.6. Research ethics and anonymity 34
1.4.7. Limitations 34
1.5. Report structure 35
2. Contextualising the Mainstreaming Plan – Gender Equality and Equal Opportunities legislation and policies 36
2.1. The legislative context of the Mainstreaming Plan 37
2.1.1. Awareness of equalities legislation 37
2.1.2. Equality Act 2010 38
2.2. Equal Opportunity policies of ESF providers 39
2.2.1. Equal Opportunities policy review 39
2.2.2. Findings from the review of Equal Opportunities policies 40
2.2.3. Mainstreaming 41
2.2.4. Policy statement and legislation 42
2.2.5. Commitment and reviewing 42
2.2.6. Measures to promote equality 43
2.2.7. Monitoring and performance management 44
2.2.8. Scope 45
2.3. Implementation of Equal Opportunity policies 46
2.3.1. Awareness of Equal Opportunities policies within organisations 47
2.3.1. Enhancing awareness of Equal Opportunities policies and Equal Opportunities and Gender Equality legislation 48
2.3.2. Perceptions of Equal Opportunities and Gender Equality policies 48
2.3.3. Enhancing the quality and value of Equal Opportunities policies 49
2.4. Chapter summary 50
3. Gender Equality and Equal Opportunities processes within ESF 52
3.1. Awareness of the Mainstreaming Plan 52
3.1.1. Strategic, regional and CFO level 52
3.1.2. Providers‘ awareness of the Mainstreaming Plan 54
3.1.3. ECOTEC training and toolkit 55
3.2. Procurement 59
3.2.1. Procurement processes applied by CFOs 59
3.2.2. Department for Work and Pensions 59
3.2.3. Learning and Skills Council 60
3.2.4. Other CFOs 61
3.3. Contract management and delivery 66
3.3.1. Roles and responsibilities 66
3.3.2. Challenges 68
3.4. Monitoring, targets and performance 70
3.4.1. Gender Equality and Equal Opportunities targets 71
3.4.2. Balanced participation 80
3.5. Knowledge, information and support 82
3.5.1. General levels and sources of knowledge about Gender Equality and Equal Opportunities 82
3.5.2. Levels and sources of knowledge related to ESF resources 84
3.5.3. Information and support needed to further mainstream Gender Equality and Equal Opportunities 85
3.6. Chapter summary 88
4. Barriers to employment and the promotion of accessibility 90
4.1. Understanding barriers to employment 91
4.2. Gender 92
4.2.1. Caring responsibilities 95
4.2.2. Outcomes and experience of ESF 96
4.2.3. Ways of working 103
4.3. Age 104
4.3.1. Under 25 – experience, aspirations and discrimination 107
4.3.2. Over 50 – experience, aspirations and discrimination 108
4.3.3. Human capital 109
4.3.4. Outcomes and experiences of ESF 110
4.3.5. Ways of working 113
4.6. Ethnicity 114
4.4.1. Language and immigration 118
4.4.2. Outcomes and experience of ESF 119
4.4.3. Ways of working 123
4.5. Disability 125
4.5.1. Outcomes and experience of ESF 128
4.5.2. Ways of working 131
4.6. Overcoming barriers and mainstreaming Gender Equality and Equal Opportunities within ESF 132
4.6.1. Ways of working to overcome barriers to employment and accessibility 133
4.6.2. Employer engagement 133
4.6.3. Active outreach to participant groups 133
4.6.4. Equalities and multiple needs 134
4.6.5. Flexibility of ESF service design 134
4.6.6. Flexibility of ESF delivery 135
5. Progress towards implementing the Mainstreaming Plan 138
5.1. Conclusion 142
Appendix A. 144
Appendix B. 150
Appendix C. 180
Appendix D. 190
Appendix.E 196
References 218
Back Cover 220
Table 1.1. Strategic stakeholders and CFO Contract Managers Interview sample 31
Table 1.2. Case Study sample 32
Table 3.1. Targets for engaging equalities groups 73
Table 4.1. Age and gender, by priority 93
Table 4.2. Why people left jobs, by gender 95
Table 4.3. Satisfaction by age and gender 97
Table 4.4. Satisfaction with course by reason for attendance and gender 99
Table 4.5. Impact of course, by gender 100
Table 4.6. Soft skills, by age and gender 100
Table 4.7. Work skills, by age and gender 101
Table 4.8. Employment patterns of course leavers, by gender 102
Table 4.9. Why people left jobs, by age 106
Table 4.10. Human capital shortcomings, by age and gender 110
Table 4.11. Impact of course, by age and gender 111
Table 4.12. Employment patterns of course leavers by age 112
Table 4.13. Ethnicity, by priority 115
Table 4.14. How heard about the course, by disadvantaged groups 117
Table 4.15. Soft skills, by disadvantage 120
Table 4.16. Impact of course, by ethnicity 121
Table 4.17. Satisfaction by disadvantage 122
Table 4.18. Employment patterns of course leavers, by ethnicity 123
Table 4.19. Disability and LTLI, by priority 125
Table 4.20. Disability and long-term limiting illness, by age and gender 126
Table 4.21. Why people left jobs, by disability 127
Table 4.22. Work skills, by disadvantage 129
Table 4.23. Impact of course, by disability 130
Table 4.24. Employment status of course leavers, by disability 131
Figure 3.1. Continuum of CMs position in relation to Gender Equality and Equal Opportunities mainstreaming 58