Each Hub member will:

• Establish a project team to facilitate a clear audit trail for the activities that are delivered by each institution and to ensure the compliance with Welsh Government requirements for document retention.  In addition, the lead partner will operate a strategic project finance team with overall responsibility for collating the necessary data for the claims process, and liaising with DBETS Enterprise Team for all aspects of the project.

• Manage its own element of the project in line with its own individual management and IT systems.  It is a requirement of DBETS that robust IT systems are maintained in order to assure the integrity of the data used for core funding purposes, and this project will utilise those existing systems.   

Although some staff have specialised skills they are all trained in the data requirements of the LLWR. Continual emphasis on staff development ensures that there is sufficient staff trained in each area to cover planned and unplanned staff absences throughout the year.

Historical paperwork is stored within the secure office environment for two years, held within the College archive facility or archived with a specialist company depending on the length of time.  Retention of all documentation will comply with the guidelines set out in WAG and European specifications. 

Electronic data is stored centrally within the College on a designated server continually monitored and maintained by IT support staff.

All partners within the Hub will have similar systems and procedures where partners do not have anything in place, areas of best practice throughout the partnership will be used to ensure robust systems are maintained.

11.3 Quality of Delivery:

 In addition to the Regional Central Team, each partner FEI will establish its own project team.  The structure of these teams will vary according to the size and scope of project activity within each organisation. 

This will involve project ownership and responsibility at a senior management level, a dedicated enterprise project manager (depending on the size and scope of their activities) who will have experience of entrepreneurship delivery and supported by a project administrative team. 

 (See diagram below)

The responsibilities for each of these posts will vary according to the roles that are identified by each FEI, and will include:

Enterprise Management – key responsibilities within each partner institution:

·         Management of the project activities carried out within the SWW Regional Enterprise Hub project.

• Management of the project funding and all aspects of budget monitoring, project performance management and compliance.
• Management of project risks, including the development of contingency plans and sustainable post-project exit strategies.
• Liaison between the partner services and co-ordination of project activities.
• Attend regular project management group meetings, including the Regional Hub Project Steering Group,
• Prepare and submit regular project reports to the College Senior Management Team and to the managing bodies of external agencies.
• Work with employers, SSCs and external agencies to determine appropriate enterprise training provision
• Work with project partners in the co-ordination of enterprise training provision in the South West Wales region

• Marketing of the project to local companies and agencies;

·       Ensure eligibility of beneficiaries and participants;

·       Identify opportunities for embedding cross cutting themes;

·       Monitoring and reporting on progress of activities against targets; and

·       Liaison with college staff for the delivery of the SWWRH action plans;

Enterprise Administrator – key responsibilities:

·       Maintain project records, including participant, beneficiary and financial details;

·       Assist the Project Manager with project activities;

·       Liaison with all parties and stakeholders involved with the project, including beneficiary companies, potential learners, tutors, college departments, employers and participants; and

·       Undertake general office duties in relation to the project.

Enterprise Tutors – key responsibilities:

·       Develop learning and assessment materials for enterprise provision;

·       Design and implement learning and assessment plans and adhere to internal verification requirements;

·       Deliver project related activities in the area of enterprise and entrepreneurship;

·       Maintain learner records – these could include such things as beneficiary forms and attendance registers (these to be agreed with SWWRH Steering group)

·       Meet quality assurance requirements for all aspects of project provision;

Management Skills

Experience

The project partners have extensive knowledge and experience of successfully delivering Welsh Government funded enterprise projects, both as individual institutions and on a consortium basis. 

All partners have robust systems in place which include a nominated senior manager with responsibility and accountability for each funded project.  These senior managers also undertake the line management for the Enterprise Managers for funded projects.

There is an established reporting mechanism within each of the institutions to ensure that senior management receive regular reports and updates regarding project progress and achievement against targets.  This includes early notification of any increase in project risk, as identified in the project risk matrix.

Each partner organisation has an established External Funding Unit with responsibility for the delivery of Welsh Assembly and EU funded projects.  This includes a systemic approach to the eligibility of activity and expenditure and the monitoring of project progress against profile, maintaining the audit trail and undertaking integrity checks to ensure that the project data is robust and accurate.  The External Funding units work closely with the Finance Directorate within each organisation, ensuring financial probity and also that all financial and project data is maintained in line with elsh Assembly and EU requirements.  The External Funding units also liaise with the external audit teams to ensure that annual audits are undertaken for each project.

