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Evaluation of Gender Equality and Equal Opportunities

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Evaluation of Gender Equality and Equal Opportunities Research Report yl Lloyd and Cher European Social Fund European Carol McNaughton Nicholls, Martin Mitchell, Ashley Brown, Nilufer Rahim, Emma Drever Equal Opportunities within the by Evaluation of Gender Equality and DWP Research Report No. 667 Evaluation of Gender Equality and Equal Opportunities within the European Social Fund Research Report No. 667 ISBN 978-1-84712-786-0 SF, in the context of helping to tackle the barriers experienced by each of the SF, qual opportunities are integrated into all aspects of the programme. The study aims to examine the effectiveness of equal opportunities policy and practice within aims to examine the effectiveness E equality groups including examining organisational policies within projects as they relate to equal opportunities and the mainstreaming of equal opportunities, equality groups drawing upon research on participation and outcomes of different participation, including discrimination and and examining the factors affecting making recommendations for good practice to encourage equal opportunities on ESF projects. This report is part-funded by ESF technical assistance. www.esf.gov.uk please contact: about DWP research, If you would like to know more Support and Knowledge Management Team, Paul Noakes, Commercial London SW1H 9NA Street, Caxton House, Tothill Floor, 3rd http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rrs-index.asp The focus of the Gender and Equal Opportunities within the European Social Fund (ESF) research is on equal opportunities as a cross-cutting theme, looking at how e 503871_DWP_Cover_667.qxp 29/06/2010 08:51 Page 1 Department for Work and Pensions Research Report No 667 Evaluation of Gender Equality and Equal Opportunities within the European Social Fund Carol McNaughton Nicholls, Martin Mitchell, Ashley Brown, Nilufer Rahim, Emma Drever and Cheryl Lloyd A report of research carried out by the National Centre for Social Research on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions © Crown Copyright 2010. Published for the Department for Work and Pensions under licence from the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. Application for reproduction should be made in writing to The Copyright Unit, Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, St Clements House, 2-16 Colegate, Norwich NR3 1BQ. First Published 2010. ISBN 978 1 84712 786 0 Views expressed in this report are not necessarily those of the Department for Work and Pensions or any other Government Department. This evaluation was part-funded by European Social Fund technical assistance under the 2007-2013 England and Gibraltar ESF programme evaluation strategy. www.esf.gov.uk Contents iii Contents Acknowledgements .......................................................................................... ix The Authors .......................................................................................................x Glossary of terms .............................................................................................. xi Summary ...........................................................................................................1 1 Introduction ................................................................................................7 1.1 Gender Equality and Equal Opportunities Mainstreaming Plan ...........9 1.2 Management of Gender Equality and Equal Opportunities within ESF .......................................................................................10 1.3 Research aims .................................................................................12 1.4 Methodology ..................................................................................12 1.4.1 Literature review ..............................................................12 1.4.2 Review of ESF providers’ Equal Opportunity policies ..........13 1.4.3 In-depth interviews with strategic stakeholders and CMs ...14 Table 1.1 Strategic stakeholders and CFO Contract Managers Interview sample.........................................................................16 1.4.4 Regional Case Studies .......................................................16 Table 1.2 Case Study sample .....................................................................17 1.4.5 Quantitative analysis of MI and Cohort Survey data ..........18 1.4.6 Research ethics and anonymity .........................................19 1.4.7 Limitations ........................................................................19 1.5 Report structure ..............................................................................20 iv Contents 2 Contextualising the Mainstreaming Plan – Gender Equality and Equal Opportunities legislation and policies ........................................21 2.1 The legislative context of the Mainstreaming Plan ............................22 2.1.1 Awareness of equalities legislation ...................................22 2.1.2 Equality Act 2010 .............................................................23 2.2 Equal Opportunity policies of ESF providers ......................................24 2.2.1 Equal Opportunities policy review .....................................24 2.2.2 Findings from the review of Equal Opportunities policies ...25 2.2.3 Mainstreaming ..................................................................26 2.2.4 Policy statement and legislation .........................................27 2.2.5 Commitment and reviewing .............................................27 2.2.6 Measures to promote equality ...........................................28 2.2.7 Monitoring and performance management .......................29 2.2.8 Scope ................................................................................30 2.3 Implementation of Equal Opportunity policies .................................31 2.3.1 Awareness of Equal Opportunities policies within organisations ..........................................................32 2.3.1 Enhancing awareness of Equal Opportunities policies and Equal Opportunities and Gender Equality legislation .........33 2.3.2 Perceptions of Equal Opportunities and Gender Equality policies ................................................................33 2.3.3 Enhancing the quality and value of Equal Opportunities policies .............................................34 2.4 Chapter summary ...........................................................................35 3 Gender Equality and Equal Opportunities processes within ESF ...................37 3.1 Awareness of the Mainstreaming Plan .............................................37 3.1.1 Strategic, regional and CFO level .......................................37 3.1.2 Providers‘ awareness of the Mainstreaming Plan ................39 3.1.3 ECOTEC training and toolkit ..............................................40 Contents v 3.2 Procurement ....................................................................................44 3.2.1 Procurement processes applied by CFOs ............................44 3.2.2 Department for Work and Pensions ..................................44 3.2.3 Learning and Skills Council ................................................45 3.2.4 Other CFOs ......................................................................46 3.3 Contract management and delivery .................................................51 3.3.1 Roles and responsibilities ...................................................51 3.3.2 Challenges ........................................................................53 3.4 Monitoring, targets and performance ..............................................55 3.4.1 Gender Equality and Equal Opportunities targets ...............56 Table 3.1 Targets for engaging equalities groups ........................................58 3.4.2 Balanced participation .......................................................65 3.5 Knowledge, information and support ..............................................67 3.5.1 General levels and sources of knowledge about Gender Equality and Equal Opportunities ...............67 3.5.2 Levels and sources of knowledge related to ESF resources ....................................................................69 3.5.3 Information and support needed to further mainstream Gender Equality and Equal Opportunities .......70 3.6 Chapter summary ...........................................................................73 4 Barriers to employment and the promotion of accessibility ........................75 4.1 Understanding barriers to employment ...........................................76 4.2 Gender ...........................................................................................77 4.2.1 Caring responsibilities .......................................................80 4.2.2 Outcomes and experience of ESF .......................................81 4.2.3 Ways of working ...............................................................88 4.3 Age ................................................................................................89 4.3.1 Under 25 – experience, aspirations and discrimination ......92 4.3.2 Over 50 – experience, aspirations and discrimination ........93 4.3.3 Human capital ..................................................................94 vi Contents 4.3.4 Outcomes and experiences of ESF ....................................95 4.3.5 Ways of working ...............................................................98 4.4 Ethnicity .........................................................................................99 4.4.1 Language and immigration .............................................103
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