Convergence Partnership Office – championing ESF
Pictured: Carleen Kelemen, Director, Convergence Partnership Office
at the
Cornwall Works WISE Awards
Photo credit: James Ram / Apex
Carleen Kelemen, Director, Cornwall Convergence Partnership Office, reflects on the achievements of the Convergence Partnership Office and sets out how these will be taken forward by the new Cornwall Works Hub.
The key role of people at the heart of economic regeneration has long been at the core of the messaging of the Convergence Partnership Office (CPO) for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. People driving entrepreneurship and businesses and the wider opportunities in life that employment and better skills give the individual. And this includes all people no matter what their backgrounds, life experiences or abilities.
This reflects the true nature of European Cohesion Policy, and also makes sound economic sense and is a palpable champion for greater social justice.
This approach of championing structural funds as an integrated investment package has spanned programming periods and lasted for 13 years! Not a bad innings for a public body and reflects so much more than a cautious back footed approach to communications and the media!
The Partnership Office was set up to work on behalf of all partners – public, private, voluntary and community sectors – owned by all rather than a single organisation. Early advice was to treat the media with caution even hostility! But depth of knowledge and confidence in the activities that were being invested in, and a clear sense of direction helped successive programmes chart a consistent course through both antipathy from the press and the more recent global economic and financial seismic change. Building a team of complementary skills to match the needs of European and UK stakeholders, varied delivery partners and different media; has seen the CPO as early adopters - both in employing an experienced professional journalist and championing the use of social media. But always to carry the message of ESF investing in jobs and skills and changing people’s lives! And never as a fad!
All things must change, indeed successful evolution is all about adapting to a changing environment, and so it is with the communication of ESF Convergence in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. The Convergence Partnership Office will end on 31 March and its mantle will be being taken on by the Cornwall Works Hub who will be looking to take this experience and meld it with their own good practice, in particular their use of blogs, and build something new and of its time.
Based on case studies to illustrate how ESF Convergence is being used to change peoples lives and increase their opportunities and using a variety of media to reach different audiences ESF partners in Cornwall will ensure that the song remains the same!
Queries about ESF communications in Cornwall post 31 March 2012 should go to info@cornwallworks.org.uk