Each partner will establish a project delivery team, according to the size and scope of the project activity for that organisation.  Recruitment procedures will be followed, in accordance with College procedures for designated staff who will undertake the following roles for the project - project management / co-ordination and administration (according to the scale of the project).  Recruitment for project posts will be internal / external according to the requirements of each partner institution.  The timing of the recruitment process will be reflected in the budget profile for each of the project partners, and will ensure that key staff appointments are made in advance of meaningful activity taking place.

Appropriately Trained and Qualified Staff

Partner institutions have similar requirements with regard to the recruitment of staff – namely that staff hold appropriate qualifications and skills for their role.  All delivery/assessment staff are required to have teaching and assessing qualifications to meet required need. 

Planning and Review with Appropriate Standards

Curriculum planning and budgeting takes place annually during March and April.  The Executive and Senior Management strategically review the skills and knowledge currently available across College and forecast future needs. A Development Action Plan is agreed for the area, with specific training needs identified per member of staff that are aligned to local requirements and quality standards. These are linked to the organisation’s strategic objectives.

Employer Feedback

As part of the management and monitoring process the institutions will gain feedback from stakeholders and employers. Employers are surveyed annually using a specifically focused questionnaire and results are critically analysed and discussed at appropriate meetings that includes Senior Management. This is also followed up by sector specific workshops, meetings and focus groups, and dialogue with SSCs to probe issues further and provide more qualitative feedback. 

More specifically Gower College Swansea has a well structured and established marketing strategy which encourages input and feedback from employers. Activities within the strategy include workshops, open evenings, attendance at employer events, close links with SSCs and membership of the CBI and Chamber of Commerce. Employers are encouraged to feedback via questionnaires, email and the College website.  All of this is evaluated and acted upon to further enhance the learners’ experience at the College.

Whilst these details relate specifically to Gower College Swansea, the other partner HE and FEIs operate similar systems and procedures for the management and target setting process for staff.  This is reflected by all sponsor organisations being in receipt of the IIP award. 

Competence of Front-line Delivery Staff

All staff will have occupational competence, accompanied by professional qualifications in their field of expertise.

11.4 Strategic Outputs:

Over the next 3 years the South West Wales Regional Hub will Facilitate a structured journey of entrepreneurship through staged progression to engage, empower and equip by:

• Building on and developing the excellent work that the Welsh Government Enterprise funding has facilitated over the past 5 years, revisiting best practice and lessons learned to ensure value for money and a quality provision moving forward. Continue the successful collaboration over the past few years with Dragon Innovation Partnership, Swansea Bay Consortia, Local Regenerations Partnerships, and local learning networks, the SWWRH is in an enviable position to build on these successes; lessons learned and shared best practice to date, to deliver a quality experience for young people.

• Engaging with all individuals during their time at the institution whether face to face or via social media however our plan for the future is to continue to provide a structured journey of entrepreneurship with events and activities designed to provide a staged progression through engage, empower and equip. These activities would provide these young people with a high quality unforgettable entrepreneurial experience.

·         Planning and undertaking a number of focussed events to focus on young people aged 16 – 24. These will start with our engaging activities such as Freshers Fayre, Enterprise Catalyst, high impact role model talks at each institution, moving onto staged progression by using Enterprise Clubs, Student Intern meetings and Young Chamber events  which will empower them to think about self employment as a career possibility. Finally we will provide the young people with a range of opportunities to Equip them with the skills, and tools to develop their business ideas such as business competitions, focussed workshops, role model events and one to one mentoring from the Government approved provider.  The FE HE Regional Hub will also recognise the value of  wider engagement with stakeholders and other partners and utilise opportunities for young people to get involved in the wide number of activities which present themselves during the year such as Money for Life Challenge, National Business Plan competitions and other events as and when they arise.

• Taking into consideration  the wider partnerships we will look to engage with startup providers, local authority, RLP and other stakeholders to ensure a co-ordinated approach to entrepreneurship delivery and support for business start up ensuring that there is no duplication and ensuring value for money.

• The South West Wales Regional Hub will look to make the most of other funding streams to ensure a consistent high quality provision for young people including the use of local authority funding, 14-19 funding, Young Enterprise and Shell Live wire grants and bursaries together with utilising the centrally procured services. Providing tailored support for those graduates with high potential start ups in key priority sectors.

• SWWRH will promote all centrally procured services such as the Dynamo role models and consider this important resource when planning all in-house and collaborative activities and events to inspire young people. Promote internally and externally the Big Ideas Wales workshops to young people and the local community using their institutions web site and social media streams together with student enterprise interns as peer to peer viral marketing. 

• Working with the Welsh Government start up services the SWWRH will provide practical support for young people with mentoring, workshops and other opportunities, signposting them to the relevant support to help them embark on a business venture.

