Published 12 December 2012
London ERDF and ESF Awards 2012
Pictured (left to right): Siva Kugathas, Isha Daley,
Peter Stub Jorgensen, Suzanne Rider.
On Monday 10 December, the London European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and European Social Fund (ESF) Awards were held at City Hall.
The event celebrated the successes of exceptional achievers and businesses supported by the 2007-2013 ESF and ERDF Programmes in London.
Alex Conway European Programmes Director at the GLA, welcomed awards nominees and guests to the ceremony in the City Hall Chamber. He introduced London 2012 paralympian Charlie Walker and Kit Malthouse Deputy Mayor of London for Business and Enterprise, who each made speeches and presented the first two ESF Awards.
Peter Stub Jorgensen, European Social Fund Director, European Commission, presenting the nominees for the ESF Outstanding Achiever Award, said “I am delighted to celebrate for the fourth consecutive year the achievements of 468,000 ESF participants in London. Isha, Siva, and Suzanne are three outstanding examples of the ESF success supporting people to develop their full potential. ESF is making a big difference addressing individual needs, particularly those facing multiple barriers and who may not otherwise be eligible for national mainstream support.”
Angus Gray, Head of ESF Division in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), presenting the award for ESF Outstanding Tutor/Mentor/Employment Advisor to employment advisor Sarah Vinall, said that this and other London ESF awards illustrate the hugely important role that one to one support has to play in successful ESF provision.
Pictured (left to right): Steven Davies, Sarah Vinall, Angus Gray,
Joanna Parsons.
The four ESF award winners were:
ESF Adult Learner/Participant of the Year – Maria Pal
Maria was unemployed and found it difficult to access childcare. She joined the Jobshop Community Outreach project which gave her bespoke individual jobsearch and childcare support, helping her to employment as a trainee cashier in a high street bank.
Highly commended: Barbara Ellis (Lewisham College and Sevacare), Siva Kugathas (Careers Development Group)
ESF Progression onto an Apprenticeship – Tevon Ashani Khwal-Singh
Tevon started at the Lifetime Fitness Academy in February 2012 determined to succeed and build his career in the fitness industry. He progressed to a level 2 fitness Apprenticeship whilst supporting members of his family and is now keen to gain a level 3 fitness qualification.
Highly commended: Monsur Ahmed, Tajmina Akhtar (both from Tower Hamlets pre-apprenticeship project)
ESF Outstanding Tutor/Mentor/Employment Advisor – Sarah Vinall
Sarah Vinall is a Careers Development advisor delivering the Work Programme in London. Many of her customers suffer from severe barriers to work, including depression and anxiety. Her dedicated support has turned hundreds of lives around, and has been an inspiration to colleagues to whom she is a mentor.
"My passion lay with helping customers with their life skills, looking at life patterns and helping customers to break through barriers through one to one work."
Highly commended: Joanna Parsons (Working Links), Steven Davies (volunteer at St Giles Trust)
ESF Outstanding Achiever – Isha Daley
Isha Daley had a tough few years before starting work at Look Ahead Housing and Care as a support worker. Isha has overcome many barriers herself and now helps others with their housing and finding ways to improve their lives, often using her own experiences to inspire.
"The programme gave me the push in the right direction that I needed. Getting this job has made a huge difference in my life."
Highly commended: Siva Kugathas (Careers Development Group), Suzanne Rider (Camden Society Central Station)
Following this, Phillip Cox (DWP) was introduced to present the ERDF awards.
The four ERDF award winners were:
ERDF Greenest Business – Barclays Print
ERDF Most Innovating Business – SquidLondon
ERDF Outstanding Business Growth – PetShopBowl.co.uk
ERDF Project Manager of the Year – Tracey Kilty, Greater London Enterprise Ltd
After the presentations, Gemma Fox, 2011 ESF Outstanding Tutor/Mentor/Employment Advisor award, introduced a video about the London Goals UK employment project, followed by the performance of a song "Don’t You Worry Child" which was written and performed by Matthew McCarthy and Abudullah Ansari – collectively known as Truth and Abstract, two young Goals UK participants.
Pictured: ESF award winners and nominees, with presenters.
The event ended with a reception in the City Hall Living Room where award finalists, winners and their guests met with representatives from the Greater London Authority and organisations involved in delivering ESF and ERDF programmes.
Profiles of all the ESF nominees, plus video interviews with all the winners, will be available on ESF-Works soon.
The awards are a joint initiative between the Greater London Authority’s European Programmes Management Unit, Tribal and London’s five ESF Co-financing organisations (Skills Funding Agency, Department for Work and Pensions, Greater London Authority, London Councils and National Offender Management Service).