On 27 January 2011, WMEN and TSEN (Third Sector European Network), held a conference to explore the role of EU funding programmes in realising the Europe 2020 Strategy, especially in reducing social exclusion and strengthening territorial cohesion.

The aims of the conference were to:

• Raise awareness among Third Sector organisations about the Europe 2020 Strategy, its priorities, targets and initiatives and how it relates to the UK national agenda
• Accentuate the role that EU funding programmes (both Structural and Transnational Funds) will play in promoting strong social inclusion objectives in 2014-2020
• Explain and demonstrate how grass-roots organisations can get involved in addressing the agenda for new skills and jobs in the European platform against poverty.

The conference was aimed at organisations wanting to learn what the Europe 2020 Strategy is all about and how guidelines adopted at EU level will affect strategies implemented by the UK Government.

The presentations given during the day are listed below. Please click on the individual links to download the presentations.

Introduction
Vaida Lukošiūtė, European Project Development Officer, WMEN

European background: role and relevance of the structural funds
Brian Harvey, Independent Social Researcher

Understand welfare reform. Welfare influencing and lobbying: learning opportunities and work
Michael Fothergill, WILLOW Project Manager, Crisis

West Midlands European Service – your route to Transnational funding
Stuart Russon, European Project Advisor, West Midlands European Service

Opportunity through mobility (using the Leonardo da Vinci programme to engage with unemployed youth)
Lorraine Lockyer, Training Manager, Consillium Development and Training

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