• Meeting partners including Go Wales, Welsh Government Start up Support services, HEFCW Innovation and Engagement the National CPD Hub and local authority partners on a regular basis to ensure we align our provision moving forward.

• Developing our existing business engagement through the South West Wales Chamber of Commerce, and providing improved co-ordination with the Lead institution by ensuring greater alignment with the Welsh Government Start Up support services, Dynamo role models and other centrally procured services when planning in house and regional events and activities. These will be listed in the annual delivery plans agreed at the outset of project. Using staff at each institution to market the centrally procured services within each of their institutions complying with the Operations Manual.

• Work with Chamber of Commerce, CBI, Sector Skills Councils to expand our base of local and national businesses to provide young people with role models and opportunities for mentoring and work placements while also taking advantage of the Dynamo Role Model programme.

• Appointing a strategic lead for enterprise and an appropriate management team in each partner institution who will oversee the management and delivery of the project. This team will have responsibility for the coordination of enterprise activities in their institution and provide administration support for reporting monthly and quarterly activity to the regional lead. Working with this strategic lead in each institution to plan the 3 year strategy, the lead partner will provide partners within the Regional Hub an agreed delivery plan for the next 3 years highlighting the 3 stages in the progression for young people to engage, empower and equip young people for start up. The individual institutional plans will feed into the regional hub’s strategy. Planning with all partners of the SWWRH will take place during the first 6 months of contract now called the planning quarter ( Sept to March) with the Lead providing each institution with a detailed breakdown of agreed actions for the region.

• Utilising Big ideas Wales as a communication tool engage with young people and build relationships with partner organisations. The Regional hub will ensure that all activities, events, good news stories, workshops etc are included on the Big Ideas Web site to gain maximum attendance across the Region.

• Each institution will, if possible, link the Big Ideas web site to their own institutions web site and use social media such as twitter and facebook to showcase any events organized by the Welsh Government and other partners. Partners will include The Big Ideas web site address on all the marketing leaflets and banners used during events and activities that young people both within education and those not in education or employment attend.

• Using the www.BigIdeasWales.com web site as a cost effective method of communicating to young people the SWWRH will ensure all young people at each institution and partner organisations can access information on the events and activities being undertaken across the region by ensuring that all institutions include the Big Ideas web site on their own home pages, and the branding is used on all enterprise marketing material, event publications etc.

• Building on existing provision we will investigate further funding streams to ensure the sustainability of enterprise delivery into the future.

• Working with and supporting both primary and secondary schools we will ensure a quality enterprise experience is provided to all young people from aged 5 onwards.

• Engaging with other regional hubs including the National CPD Hub and other stakeholders to ensure that the sharing of best practice takes place. Developing staff training to a consistently high quality across the region while working with the National CPD hub to ensure procurement savings are made to ensure that all young people have a quality journey through the enterprise journey with highly trained staff delivering the training to our young people.

• Providing information to young people who wish to take advantage of shadowing opportunities and enterprise boot camps as and when the opportunities arise.

• Continuing to build on our relationships with other stakeholders such as the Regional Learning Partnership, Sector Skills Council, Skills for Industry project, Business networks, Chamber of Commerce and other business relationships already in place, the SWWRH will expand the network of business engagement to ensure that young people are given the opportunity to engage with business leaders and the curriculum is fit for purpose.

• Appointing a strategic lead for enterprise and an appropriate management team in each partner institution who will oversee the management and delivery of the project. This team will have responsibility for the coordination of enterprise activities in their institution and provide administration support for reporting monthly and quarterly activity to the regional lead.

• Ensuring a robust and detailed evaluation and monitoring process is in place at each partner institution using the YES evaluation framework as a benchmark. The Regional Lead will arrange for the training of administration staff at each institution to use approved procedures to ensure that each institution is fully up to date with the policies and procedures and that all relevant reporting forms are used and deadlines are agreed and adhered to.

• Adhering to guidance provided in the Operations Manual to be developed in partnership with Hub leaders.

• Ensuring that the Regional Lead coordinates all annual delivery plans from all partners to ensure a consistent approach. The delivery plan will utilise the centrally procured services, and utilise other Government funding streams while taking into consideration associated regional partner activity to provide a quality experience to the young people across the region.

• Focussing our planning and delivery over the next 3 years on the effective use of existing resources such as available regional funds, experienced staff, physical resources such as equipment and technology etc to offer economies of scale and best value for money.

• Continue to identify opportunities to self sustain and embed entrepreneurship delivery into the core of each institutions activities using a number of routes which include using The Welsh Baccalaureate, The Enterprise Catalyst, Big Ideas Wales, Flagship National Events, regional events, business start up workshops and surgeries.

