25 March 2010 – Publication of DWP research report 646: An evaluation of European Social Fund information and publicity

A report is published today by the Department for Work and Pensions which evaluates progress towards achieving the objectives set out in the Communication Plan of the 2007-2013 England European Social Fund (ESF) programme.  The report includes findings from:

• an assessment of a sample of printed/published materials sourced from all parties delivering the programme;
• information from the formal monitoring data which forms part of the required reporting within the programme, by both the Managing Authority and Co-financing Organisations (CFOs);
• 18 face-to-face interviews with stakeholders undertaken in four study areas across England during October-November 2009.

Key findings from the research were:

• A basic level of understanding of the requirements of the Communication Plan, in terms of a contractual requirement to use the ESF logo and branding, was found among all organisations involved. A greater appreciation existed among the Managing Authority and Co-financing Organisations that it was equally as important to publicise the wider benefits and opportunities which ESF funding brings.
• Several measures were established to aid the implementation of the requirements. At national level a Publicity Strategy Group was established to assist with the strategic management and delivery of the Communication Plan. At regional level, CFOs produced Communication Plans, the structure and content of which varied both between individual CFOs and regions. Some CFOs used the process of developing a Communication Plan to consider what could be provided above and beyond the statutory requirements, including considering different audiences, and these plans therefore contained more detail.
• In some regions close working links between individual CFOs led to the production of regional plans. In addition, a number of regions have accessed technical assistance (TA) to fund Public Relations (PR) agencies and/or organisations to coordinate activity across the region.
• There was evidence from the regions that staff with marketing backgrounds were able to look at the implementation of the requirements in a more strategic way than others, and had additional expertise for effectively managing and encouraging activity that went beyond basic compliance.
• Each delivery organisation has different responsibilities for monitoring how requirements are complied with. The stakeholder interviews highlighted a key difference between CFOs in terms of whether they saw their role in monitoring as auditor or facilitator. The former tended to consider reviews as a means to reinforce regulatory aspects of publicity and quality assurance. Whilst not technically incorrect, this may place limitations on how effectively the message about ESF investment is communicated. On the other hand, those who viewed their role primarily as facilitators saw themselves more as conduits for information and support.
• A range of materials had been produced and activities undertaken which had been effective at raising awareness of ESF investment. Materials and activities differed widely in terms of objective and target audience.
• Printed materials at Managing Authority and CFO level included booklets, good practice guides and newsletters with the key messages and branding clearly evident. At provider level, printed material generally took the form of leaflets or flyers. These were tailored to provide potential participants and referral agencies with information about projects.  Although effective at informing target audiences about projects there were some issues with the effectiveness of such printed material in raising awareness of ESF investment in a meaningful way. The ESF logo often lacked prominence by being one of many crowded together. Also, the key messages about ESF investment were frequently absent.
• Case studies were given high prominence throughout the programme due to their suitability in targeting a range of audiences, adaptability to use across most media and the role they play in bringing the ESF story to life. The ‘PR Toolkit’ for providers, detailing how to construct a case study, represents good practice in this area. However, some stakeholders expressed concerns over the process of gaining project participants’ consent and felt there might be a danger of an ‘overload’ of case studies in the media.
• The internet was increasingly being used as a means of communicating with a variety of audiences, both formally through websites and informally through social networking sites. It was widely acknowledged that further guidance on the use of new technologies was needed.
• A wide range of events had taken place across the programme with the driving force being the publicity priorities of 2008 and 2009. The key strengths of major events were the additional levels of publicity activity generated and the number of different audiences which could be targeted simultaneously.
• Engagement with the media was principally through press releases. The assessment of materials showed that there was a wide range of publications in which ESF news appeared. Radio and television were less frequently used but some providers had found innovative ways of securing airtime.

Notes to Editors

1. The DWP Research Report ‘An Evaluation of European Social Fund Information and Publicity’ will be published on 25th March 2010.
2. EU regulations require each national ESF programme to develop a Communication Plan to raise the visibility and awareness of ESF funding. They also require Managing Authorities to evaluate their Communication Plans. This report evaluates information and publicity measures taken so far in the 2007-2013 England ESF programme for which DWP is the Managing Authority.
3. The research was carried out on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions by Insite Research and Consulting.
4. The authors are Alison Pemberton and Andrew Thomas.

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