EUKN - United Kingdom - Yorkshire Forward: End of Programme External Evaluation Report. Period: October 2002-March 2005

Yorkshire Forward: End of Programme External Evaluation Report. Period: October 2002-March 2005

Introduction

Evaluation of the Fair Play Partnership which delivered a range of services on behalf of Yorkshire Forward to act as a regional information and innovation point, which supports Yorkshire Forward in meeting its diversity and equality targets.

Description

The Fair Play Partnership received funding from Yorkshire Forward in 2002, under a three year contract to deliver a range of diversity and equality activities in the region. This responded to the Home Office circular which outlined that Regional Development Agencies had a responsibility to encourage diversity.

The aim of the Fair Play Programme was for Fair Play to become a regional information and innovation point on diversity through the establishment of a range of activities which encouraged the mainstreaming of equality and diversity in employment, self-employment and public and community life.

Background information

The Fair Play Partnership existed before 2002 as a consortium of organisations committed to tackling equality within the Yorkshire and Humber region. It established a range of activities to promote issues such as flexibility at work, mentoring and positive action programmes.

In 2002 the Fair Play Partnership became a partnership limited and through work supporting Yorkshire Forward it was recognised that with an increasingly 'tight' labour market, employers needed to be able to recruit from a wider pool of applicants and socially excluded groups represented an untapped source within the region.

Methodology

The evaluation covers the period October 2002-March 2005 and provides a summary of the key achievements of the Fair Play programme. The report concentrates on five flagship projects developed as part of the programme including:

Diversity Opportunities Programme,
Age Diversity Job Brokerage,
Ethnicity,
Enabling Entrepreneurs,
and Women into Public Life.

A 'whole model' approach was taken ensuring quality of provision and the success of the project, with use of workshops, face-to-face interviews, systematic monitoring tools; and encouraging ownership and longer term sustainability as appropriate with partners.

Conclusions

The Fair Play Programme has been successful in that it has achieved the original aims of the programme:

the development of four innovative pilot projects in the areas of age, ethnicity, gender and age;
and the implementation of the Diversity Opportunities programme to support employers in mainstreaming equality and diversity.

The additional activity in conjunction with the main Fair Play programme has added impact, raising the profile of diversity issues within the region, highlighting new ways of tackling social inclusion issues and attracting additional funding.

Contact info

Fair Play Partnership
Phone: +44 0113 262 2789
mail@fairplaypartnership.org.uk

Publication date

Project finished

/04/2005

Researcher

Ilen Associates Limited

Links

Visit the Fair Play Partnership website

Download the 'Yorkshire Forward' Report (PDF, Eng, 128 KB)

Document type

research

Themes

Urban Policy > Economy knowledge & employment > Urban economy

Keywords

Employment