• Underpinning the activities will be the detailed delivery and communication plans which  will underpin the activities of the SWWRH and these are detailed under separate Annex (see annual delivery and communication plan for the region attached with the application)

The quantitative outputs are taken from each partner delivery plans sent to the regional lead for input into the master delivery and financial forms.

Below are the SWWRH’s Quantative Outcomes

Engaging with students. This figure will include a number of events and activities to engage with the students including face to face, tutorial workshops, Freshers Fayre, presentations, web based interactions, social media, institutions own moodle systems, student e mails  and other methods of communicating and engaging with students.

ENGAGE

EMPOWER

11.5 Evaluation:

The criteria for the evaluation of the project will be agreed within three months of approval during the planning phase of the first  year and will be communicated to all project staff.

The specification for the evaluation will follow the guidance being developed for Welsh Assembly Funds and will include:

• Introduction and background to project;
• Aims and Objectives of evaluation;
• Methodology;
• Relevant Sources of Information;
• Reports required i.e. inception, interim, final;
• Timetable/milestones;
• Reference to Data Protection Act;
• Criteria relating to award of contract;
• A nominated contact within the project; and
• Cost options.

Evaluation will be ongoing, qualitative and quantitative, formative and summative, and will be an agenda item on the monthly project meetings.  This process will ensure that the project team are fully aware of:

• The objectives of the project;
• The achievement of targets against forecasts;
• Project milestones and their achievement;
• The incorporation of the cross cutting themes within all project activities;
• Financial progress against profile;
• Any potential concerns / problems that have been identified;
• External factors that may be affecting the project in any way;
• The impact of the project;
• The need for remedial actions / interventions;
• Value for money in terms of project activity; and
• The need for any communication with the Welsh Assembly Government regarding progress against the project profiles.

Forward project planning will be informed by the evaluation process, and any necessary amendments to the profiles for the project can be implemented in good time, as the result of comprehensive evaluation mechanisms. 

Evaluation criteria will also be incorporated into the Partnership Agreements that are agreed with the partner institutions.

Representatives of each of the partner institutions will be among the membership of the Regional Hub Project Steering Group, and so will be in a position to communicate details of project progress to the other members of the group.

Given that there will be qualitative and quantitative evaluation, the evaluation forms relating to the delivery of activities will be summarised and reported on using the Welsh Government agreed template which will be provided in the Operations Manual

Quantitative data will be drawn from the institutions’ management information system, which records details of all organisation provision, students and learning programmes. This data will be measured against the targets and outputs for the project, and will inform any amendments / changes to the project which will then be communicated to the Welsh Assembly Government.

This reporting mechanism will incorporate all stages in the evaluation process, including the monitoring reports to the Welsh Government and the external audit reports and any recommendations.  This will ensure that all partner colleges are kept up to date with the progress of the project, and have the opportunity to inform future developments.

Annual external audits will be undertaken, and any recommendations or actions that are identified as a result of this process will also feed into the evaluation process in accordance with the Welsh Government guidelines.

Project team representatives will attend seminars and exhibitions, where appropriate, and will promote the project activities, outcomes and benefits via these events. Project outcomes will also be publicised through other various mechanisms including:

• Employer Fora
• Specific groups i.e. BEES. SERP etc 
• South West Wales Regional Learning Partnership 
• Dissemination events /business workshops/seminars
• Regional Provider Network Advocate
• Sector Skills Councils
• Local Regeneration Partnerships
• Big Ideas Wales
• Local Learning Networks
• Role Models

11.6 Dissemination:

The SWW Regional Hub will use many of the current lines of communication to disseminate the outputs and achievements undertaken as a result of the activities delivered through the project.  The Hub will utilise various methods such as Big ideas Wales as a communication tool to engage with the young people and build relationships with partner organisations to promote the findings and achievements from the project. The Regional hub will ensure that all activities, events, good news stories, workshops etc are included on the Big Ideas Web site to gain maximum exposure across the Region.

The SWW Regional Enterprise Hub will also recognise the value of  wider engagement with stakeholders, and utilise opportunities for young people to promote and showcase the work they have undertaken through ventures like the Money for Life Challenge and National Business Plan competitions.

To promote and disseminate the achievements and result of the Hub’s activities on a wider scale, the project will showcase activities at National events such as the Enterprise Annual Conference 

The Hub will also use internal staffing structures to disseminate the activities run within the partnership in their own institutions, Enterprise managers in each of the organisations will produce newsletters, articles on College websites and promotional materials, they will report and update senior managers through regular meetings within the institutions on the success stories, and organise showcase events.

