To ask the Minister for Employment and Learning to list the community and voluntary groups in East Londonderry that have received funding from his Department since 2011.

The Department for Employment and Learning is the Managing Authority for the European Social Fund (ESF). The Strategic Aim of the ESF Programme for 2014-2020 in Northern Ireland is to combat poverty and enhance social inclusion by reducing economic inactivity, and to increase the skills base of those currently in work and future potential participants in the workforce.

The Programme will fund activity to enhance and extend employment opportunities, in particular for those groups at a disadvantage in the labour market; these include those who are unemployed, including long term unemployed, or economically inactive.

There will also be a focus on supporting Young people aged 16-24 who are not in employment, education or training and on people with a disability.

The total value of the new ESF Programme is €513.4m. This amount is made up of €205.4m (40%) from the European Union, which requires 60% match funding of €308m.

ESF funding is awarded on a competitive basis. Applications are objectively assessed by an independent assessment Panel and any application that meets the required threshold will be considered for funding. The call for applications opened on Friday 28th November with a closing date of 9th January 2015. Comprehensive guidance notes were provided for all potential applicants on the Department’s website.

The Department has also administered the Collaboration and Innovation Fund, which has provided funding of over £9 million to organisations from the community, voluntary and educational sectors. This has provided support, between December 2012 and March 2015, to young people who are not in employment, education or training. Further support for this type of activity will be via the 2014-20 European Social Fund programme.