In terms of the Hub’s strategic impact both regionally and locally, progress on the implementation of the work of the Regional Entrepreneurship Hub will be reported on a regular basis to Regional Learning Partnership South West Wales through the following groups;

HE / FE Sub-Group – membership of this group includes the Vice Chancellors and Principals of the region’s Higher and Further Education Institutions, including the Open University in Wales.

RLP Strategy and RLP Steering Group – this includes representation from the region’s HE and FE Institutions, Local Authorities (Regeneration & Education Departments), the third sector, the private sector through the South Wales Chamber of Commerce, National Training Federation for Wales, Jobcentre Plus, Careers Wales and NIACE Dysgu Cymru.

11.7 Monitoring and reporting:

Project activity will be monitored on a monthly basis using the Welsh Government agreed template which will be provided in the Operations Manual.  Part of this mechanism will be to identify how these activities relate to the delivery plan, and in particular, their contribution towards achieving the project milestones and the project targets.  Performance against these projections will be an integral part of the monitoring process.

Monitoring will involve the constant scrutiny of project activities, including administrative arrangements, financial analysis, achievement of objectives, participant progress and attainment, resource issues, time tabling and staff development needs.  Internal audit checks will also be carried out by project staff within each HEI/FEI on a monthly basis indicating the project performance against quantitative and qualitative targets.

Indicators and targets for this project have been identified in line with the:

• Welsh Government YES Strategy;
• LMI
• Employer and Sectoral Information

In order to demonstrate that the project is delivering against the project plan, data recording, monitoring and reporting will reflect these targets.  This analysis will be undertaken individually by each partner institution, to inform the overall project results.  This will include target areas as indicated by the Strategic Objectives of the Welsh Government YES Strategy to ensure that these areas are fully represented within the activities of the project.

Guidelines for HEI/FEIs will be prepared in readiness for each college to write a monitoring and evaluation plan.  It is recognised that each institution will have it’s own protocols regarding this process, and the guidelines allow this flexibility.  The Regional Project Manager will ensure that each of the FEIs provides the data and information to inform the final report for the project.

Data Management

The young people engaging in entrepreneurial activities within the project will complete a detailed participant form which will be specially designed to capture relevant data that can then be reported to the Welsh Government in statistical format. (this will be found in the Operations Manual)

The quality of provision will be evaluated using the Colleges’ Quality Assurance mechanisms, and will include feedback from participants regarding all aspects of the activities delivered through the project.

Attendance records will be maintained and records of attendance will also be kept with regard to meetings with, and visits.  Paper records will be used to record these details, and all parties will sign and date the documents.

Data recording mechanisms will be electronic to avoid the unnecessary use of paper based resources, but in order to maintain the required audit trail, documents requiring a formal signature and any financial material such as invoices, receipts etc. will all be retained for audit purposes.

The institutions operate monitoring systems for all externally funded projects.  Each institution will undertake to monitor progress against targets – both financial and participant – and calculate variance rates.  Any variance greater than 5% will be reported to the Regional Project Steering Group, with an accompanying statement regarding the actions that will be taken to address this situation.  This will ensure that remedial action can be taken by each HEI/FEI before the variances reach the Welsh Government threshold.

All project documentation relating to data collection will comply with Welsh Government requirements.  Data will be:

·         Captured via the organisations’ beneficiary forms to meet WG requirements while acknowledging WG and ERDF support and requiring a signature.

·         Processed through the institutions’ appropriate departments, once participant forms have been checked and approved for eligibility purposes.

·         Checked to ensure that participants are recorded only once within the project.  Whilst it is recognised that participants will be able to access project activities on more than one occasion, the institutions will ensure that each young person is included only once for the purpose of achievement against targets.

·         Analysed for the purpose of measuring progression of project participants.

Gower College Swansea will report the monitoring data to the Welsh Assembly in the format specified by, and according to the timeframes laid down by the Welsh Assembly.

This will include:

• qualitative reports, prepared by the Project Manager;
• quantitative evaluation of progress towards targets and profiles;
• progress towards achieving the targets relating to the cross cutting themes;
• an update of the project milestones and their achievement; and
• financial data and claims.

All project documentation will be retained by the partner institutions, in accordance with the Welsh Government requirements.  The contracts issued to the other institutions will specify the documentation that will need to be collected by them, and timescales for ensuring that relevant data, updates and reports are lodged with Gower College Swansea for reporting and evaluation purposes.  Gower College Swansea will undertake regular monitoring visits to each of the partner institutions, to ensure that the audit trail complies with the Welsh Government requirements.  These visits will also serve to verify confidential data that cannot be released by the partner institutions, such as salary details and employment contracts.

Project documentation that contains personal information will carry a data protection disclosure.

Electronic information will be retained on the institutions’ IT systems.  Back up of institution data is undertaken daily, and the data is stored at an off-site location.  Access to this data will be restricted to those authorised by the HEI/FEIs.

Paper documentation will be retained in accordance with the Welsh Government requirements, and stored in secure facilities. 

The institutions will comply with the Welsh Government requirements regarding the retention of documentation relating to the relevant funding body.

 .

Project activity will be monitored on a monthly basis using the Welsh Government agreed template which will be provided in the Operations Manual .  Part of this mechanism will be to identify how these activities relate to the delivery plan, and in particular, their contribution towards achieving the project milestones and targets and the project targets.  Performance against these projections will be an integral part of the monitoring process

11.8 Sustainability of the Strategy:

Following its conclusion the project will endeavor to create a legacy that will enable the Regional Hub to continue to develop and nurture self-sufficient entrepreneurial young people across the South West Wales Region, contributing positively to economic and social success, and collaborating with stakeholders across the locality.

Each partner institution within the Hub will play a critical part in continuing to deliver the vision for South West Wales, and will become a fundamental vehicle for the embedding and delivery enterprise activities through mainstream funding. 

Building on success of the hub, all partners will continue to provide a strategic and coherent approach to delivery, providing opportunities for young people to develop their entrepreneurial skills, and continue to develop the strong links with Private, Public and Third Sector Stakeholders. It will also work in partnership with the CPD National Hub to ensure the development of an entrepreneurial culture in each institution within the region.

To assist in its sustainability partners will also look to make the most of alternative funding streams to strengthen the consistent high quality provision for young people including the use of local authority funding, 14-19 funding, together with utilising the centrally procured services. Provide young people with information on Young Enterprise and Shell Live wire grants and bursaries to provide support for those graduates with high potential start ups in key priority sectors.

Partners will continue to meet on a regular basis with external agencies such as Go Wales, Welsh Government Start up Support services, HEFCW Innovation and Engagement, the National CPD Hub and local authority partners to ensure they align future provision with existing and future regional and national strategies.

Members of the Hub will build upon the existing business links developed as part of the project through the South West Wales Chamber of Commerce, CBI, Sector Skills Councils to expand the base of local and national businesses to provide young people with role models and opportunities for mentoring and work placements while also taking advantage of the Dynamo Role Model programme.

The institutions will also continue to play a vital role in delivering an all age strategy for the region, working with, and supporting both primary and secondary schools offering a quality enterprise experience, providing support to all young people from aged 5 onwards. Partners will look to embed enterprise training and support into the core activities of the institution by using staff to provide support in delivering the primary programme within their region using existing links previously made with primary schools, it will also use staff at each institution to market the centrally procured services ensuring that an effective and consistent approach is maintained for the delivery of enterprise and entrepreneurial training and establishing a legacy that ensures that Regional Hub for South West Wales will continue to positively impact of the lives of young people and that of the local economy.

11.9 Equality and Diversity:

The project will support the implementation of positive action to ensure that the development opportunities for young people will be available, regardless of race, ethnic group, disability, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, religion or age.  The project management structure will ensure that the guidelines set out by the Welsh Government are embedded within the projects systems and procedures.  These guidelines will underpin all project activities. 

To assist project partners in developing broader participation from minority groups and effecting the requisite culture change in support of this aim, the project will identify potential opportunities for minority groups to progress within the targeted enterprise routes.  Case studies and examples of good practice will be highlighted as the means of illustrating the benefits of learning in terms of progression.

The activities identified will contribute towards the required attitudinal change towards the traditional patterns of occupational segregation that exist within some sectors. The identification of the potential opportunities for overcoming these barriers, the subsequent evidence of the benefits of greater integration of the minority groups into the workforce and the resulting benefits will all form part of the management development.   ;

All participants will be required to provide data that will enable the partner colleges to monitor progress towards equal opportunities targets, specifically:

• Ethnicity
• Race
• Gender
• Age
• Disability
• Work limiting health condition
• Sexual orientation
• Marital status
• Religion
• Language and learning in relation to the Welsh language
• Support requirements with regard to disability, learning difficulties and medical conditions

The collection of this data will be undertaken via the institutions enrolment form, and the partners management information system will be the vehicle by which the data will be collated and summarised to monitor progress towards the stated aims and targets of the project.

The Regional Enterprise Hub will:

·         Provide up-skilling opportunities to enable young people to access enterprise training opportunities and career progression

·         Ensure that project materials will be screened and assessed for accessibility, including content, materials used, colour, font size and design, language, images, availability and targeting.

·         Support the provision of opportunities for young people and those needing generic skills to progress.

·         Provide support for flexible provisions to enable individuals to progress in employment i.e. learning opportunities.

·         Provide support for targeted interventions which address barriers specific groups experience accessing training and self employment  

·         Ensure that project materials will be screened and assessed for accessibility, including content, materials used, colour, font size and design, language, images, availability and targeting.

·         The project activity will be monitored by the Steering Group and members will also monitor the level of progress in terms of equal opportunities.

As equal opportunity employers, all project partners make a direct commitment to promote flexible working, gender balance, equality and diversity. Gower College Swansea’s Equality and Diversity Policy fully complies with Equality Legislation and demonstrates its commitment to the implementation of the equal opportunities agenda.  It provides information, advice and guidance to all staff and students as well as opportunities to raise awareness of equality and diversity.

As equal opportunity employers, all project partners should have both a Single Equality Scheme, and Equality and Diversity Policy that outlines its legislative duties.  It should also identifies the actions required to meet these duties across all its activities, including partnership activity, procurement, work experience and work placements.

The scheme complements the Welsh Government’s Equality and Diversity Strategy building on the three former equality schemes for gender, race and disability, and focusing on the additional strands of religion and belief / non belief; age, sexual orientation and transgender issues.  It also reflects the WG scheme which acknowledges the principles of human rights: freedom; respect; equality and diversity.

Partners should also measures and report on progress and areas for improvement in course review documentation, self-assessment reports and quality development plans. The Single Equality Scheme and Action Plan, is reviewed annually whilst the scheme is reviewed every three years.  As part of the review process, the following groups are consulted:

• External Agencies
• Learners and staff
• Diversity Committee
• Equality Groups
• Governing Body
• Senior Management Planning Team
• Quality Management Group
• Trade Unions

The College also provides an annual Equality and Diversity Progress Report to the Audit Committee and HR Committee, which is also published on the College website

All tender documents include references to the Equality and Diversity Policy and this is discussed at pre-contract meetings.  Compliance is monitored and any issues are discussed at monthly meetings. Copies of the Equality scheme are available on the College website.

11.10 Welsh Language:

Partners of the Regional Enterprise Hub including Gower College Swansea all have a published Welsh Language Scheme (WLS) in compliance with Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) requirements under section 9 of the Welsh Language Act 1993. The WLS clearly identifies targets for Welsh medium and bilingual learning. Targets are derived using local data on the numbers of Welsh speakers together with nationally derived data and targets from WAG.

In addition, all partners within the Regional Hub will ensure that all advertising and publicity activities will be promoted bilingually in a manner that treats the two languages on a basis of equality. Some examples of materials that are/will be produced bilingually include:

• All publicity literature aimed at the general public

• Direct mailing including promotional material and surveys

• Media/press advertising

• Public surveys

• Direct marketing campaigns

• Exhibition and Information stands

• Poster advertising

Each partner will have similar structures and procedures in place to meet the requirements of the Welsh Language Act.

Within its day to day operations the College, has actively encouraged the number of students learning through the Welsh language or bilingually, and has recognized staff that can deliver the project’s activities through the medium of Welsh or bilingually. Furthermore all students, including those undertaking enterprise activities, can receive tutorials and pastoral support either bilingually or through the medium of Welsh.

Gower College Swansea is a member of the adult consortium that plans the co-ordinated Welsh language learning across the whole of South West Wales. It is led by the University of Swansea Department of Adult and Community Learning. Where Gower College is unable to provide specific training through the medium of Welsh, they will work in collaboration through an active partnership arrangement with local providers, e.g. City and County of Swansea and Welsh Medium Schools to provide it.

Every effort will be  made to develop a welsh culture within the partners across the SWWRH. The use of the welsh language by learners and staff is actively encouraged, particularly where learners identify themselves as welsh speakers but wish to study through English.

Information on staff Welsh language skills are recorded centrally and efforts are made to ensure that welsh speaking staff are employed on all routes within the programme. Currently all routes have staff with Welsh speaking skills and several routes, including the priority sector of health, have staff that are able to assess learners through Welsh. A staff development programme is in place to enable staff to develop their skills as well as a beginners programme for those wishing to develop new skills.

12.   Communication Plan 

The South West Wales Regional Hub will use a variety of tools to communicate to key stakeholders ensuring that all communication methods will comply with the Welsh Government branding guidelines. These communication methods include the following:

External Hub communications

• Monthly regional partner meetings to, evaluate the effectiveness of our strategic plan and make any amendments necessary to ensure the vision is achieved.
• Partners to continue to be members of, and attend the various strategic partnership meeting such as RLP, BEES, SERPS, 14-19 networks, FE/HE strategy groups, Local Regeneration Partnerships, and local learning networks to inform current and future policy decisions.
• Meet with community groups and key decision makers from Local Education Departments and secondary and primary schools heads to support them in embed enterprise within the curriculum from primary to Higher Education.
• Attendance at regional enterprise network meetings
• Updating Welsh Government departments on success stories such as Education and Skills and DBETS
• Using Big Ideas Wales to showcase the SWWRH activity

Measuring the effectiveness of our external communication methods will be via

• Increased awareness within the partners in the region of the SWWRH activity
• Regional and local press stories on projects undertaken
• Attendance at and contributing to, national conferences to showcase the work undertaken within the region
• Increase in the collaborative activities of the partnership
• Increase in the participation rates of young people in enterprise activities

Internal institution communication

Attending all Senior Management meetings, informing governors of current position on enterprise development, attending meetings at a delivery level such as Deans of Faculty meetings , Head of School meetings etc

Embed The Big Ideas Wales web site into each institutions web sites to communicate directly with young people on events, activity and important flagship events. Each institution will use their web site to direct young people to The Big Ideas web site which will inform young people about relevant information and areas to consider on their journey to business start up. This communication tool will also inform young people on projects being delivered within the Youth Entrepreneurship Services.

Ensure that the Moodle site is continually updated with relevant and informative information for young people.

Using Twitter, facebook and other social media we will inform young people of events and activities and encourage these young people to register as members on the Big Ideas website to ensure that they received alerts on the full range of different activities taking place across the region and nationally, the result of them registering on the site will be an increase in the numbers of young people interested in entrepreneurship across Wales.

The SWWRH will use the partner area of the big Ideas Wales web site to download good news stories, pictures, case studies and video clips to encourage more young people to attend future events. The tutorial programme and core delivery within FE will be used as an opportunity to showcase role models one of the centrally procured services to engage more young people into self employment. Local and national press will play a large part in communicating to our stakeholders stories of successes and events taking part across the region and during the project period.

Using peer to peer marketing (student interns) we will communicate messages to young people relating to events, activities, role model events, business planning workshops and competitions.

Utilising the designated person responsible for enterprise at each institution and staff enterprise champions we will ensure that staff attend enterprise staff training sessions to support the embedding of enterprise across each faculty or school who will in turn encourage young people to attend events and activities during the project period.

Measuring the effectiveness of our internal communication methods will be via

• Attendance registers at events showing increasing attendance over the year
• Positively completed feedback beneficiary forms,
• Young people attending more than one event once their interest has been raised
• Young people signposted to business start up advice
• Attendance at business start up workshops
• New business start ups

13.   Annual Delivery Plan

Please see completed Annex A detailing all planned activities and operational outputs for the Hub over the next 12 months of funding.

14.   Additional information (500 words):
Please provide any additional information that you would like to add to support your application.

The establishment of the Regional Entrepreneurship Hub in South West Wales will support the work of the Regional Learning Partnership which has been established against a backdrop of regional working between the Local Authorities of South West Wales.  A Regional Board of Local Authority Leaders and Chief Executives meets 5 times per annum to review a work programme of prioritised regional working activity, facilitated by the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA).

The Board has identified the following priorities for collaborative working where it adds value to local delivery: education and lifelong learning; social care and health; regeneration; waste management; transport and procurement.  The RLP reports to this Board and works alongside other collaborative work streams overseen by the Board, such as regeneration. The partnership covers the counties of Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Swansea and Neath Port Talbot.

The main vision of the RLPSWW is to develop a region where equality of opportunity and access to appropriate high quality learning opportunities are delivered consistently and efficiently for the benefit of the regional economy.’

The regional hub will ‘add value’ to the region’s key regeneration objectives with respect to:

• achieving a fully productive economy with high quality jobs; 
• ensuring a wide range of employment opportunities for young people (increasing retention);
• establishing an enterprise culture in which young people and adults have the confidence to start new businesses, and are happy to take enterprise risks;
• increasing self-reliance among businesses, communities and people.

It will contribute to the implementation of the region’s Higher and Further Education Strategy (which is facilitated through the RLPSWW) via the delivery of the following objectives:

• To facilitate student choice by ensuring clarity over the
• vocational/professional/academic mix of different courses;
• To proactively engage with employers and simplify business access to services provided by Further and Higher Education; and
• To deliver further and higher education’s activities in a way that is complementary to supporting economic regeneration;
• To provide progression from 14-19 learning pathways to HE as an extension of local curricula for learners.

Please see letters of support  attached – Annex C

Section C: Financial Proposal

Section D: Endorsements

All forms signed by institutions are attqached as additions.

Regional Hub Lead:

Partner 1:

Partner 2: