KA3 start up seminar 2015
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2015 Key action 3 start up seminar
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KA3 start up seminar 2015
- 1. Erasmus+ is the European Union programme for education, training, youth and sport. The Erasmus+ UK National Agency is a partnership between the British Council and Ecorys UK. Birmingham, 10 September2015 2015 Call Key Action 3 Start Up Seminar
- 3. Purpose of the seminar • Go through stages of the project lifecycle • Understand rules and requirements of the Erasmus+ Key Action 3 Programme • Opportunity to network with other delegates • Ask questions to the National Agency / Project Officer • Practical demonstrations of IT Tools • Hard copy materials.
- 4. Agenda 12:30 Registration and lunch 13:15 Welcome and Introduction 13:25 Managing your grant (part 1) 13:45 Managing your grant (part 2) 14:05 Monitoring activities 14:20 Tea & coffee break 14:35 Reporting on your project and IT tools 15:15 Overview of the EC Inclusion and Diversity Strategy 15:30 Disseminate your project and support 15:50 Q&A 16:00 Close
- 5. The Role of the NA • To promote the Erasmus+ programme in the UK • To provide information, advice and guidance • To manage project assessment and selection • To make payments to projects • To undertake on-going monitoring of projects • To disseminate and exploit results
- 6. The Role of the Beneficiary • Responsible for project implementation, monitoring, reporting • Ensuring a strong, committed partnership in place (if applicable) • Ensuring meeting content is relevant and objectives are defined • Ensuring appropriate participant selection, preparation, support and contractual systems are in place • On-going evaluation • Dissemination of results
- 7. Icebreaker!
- 8. Managing your Grant I Annelies Stalpaert Project Manager
- 9. Overview • KA3 Handbook • Grant Agreements • Grant Agreement Annexes
- 10. KA3 Handbook
- 11. KA3 Handbook • General information and background • Contracting process • Management of your projects • Monitoring activities • Financial management • Reporting
- 12. Grant Agreement
- 13. KA3 Grant Agreements Types: •Mo no -be ne ficiary ag re e m e nts • The applicant be co m e s the sing le be ne ficiary o f the ag re e m e nt •Multi-be ne ficiary ag re e m e nts • Allpartne rs o f the co nso rtium be co m e be ne ficiarie s o f the ag re e m e nt Structure: •Part I: Special Conditions (Tailored) •Part II: General Conditions (Fixed) •Annexes (Integral part of Grant Agreement)
- 15. Grant Agreement Annexes Annexes: •Annex I: Description of the Project •Annex II: Estimated budget •Annex III: Financial and Contractual rules •Anne x IV: No t applicable •Annex V – Mandates (if applicable) •Annex VI – List of other beneficiaries (if applicable)
- 16. Part 1: Special Conditions Specific Articles of the Grant Agreement
- 17. Article I.3.2 – Budget Transfers • Not considered as a formal amendment to the Grant Agreement. • only between activities of the same type, (international/transnational meetings and national meetings) • allowed to transfer up to 100% of the funds allocated to budget categories based on unit contribution for activities within the same activity type; • allowed to transfer up to 10% of the funds allocated to budget categories based on reimbursement of eligible costs for activities within the same activity type.
- 18. Article I.4 – Reporting and Payments • Reporting deadlines and requirements • 1st pre-financing payment within 30 days of signed contract • Payment of the balance/refund within 60 calendar days on receipt of the Final report
- 19. Article I.9 - Use of Results and IPR Article II.8 – Rights and Ownership Beneficiaries own rights to project results but are required to: •Provide free, open, online access to any educational materials produced by the project •List all rights of ownership, including any pre-existing IPR, and disclose the list to the National Agency •Ensure you have all the rights to use any pre-existing IPRs •Grant the Union and the NA the right to use the results of the project and any pre-existing IPR
- 20. Article I.XX–Additional Provisions Required by National Law Beneficiaries are expected to follow these policies throughout the lifetime of the project. •Data Protection •Equal Opportunities •Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults •Health and Safety
- 21. Part 2: General Conditions Specific Articles of the Grant Agreement
- 22. Article II.1 Roles and Obligations Beneficiaries must: • Make internal arrangements to ensure the successful delivery of the project, e.g. partnership agreements • Keep the coordinator informed of any changes or issues that could impact on delivery Coordinatormust: • Ensure the project is implemented in line with the terms of the Agreement • Be the intermediary between the beneficiaries and the NA • Provide all necessary documents in the event of checks or audits
- 23. Article II.7 Visibility of Union Funding • Beneficiaries are obligated to acknowledge the contribution of the European Union programme funding. • Example of standard text for a Disclaimer: “This publicatio n has be e n pro duce d with the suppo rt o f the Erasm us+ Pro g ram m e o f the Euro pe an Unio n. The co nte nts o f this publicatio n are the so le re spo nsibility o f < nam e o f the be ne ficiary> and can in no way be take n to re fle ct the vie ws o f the NAand the Co m m issio n. "
- 24. Article II.14 Suspension of the Project • Suspension of the project can be initiated by either the NA or the beneficiary, in the circumstances outlined in the agreement • Either party must formally notify the other, explaining the reasons and the conditions/likely timescales for resuming the project • II.14.3 – Effects of suspension – any costs incurred by beneficiaries during suspension period will not be reimbursed or covered by grant
- 25. Article II.15 Termination of the Agreement • The Agreement with one or more beneficiaries can be terminated by the coordinator or the NA • Any request for termination by the coordinator must be duly justified and accepted by the NA • If the NA decides to terminate the agreement, the coordinator will be formally notified and can submit observations • If the NA decides to pursue the termination, the coordinator will be advised of the reasons, the date of termination and the effects/any action required
- 26. Article II.16 – Eligible Costs • General provisions: • Activity within eligible period - project start & end date • Necessary for implementing the Project • No overlap between unit costs and actual costs
- 27. Article II.20 Checks and Audits Article II.21 Monitoring and Evaluation • Beneficiaries subjected to technical and Financial checks or audits in relation to the use of the grant. (by NA, EC, m andate d bo die s, O LAF) • Beneficiaries obligated to keep documents for: • 5 years if grant amount more than €60,000 • 3 years if grant amount not more than €60,000
- 28. Managing your Grant II Chante Greenaway Bramble Assistant Project Manager
- 29. Overview • Contract amendments • Eligible expenditure and ineligible costs • Things to consider
- 31. Amendments to the Agreement Change Requested Permitted Not Permitted Notification only (project change) Significant change (formal request) Contact person Legal signatory Bankdetails Organisation address Activities Add New Partner Name of organisation Organisations legal status Budget outside of Art. I.3.2 rules Beneficiary organisation Partnerwithdrawal/replacement (multi beneficiary only)
- 33. Eligible Costs Grants are awarded according to the following budget headings: • Travel • Organisational Support • Special Needs support (if applicable) • Exceptional Costs (if applicable)
- 34. Eligible Expenditure • Eligible Expenditure • • Eligible cost Finance Mechanism Amount Travel Unit costs Distance calculator dependant €0 - €830 Organisational support Unit costs The amount depends on the country where the activity takes place. Page 185 2015 Erasmus+ Programme guide) Special needs support Portion of eligible costs 100% of eligible costs Exceptional costs Portion of eligible costs Online consultations, opinion polls of young people, financial guarantee and dissemination activities: 75% of eligible costs. Additional costs relating to participants with fewer opportunities ,visa and visa-related costs, residents permits and vaccinations: 100% of eligible costs
- 35. Ineligible Costs
- 36. Ineligible costs Examples of costs that shall not be considered eligible: • debt and debt service charges; • interest owed; • exchange losses; • costs of opening and operating bank accounts (including costs of transfers from the NA charged by the bank of the beneficiary); • VAT, when is considered as recoverable under the applicable national VAT legislation.
- 38. Things to consider Participants • Passports, Visa’s and EHIC card required? • Do they meet your target group? • How will you manage participant withdrawals
- 39. Things to consider The role of Decision makers: • Have you secured their involvement? • Do they understand their role? •Should be included in your preparation meetings?
- 40. Things to consider • Partners, roles and responsibilities • Activities: informal and non-formal learning
- 42. Overview of Monitoring Activities National Agency monitoring •MT+ •Monitoring calls •Audits, checks & monitoring visits Your responsibilities •Project monitoring •Project evaluation
- 43. Checks & Monitoring Visits Two types of visit: •Monitoring visit •On the Spot Checks
- 44. Monitoring Visits • Sample of projects selected at random • Reviews the progress of the project against the original objectives set out in the application • Covers key areas of the project implementation • The NA will provide support and collect examples of best practice
- 45. On the Spot Checks • A random sample of monitoring visits will also include an on the spot check • Financial checks on project activities • Verify amounts claimed for mobilities are supported by relevant documentation
- 46. Yourresponsibilities • The project partnership • Participants • Meetings • The budget • Ongoing evaluation
- 48. IT Tools & Reporting Adrian Smart Project Manager
- 49. Overview • IT Tools - Participant Portal - Mobility Tool • Reporting
- 51. Participant Portal • Single-entry point for participation and administration of projects in Erasmus+ • Accessed through ECAS • Requirement for all project partners • Your responsibility to update throughout project lifetime • !!! Use the Education Participant Portal, not the Research Participant Portal: http://ec.europa.eu/education/participants/portal/desktop/en/home.h tml
- 52. Mobility Tool+
- 53. What is the MT+? Mobility Tool+ is an online system for management of mobility projects that received an EU grant under the Lifelong Learning and Erasmus+ Programmes. For KA3 projects it is used to: •provide all the information about projects, •identify participants and mobilities, •complete and update budget information, •generate final reports to the National Agency.
- 54. Accessing the MT+ • Accessed through ECAS • The ECAS account needs to be registered to the project contact person’s email address • You will receive an e-mail from the MT+ and then you can log in with your ECAS password at https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/eac/mobility
- 56. Project Details
- 57. Organisations
- 58. Contacts
- 59. Mobilities
- 61. Mobilities: Import - Export • Large amounts of data can be input efficiently • Uses .CSV file format – similar to Excel • Information is coded – refer to Mobility Tool Data Dictionary Import • You can add or update mobilities information • You cannot delete information Export • Contains information about any mobilities input into MT+ • You can use this file to import information back to MT+
- 62. Import – Export
- 63. Budget
- 65. Reports
- 66. Reporting
- 68. Generate Report in MT+
- 69. Edit Report in MT+
- 70. Complete Report in MT+
- 71. Add Annexes
- 73. EC Inclusion and Diversity Strategy in Erasmus+ Khalid Miah UKInclusion and Diversity Officer TCA Manager
- 74. Background - Adverse effects of 2008 economic crisis - Targeting Young People with Fewer Opportunities (YPWFOs) Inclusion Strategy launched in 2007 in Youth in Action - Key component of Erasmus+ - Builds on previous Youth in Action strategy
- 75. Aims of the IDStrategy - Support quality projects - Increase intercultural and social skills - Increase recognition of experience and skills - Common Understanding - Increase in commitment - Reduce obstacles to YPWFOs
- 76. What does it mean forE+ beneficiaries? How? • Inclusion expertise • Strategic approach • Reaching out • Supportive approach • Documenting results • Making things better Outcomes •a UK ID strategy and Implementation Plan •Strengthened key features in Erasmus+
- 77. Inclusion and Diversity Officer ID Officer shall work with following stakeholders: •BC Youth Delivery Team •Ecorys Youth Delivery Team •Eurodesk •TCA and External Experts •UK NA Impact Assessor •Youth Consultative Group •ID Steering Group •Wider NA ID Officers - Co o rdinatio n - Co m m unicatio n - Im ple m e ntatio n
- 78. Erasmus+ is the European Union programme for education, training, youth and sport. The Erasmus+ UK National Agency is a partnership between the British Council and Ecorys UK. Contact Details Khalid.Miah@ecorys.com Details of next steps to follow…
- 79. Disseminate your project and support Angela Alves Assistant Project Manager
- 80. Overview • Dissemination European Commission Project Results Platform What you can do How the National Agency can help • Communication Ressources • Additional support, networks and services
- 81. Dissemination
- 82. Erasmus+ project results platform http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/projects/ - Overview of all the projects financed under the programme, - Heighten visibility of the various funding opportunities offered, - Showcase project results and highlight success stories to inspire potential applicants.
- 83. Dissemination What you can do - Website - Newsletter - Press release and articles in specialised press - Leaflets - Social media - Reports, presentations and information sessions to existing network and key stakeholders De taile d info rm atio n in Anne x IIPro g ram m e Guide
- 85. How the National Agency can help • Showcase your project: case studies • Feature these in our newsletters and publications
- 86. E-newsletter sign up now! • Feature your project news • Receive the latest Erasmus+ and sector specific news • Stay up-to-date with deadline reminders, online booking for events and webinars https://erasmusplus.org.uk/subscribe-to-our-newsletter
- 89. Social media channels Follow us on Twitter: @erasmusplusuk / https://twitter.com/erasmusplusuk Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ukerasmusplus View our YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/erasmusplusuk Follow us on Storify: https://storify.com/erasmusplusuk
- 91. Community events and webinars Learning Networks Annual Conference Support webinars
- 92. • Enable National Agencies to collaborate and share practice • Promotes capacity building and training opportunities • 70% reimbursement of travel costs, 100% cover on food and accommodation • Examples: The Power of Non Formal Education (Italy), European conference on youth work, social innovation and enterprise (Sweden), EVS for Employability (UK) and many more! • www.erasmusplus.org.uk/transnational-cooperation-activities • Email: erasmusplustca@ecorys.com SALTO NETWORK • https://www.salto-youth.net/ Transnational Cooperation Activities (TCA)
- 93. • Information network • 34 European countries • Many countries also have their own national network • Eurodesk UK • For more information go to the website: www.eurodesk.org.uk • Or contact Kylie Morris via • Email: kylie.morris@eurodesk.eu • Tel: 0121 212 8916
- 94. • European Recognition Tool • Previously used under Youth in Action • Describes and validates non-formal and informal learning experience • Tool to help participants to become more aware of their learning process https://www.youthpass.eu/en/youthpass/
- 95. Q&A session Contact Details Monday to Thursday, 9:00 - 17:30 Friday, 9:00 - 17:00: 0845 199 2929 erasmusplus@ecorys.com www.erasmusplus.org.uk/contact
Editor's Notes
- Welcome + thank Introduce self Before we begin need to cover some house keeping information: Toilets Smoking Fire Alarm Refreshments Air Conditioning Introduce Team – ask to stand up Fascinating fact about venue……?
- Go through stages of the project lifecycle From contracting through to reporting, including information IT tools – Mobility tool + Understand rules and requirements of the Erasmus+ KA3 programme Opportunity to network with other delegates We have brought together successful applicants from R1 and R2 under one start up seminar to provide further opportunities for networking. Ask questions to the National Agency staff / Project Officer – hopefully you have all had the opportunity to meet over lunch IT tools – practical demonstration to show how these work and an opportunity to ask questions In your delegate pack you will find: The start up seminar booklet: - Agenda - The KA3 Youth team – quite a few of us are here today - Project officer contact details - Angela Alves - note they can also speak to other members of the team - The delegate list Copies of the presentations delivered today A copy of the 2015 Call KA3 project handbook to be used to support you in managing your project A feedback form – please do complete before you leave Delegate pack materials , including copies of all presentations will be available on our website following the seminar
- Go through agenda… Dealing with questions – - Q&A session – write on post its - Also pause for a couple of questions (if time at the end of each session) - During coffee break - Anything you forget to ask – get in touch!
- Mention UK NA is a Partnership between the BC and Ecorys. For Youth KA2 Strategic Partnerships, KA3 and TCA is managed by Ecorys and KA1 is managed by the BC. Mention case officer is the first point of contact available Other support: Helpline Website Handbook Guidance notes – i.e. final reports Events - i.e. annual conference/SUS Support with dissemination
- Quick round table - v briefly What is your project title and summary of what they plan to achieve For NA staff – name, role in the NA (what they work on). Handover to……..
- Hello, my name is Annelies Stalpaert and I am a project manager with the Erasmus+ Youth team at Ecorys UK
- I will start with introducing you to the KA3 HB which you can all find in your delegate packs as well as going into the grant agreement and its annexes in a bit more detail.
- We’ll start with the grant agreement.
- The handbook has been written to give you as a beneficiary extra guidance. You will each find one in your delegate packs and it will also be made available to you in digital format. To give you an idea of what kind of information you can find in there: It starts off with some terminology and acronyms often used in European guidance documents and by the European Commission itself and the NA. It then gives you some background regarding Key Action 3 and the Structured Dialogue Process The contracting process will give you more information regarding the grant agreement and any potential amendments you might want to request In the section on Management of your project we give you some useful hints and tips for example on health and safety, insurance, recognition of validation and learning and dissemination We also give you some more information about the monitoring activities the NA carries out, as well as Some further information regarding financial management for your project, the payment arrangements and reporting. At the end you can find some suggestions for useful reads as well as where to find more help and advice. So we hope this handbook will be helpful to you during the project lifecycle and if you have any feedback about it please let us know, we always try to improve our guidance to better meet your needs as a beneficiary.
- We’ll start with the grant agreement.
- Most of you will have received your grant agreement by now, or will be receiving it shortly if you were successful under the second round. The KA3 grant agreements come in two forms: 1. Mono-beneficiary agreements. These are issued to single Youth applicants and here the applicant becomes the single beneficiary of the agreement. 2. Multi-beneficiary agreements. These are issued to organisations which applied in a partnership and this is where all partners become beneficiaries of the agreement. Multi-beneficiary agreement means that all partners listed in Annex VI are ‘beneficiaries’ to the agreement. Within the agreement you will note that some articles refer specifically to the Coordinator and others are applicable to all beneficiaries (partners). As the Coordinator, it is important to ensure that your partners are aware of the terms of the agreement that apply to them and understand the requirements. All grant agreements will have the following common structure: Part I: Special Conditions. This part is tailored to the project and it includes some information that is specific to each project, for example the project start and end dates, the duration, awarded budget, your bank details and your partners (if applicable). Part II: General Conditions: This part is more generic and common across all fields and is in two parts: Part A – Legal and Administrative Provisions. This part includes articles on the obligations and roles of the beneficiary, use of the EU and E+ logos, intellectual property rights, rules around subcontracting for goods or services and force majeure. Part B – Financial Provisions. This part includes articles on eligible and ineligible costs, and how to calculate your final grant amount. Annexes: These form an integral part of the Grant Agreement and consist of the following… [next slide]
- Annex I: Description of the Project. This is taken from Section D your application form; Annex II: Estimated budget Annex III: Financial and Contractual rules. This contains clarifications on the use of the grant under the different budget categories and what supporting documents you will need to keep hold of Annex IV: Not applicable for KA3 The following two annexes are only applicable for multi beneficiary agreements: Annex V: Mandates Annex VI: List of other beneficiaries
- I will now highlight some of the key articles contained within Part 1 of your grant agreement, however please note that it is very important to familiarise yourselves with ALL parts of your grant agreement and annexes, as they are all equally as important. An important thing to note is that the terms set out in the Special Conditions take precedence over those set out in the General Conditions and the annexes.
- Article I.3.2 contains information about Budget Transfers. This is an important section which sets out the circumstances in which you can transfer funding between budget headings without requesting a formal amendment to the grant agreement. This offers a degree of flexibility in managing your grant, however there are conditions and restrictions that apply. As a general rule: transfers can only take place between the same type of activities, for example from one national to another national meeting or from one transnational to another transnational meeting. Unit to unit costs can be transferred up to 100% but only for the same activity type (travel, organisational support) Actual costs can be transferred to actual costs up to 10% (special needs, exceptional costs)
- The second article I want to mention is Article I.4 on Reporting and Payments. This provides information on the reporting deadlines and requirements, the timing and conditions for payments, penalties for non-submission of documents, and the rules for currency conversions. Key points to note: It is essential to adhere to the reporting deadlines as detailed in your grant agreement. If you do not submit your final report in time the NA reserves the right to terminate the Agreement and request the reimbursement of the full amount of pre-financing payments, so please keep this in mind. The first pre-financing payment, which some of you will have received, is made within 30 days of NA signature on receipt of the final report and supporting documents, the NA shall pay the amount due as the balance within 60 calendar days. This amount shall be determined following approval of the final report The Final Reports will need to be submitted via the Mobility Tool+, which is the online management and reporting system for all projects under the European Commission’s Erasmus+ Programme and my colleague Adrian will talk more about this in his presentation.
- As a beneficiaries your organisation owns the rights to the project results, including industrial and intellectual property rights (IPR) and other documents relating to it. Article 1.9 and 2.8 refer to use of result and intellectual property rights. So please read these carefully if you are going to produce any materials or that you have the rights to use any pre-existing industrial and intellectual property rights during the implementation of the Agreement.
- Depending on whether you have a mono or multi beneficiary agreement, this article may be numbered 1.14 or 15 but in either case it covers additional legal provisions required by national law. Specifically, this covers: The requirement for both the beneficiaries and the NA to process personal data in accordance with the UK Data Protection Act and European regulations The requirement for beneficiaries to provide equal opportunities and not to discriminate in the delivering the project. The requirements to comply with Health and Safety and Safeguarding legislation to protect the welfare of participants
- I will now highlight some of the key articles containing within Part 2 of your grant agreement.
- The Article II.1 focuses on the main roles and obligations of the coordinator and participating partners. I would like to invite you to read this section of your agreement carefully as it is very important that you as a coordinator and your partners know your obligations within the project. It is very important that you make sure that your partners fully understand their roles and responsibilities.
- Article II.7 contains information about the Visibility of Union funding. As a recipient of EU funding, your organisation is required to acknowledge the contribution of EU programme funding. This article contains links to commission documents with guidance on how to display the EU emblem which you are encouraged to read and use when promoting the Erasmus+ Programme. An example of standard text which can be used in any of your publications can also be found on the slide. You can also find this information on our website.
- Of course we hope that this does not happen, but it is possible that your project gets suspended, whether initiated by yourself or by the National Agency. It is important for you to look into this so you are aware what steps to take or what the effect might be.
- This Article provides you with the information on the termination of the agreement, what is the process and who can terminate the agreement. This only happens in rather exceptional circumstances, but it does happen, so please read this article carefully.
- Article II.16 contains information about Eligible Costs for Unit costs and Actual costs. All costs incurred and activities must have taken place within the project start and end date within your signed grant agreement. All costs must be related to the project. Unit contributions must not overlap with actual contributions – the two must be remain separate.
- Article II.20 contains information about Checks and Audits and Article II.21 covers Monitoring and Evaluation. Your project is subject to an audit from the point of signature of the grant agreement, up until 5 years following the date of the final payment. Audits can be carried out by the UK National Agency, European Commission, European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and other Commission mandated bodies. As a result it is important that you keep any and all evidence of expenditure throughout the course of the project; for 5 years if the grant awarded to your organisation is more than €60,000, and 3 years if the grant awarded is less than €60,000.
- Under this section we will be covering… (read slide)
- I’ll now go on and talk a bit about contract amendments.
- There are numerous changes your organisation may wish to make to your project, the most common of which being e.g. change of bank details or contact person, due to staffing changes during the project lifetime. For any change you must notify the NA well in advance of the change talking place. Changes can be broken down into 2 groups: Minor Changes (notification only) Significant Changes (formal request) For those that are considered ‘Minor’ you should inform your Project Officer via email. These are changes which the UK NA would expect to see fairly often across the Call year, and updated documents may be required for each. But please note most of these minor changes will require you to update the participant portal so that it reflects these updates. For those that are considered ‘Significant’ you may send an initial email to your Project Officer which fully outlines the proposed change(s) and the reasons for the change(s). The Project Officer will then review the information and then you will be sent a formal contract amendment request form within which you should provide a clear and detailed justification for the proposed changes to your project. Please be aware that you are not guaranteed an automatic approval for significant changes as these may call into question the original decision upon which your organisation was awarded the grant and/or may be contrary to the equal treatment of applicants.
- I will now discuss eligible expenditure and ineligible costs.
- Your Erasmus+ grant is regarded as a contribution to your project costs, and is not intended to cover the total cost of your running your project. Grants are awarded according to the following budget headings: Travel - Contribution to the travel costs of participants Organisational Support – Grant contribution to all other costs directly linked to preparation, implementation and follow-up of the activity. Special Needs support (if applicable)- Costs related to participants with disabilities Exceptional Costs (if applicable)- costs connected to (online) consultations, opinion polls of young people in so far as necessary for participation in this action, and also covers visa and visa related costs, residence permits and vaccinations. In order to claim for Exceptional Costs, you should report the type and cost of these expenses in the Mobility Tool+.
- Both Travel and Organisational support are unit costs which will be paid per participant, the amount to be paid to you for both will be automatically generated once participant numbers and activities have been reported on Mobility Tool+. One of the most frequently asked questions is if it is possible to travel from another point of origin other then the address of your organisation. The answer is yes, there is flexibility in regards to this but you must send notification of this to your Project officer giving the reason for this difference and also report it in the Mobility Tool+. Please note: These steps must be taken prior to the mobility taking place. Special needs support and Exceptional costs can only be claimed if these costs were requested in your application form and approved at assessment stage. These are actual costs of which: 100% reimbursement will be paid to you for special needs support 75% reimbursement will be paid to you for the cost of Online consultations, opinion polls of young people, financial guarantee and dissemination activities under exceptional costs, and 100% there after for any other costs under this budget heading. (Additional costs relating to participants with fewer opportunities ,visa and visa-related costs, residents permits and vaccinations: 100% of eligible costs) .
- I will now discuss eligible expenditure and ineligible costs.
- The slide displays some examples of ineligible costs, but please note that this is not a comprehensive list, for full details of ineligible costs please refer to section II.16.5 of your grant agreement. All project activity must take place during the project period as stated in your individual grant agreement. Any activities undertaken outside of this time frame will not be covered by the funding. All funding is paid in euro’s as I am sure you are aware, and the NA always advises you to set up a euro account prior to contracting as this will help to reduce losses incurred due to exchange rates. Any losses incurred as a result of currency exchange will not be covered by the funding. Any bank charges or interest incurred during the project are not covered by the funding and should be absorbed by the promoting organisation. All projects have been approved based on the information provided in your application so any changes to these details will need to be approved by the NA, as already discussed. Any major change to your project which are not approved by the NA will not be covered by Erasmus+ funding.
- I will now discuss eligible expenditure and ineligible costs.
- In order to ensure the smooth running of your project, whether your an experienced LLP/Youth in Action promoter or new to European funding we want to take this opportunity to look at some key areas. Participants As part of the recruitment and selection process you will need to think about whether or not participants have passports. And, if not, how will you resolve this bearing in mind passport costs are not covered by the funding? Also ensure all required visa’s are obtained and applications are made in plenty of time! You will need to ensure all participants have adequate travel insurance to cover them for the duration of the placement and have obtained an EHIC card. You need to ensure all participants meet the criteria set out in your application and fall under the target group. It is also very important that you consider participant withdrawals at an early stage in the project. Will you require a deposit from participants or hold a small amount of the subsistence back to cover any costs incurred as a result of their withdrawal? Participant agreements should also be in place to ensure that all expectations are clearly outlined to avoid problems.
- Decision Makers You should consider if your key decision makers should be included in your preparation meetings? Will the young people have the opportunity to engage with the young people ahead of formal meetings or events?. Partners, Roles and Responsibilities – if applicable You should ensure that channels of communication are good between partners. Make sure you have email addresses and phone numbers for the key contacts at your partner organisation as more often than not there are staffing changes and contact can be lost! It is also important that you finalise meeting content with your partner in advance of the placements to ensure things run as smoothly as possible. Also discuss with your partner any other issues such as health and safety. This is a real issue in the UK as we have strict regulations which often aren’t the same in other EU countries and this can and has cause problems. Start discussions early on – who is repsonsible for health and safety checks the check? when will it be done?. Most importantly, the NA strongly advises you establish partner contracts/ agreements which are signed by both parties at the beginning of the placement. This can be used as a tool to ensure your partners do what is required of them and all roles are agreed at the outset. You may feel you have a good relationship with your partner now but, 2 years is a long time. The organisation may change so it is vital to have a contract/ agreement in place. Please consult the handbook which includes further information about this.
- Partners, Roles and Responsibilities – if applicable You should ensure that channels of communication are good between partners. Make sure you have email addresses and phone numbers for the key contacts at your partner organisation as more often than not there are staffing changes and contact can be lost! It is also important that you finalise meeting content with your partner in advance of the placements to ensure things run as smoothly as possible. Also discuss with your partner any other issues such as health and safety. This is a real issue in the UK as we have strict regulations which often aren’t the same in other EU countries and this can and has cause problems. Start discussions early on – who is repsonsible for health and safety checks the check? when will it be done?. Most importantly, the NA strongly advises you establish partner contracts/ agreements which are signed by both parties at the beginning of the placement. This can be used as a tool to ensure your partners do what is required of them and all roles are agreed at the outset. You may feel you have a good relationship with your partner now but, 2 years is a long time. The organisation may change so it is vital to have a contract/ agreement in place. Please consult the KA3 handbook which includes further information about this.
- Both the NA and you as the promoter are responsible for monitoring the project throughout the lifecycle. I’m going to run through these responsibilities and tell you a little about them. All projects will be subject to monitoring by the NA. Monitoring activities carried out by the National Agency are both a requirement from the European Commission as well as an opportunity for us to provide you with ongoing guidance and support. It is also a way for us to identify good practice and potential case studies. The main way the NA will be able to monitor your project is in the Mobility Tool+. By using MT+ your project officer will be able to see that the project is progressing as expected by checking if information about the mobilities has been completed before a flow is expected to happen. The NA also conducts monitoring calls, monitoring visits and in some cases financial on- the- spot checks. If your project has been selected for monitoring calls your project officer will contact you to organise a schedule. As a promoter, you are responsible for continually evaluating the project and updating your project officer of any changes or developments. Project monitoring should involve checking the financial performance and general performance of the project against the objectives set out in the application. Monitoring will allow you to take action if necessary to ensure that you achieve your objectives.
- The NA is also required by the European Commission to undertake monitoring visits and on the spot checks to a representative sample of organisations each year to ensure that their management of their Erasmus+ projects is satisfactory and within the terms of the grant agreement. These are the two types of visit that the NA could undertake. Monitoring visits On the spot check – during the project lifetime Potentially the NA may be accompanied by other agencies e.g. the European Commission or the UK National Authority You will be given notice of any visits or checks. More information about each type of visit is available in the 2015 Handbook and also in Annex III I’m going to briefly talk about monitoring visits and on the spot checks.
- The UK NA may visit your organisation during the project’s lifetime. The visit is an opportunity for you to take stock of the project achievements and review your progress against the objectives. You will also be able to seek clarification and guidance on any aspect of the project lifecycle. We give you an idea of the kind of areas for discussion in the Handbook. For example: project management, progress and implementation; project partnership (if applicable); recruitment, active involvement and preparation of participants; informal and non-formal learning methods implemented; project evaluation; impact of the project and its sustainability; dissemination; and financial information. The NA will also explore examples of best practice from your project which other projects may benefit from. The information gathered will also form part of our monitoring of the E+ programme as a whole and be used to inform reports produced by the NA. During the visit, the project will be assessed against objectives set out in your original application which forms the basis of the agreement. You will usually be visited by your project officer and another NA representative. The visit will usually last half a working day but may be longer in some instances.
- The NA will also complete on the spot financial checks on project activities during a random sample of monitoring visits. During the check the financial management and record keeping will be looked at to provide assurance on the quality of the activities undertaken and that these were in line with the applicable rules (e.g. eligibility of costs, coherence with approved grant application etc.).ed at to ensure it’s appropriate.
- As the project promoter you are accountable for the implementation of the project and for the use of funds received. Your funding was awarded to you based on the information provided in your 2015 application and as a result you entered into a legally binding contract with the UK NA You will need to work closely with your project partners, if applicable, to implement and evaluate the project. You’ll need to monitor participants and ensure correct duration and timeframes for the meetings as well as ensuring good quality. This should be done in line with the roles and responsibilities of your partners and the profile of your target group of participants that you set out in your application. You’ll need to ensure that the project’s budget is monitored and that you have appropriate financial management systems in place to manage your grant. Updating the Mobility Tool+ efficiently will allow you to monitor your project and highlight any issues, especially with the budget. Effective monitoring throughout your project will allow you to evaluate the project’s progress and success on an ongoing basis. These are just a few examples of what your management responsibilities are, for a more comprehensive list, please refer to the 2015 Handbook
- We’re now going to talk about some of the IT tools you’ll need to use throughout your project and the monitoring and reporting requirements for KA3 projects.
- Most of you, if not all, will be familiar with the Participant Portal. When making your application you will have found it necessary to register on the Participant Portal in order to get a PIC number for your organisation. This is a 9 digit number unique to your organisation. In order to access the Participant Portal you would needed to ensure that you are registered onto ECAS – European Commission Authentication Service. At the application stage you would have uploaded various documentation, including a legal entity form and financial identification form. You will also have entered information about your organisation. As the beneficiary you’ll need to ensure the information about your organisation is kept up to date so you’ll need to be able to access the portal throughout the duration of your project. Your partners will also need to ensure they keep the portal up to date as well. This is a requirement for all project partners. If you need any help to update the information on the Participant Portal, you can refer to the Participant Portal User Guide which you can download from our website.
- The Mobility Tool + is the online management and reporting tool for Erasmus+ projects. Some of you may be familiar with the Mobility Tool from the old Leonardo and Erasmus programmes. You’ll need to use the Mobility Tool+ to update information relating to your project and submit reports to the National Agency. For KA3 projects you are be able to: See all the information about the project Identify participants and mobilities Complete and update budget information Generate and submit final reports You will be sent a copy of the Mobility Tool + User Guide after this event.
- When your project is available in the Mobility Tool+ you will receive an automated email inviting you to access your project. To access your project you first need to log in to ECAS. You’ll need to ensure that the email address you use to login to ECAS is the same email address that you provided for the contact person for your project. This is because access to your project is linked to this email address. When your project is available in the Mobility Tool+ you will receive an automated email inviting you to access your project. You’ll need to access the Mobility Tool+ within 1 hour of receiving this email.
- After logging in you’ll be redirected to the Mobility Tool+ which will have a list of all the Lifelong Learning Programme and Erasmus+ projects for which you’re the contact person. You can use the built-in find function in your internet browser to locate a specific project by pressing Ctrl and F on your keyboard and typing in the grant agreement number. To access the information for that project just click the grant agreement number.
- Your project will open on the project details screen. Here you can see basic information about your project. Above this is a navigation toolbar to allow you to access the different sections of the Mobility Tool+. For KAX projects these sections are: Home, Project Details, Organisations, Contacts, Mobilities, Budget, and Reports. Clicking home will take you back to the list of your projects. Organisations, Contacts and Mobilities each have a drop down menu with options to either display a list of information or add a new entry. I’ll briefly go through these sections now.
- From the organisations drop down menu, the option ‘list organisations’ displays a list of all the organisations involved in your project. This includes your organisation as the beneficiary as well as any partners. This information will already be imported into the Mobility Tool+ by the NA and you should check to make sure all your partners are listed. If any changes are required you should contact the NA.
- Moving onto the contacts section you can see a list of the people involved with the project and their contact details. The contact person and the legal representative from your organisation will have already been imported by the NA. Only the contact person for the project should have access to the Mobility Tool+. If you need to change the contact person you should contact your project officer at the NA rather than adding a new contact to the Mobility Tool+ yourself.
- When you first access your project the Mobilities section will have no information. This is where you need to provide information about the participants, mobilities and budget for your project. Choosing list mobilities will display basic information about each participant and their mobility. From this screen you can also add a new mobility by clicking the green plus symbol. This will bring up a form for you to complete for each mobility. Unlike the Mobility Tool used in the Lifelong Learning Programme, you are not able to create mobilities for different participants at the same time using this form. For large scale projects with a lot of participants you’ll be able to add multiple participants using the import function which I’ll cover shortly. First I want to show you the new mobility form. [switch to MT+] Cover each field of the form.
- The import and export facility allows you to input information about multiple mobilities quickly and easily. This is particularly useful if your project involves a lot of participants and mobilities. The Mobility Tool+ uses the csv format which looks similar to an Excel spreadsheet and can be opened in Excel. The information in this file is coded in a particular way to allow the Mobility Tool+ to understand the data and display it correctly. You’ll need to use the Mobility Data Dictionary to ensure you’re inputting information in the correct format. You can download this directly from the Mobility Tool+. Importing allows you to add new mobilities as well as update information about mobilities you’ve already entered. But you can’t delete mobilities using the import function. This will need to be done on an individual basis through the mobilities section of the mobility tool+. Exporting allows you to see all the information about any mobilities that have been input into MT+. You can also use this exported file to add or update mobilities and then import this back to the mobility tool+
- This is the import – export section of MT+. You download the data dictionary using the link here. Clicking export will prompt you to open or save a .csv file with all the mobilities data that has been input into MT+. If you haven’t added any mobilities when you export the file the only information it will contain is the column headings. You can then use this to input data. To import a file you’ll need to have it saved on your computer and click the browse button. You can then select the file and import it. The table below will show a summary of the times you’ve imported information into the mobility tool+. More information about importing and exporting data is available in the beneficiary user guide.
- As already mentioned, you will need to submit a final report that covers qualitative and financial information about your project. This is a contractual requirement and will trigger the final payment for the project. (The report will need to be submitted within 60 days of the end of the project.) The final report must be submitted after the end of the project and by the date in your grant agreement. As already mentioned, you will be able to access the final report from the mobility tool+. As explained in Annex III, the final report will be assessed, using a common set of quality criteria focusing on: The extent to which the Project was implemented in line with the approved grant application The quality of non-formal learning participative methods used and the involvement of young people during all the stages of the Project The impact on participants and participating organisations The quality of the practical arrangements, management and support (modalities) methods The quality and scope of the dissemination activities undertaken Supplementary guidance on Final Reports will be issued towards the end of your project.
- 2008 economic crisis: youth unemployment, discrimination, social exclusion and poverty Targeting YPWFOs- key pillar of EU work in the Youth field Duty of member states: legal basis of Erasmus+ obliges member states to ensure ‘particular efforts to promote social inclusion and participation of people with special needs or fewer opportunities *Revised strategy: Diversity: ensuring a dual focus, not only on including young people but also on strengthening the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to fully accept, support and promote the differences in society Practical guidance: making information accessible and user-oriented. A more practical success criteria for inclusion and diversity projects. The practical guidance will be communicated through channels and formats such as audio/video, publications, web, social media, etc
- Create a common understanding of those who may be considered as young people with fewer opportunities and a coherent framework of support for the Erasmus+ programme feature &quot;Equity and Inclusion&quot;. 2. Increase the commitment to inclusion and diversity from different actors in Erasmus+: Youth in Action. 3. Reduce obstacles for young people with fewer opportunities to participate in the programme and help applicants to overcome obstacles. 4. Support organisers in developing quality projects that involve or benefit young people with fewer opportunities (e.g. provide training, tools, funding, coaching etc.). Ensure that the focus on inclusion and diversity is present in all stages of Erasmus+: Youth in Action management, including promotion, support for applicants, selection of projects and evaluation and dissemination of project outcomes. 5. Invest in the intercultural and social skills of young people and youth workers as well as their competences to manage and work with diversity in all its forms. 6. Increase the recognition of the experience and skills gained by young people with fewer opportunities in Erasmus+ and by the youth workers working with them.
- GFNAs 3.13.1: In the field of youth, in line with the Inclusion and Diversity Strategy and the European Training Strategy, the NA shall implement a supportive approach towards those organisations, youth workers and young people that aim to access to the opportunities offered by Erasmus+ in the youth field. This supportive approach will be implemented by means of providing training and support to programme stakeholders in order to help them improve the quality of their projects, thus increasing, in the long run, the overall quality of the Programme and contributing, in general, to the development of capabilities of civil society organisations in the field of youth. How? Inclusion Expertise: Appointment of ID Officer – to communicate with Commission, Saltos, other NAs and stakeholders = better communication between NA and stakeholders working on ID projects Able to communicate strategy to staff, project evaluators and selection committees to ensure that they have inclusion and diversity awareness. They will be expected to be attentive to specificities of ID projects and know what extra support is needed. Salto Inclusion and Salto CD will organise network and training events for ID officers Strategic approach: - Development of a national inclusion and diversity strategy - Based on particular situation in a programme country (mapping exercise) and link it to ID strategy – NA can place strategic focus on one or more of the exclusion factors. NA should publicly communicate this strategy and be transparent in granting inclusion and diversity projects Reaching Out: - UK NA should monitor which types of groups with fewer opportunities apply and which groups are not reached well. - UK ID strategy should encourage special efforts to reach out to underrepresented groups - EC, Saltos will develop communication materials and campaigns tailored to specific target groups, to show value of international projects to YPWFO - NAs should liaise with organisations/key persons that are in contact with specific types of YPWFO and multipliers Focus of communication efforts should be on potential impact on lives of YPWFO Supportive Approach: - Aim to provide systematic and tailor made support to organisers of ID projects at all stages of project cycle - A supportive approach to newcomers and less advantaged target groups in order to remove obstacles to participation in the programme NAs will organise training and networking events Documenting results: - ID projects should be documented and showcased for others to learn from and inspire new projects. NAs should keep stats on: - Number of YPWFO that participated in different E+ Youth projects Number of E+ Youth projects on topics related to ID per key action and activity type Making Things Better: NAs are to be closely involved in management of ID projects, keeping in mind obstacles ID organisations face when setting up such mobility projects - Commission with Salto Inclusion and Salto CD will ensure staff of NAs are trained in ID issues
- ID Officer: -coordinates the inclusion and diversity efforts -communicates with other NAs, the Commission, and Saltos (Support , Advanced Learning, Training Opportunities in Erasmus+: Youth) - ID Officer plays a key role in implementing a supportive approach to beneficiaries with fewer opportunities, through promoting ID Strategy, and creation of ID Strategy Plan
- Hello, You will be glad to hear that this is the last presentation for today.
- I will go through the different dissemination activities that can take place, communication resources and talk about additional support and networks available.
- Why Dissemination is important? The main aim is to spread the word about your project’s successes and outcomes as far as possible. It can help raise the profile of your organisation, create new opportunities to extend the project and develop partnerships for the future. Don’t forget that dissemination is a compulsory requirement for your project.
- For this purpose the European Commission has created the Erasmus+ project results platform. Show website with example of a project The thinking behind the platform: - Provide an overview of all the projects financed under the programme, heighten visibility of the various funding opportunities offered, showcase project results and highlight success stories to inspire potential applicants. All projects information will be transferred as soon as the contract enters into force. Result can be inputted all through out the life of the project and will be finalised once the final report has been submitted Information displayed are project summary, details of coordinating organisation, partner organisations if any and of course results. Although not a contractual requirement for KA3 projects it is recommended for visitbility.
- Dissemination through partner, stakeholders and the wider community at local, national and European level. It essentially means communication to targeted audiences using various written materials Website, Newsletters, Press releases, Articles in specialised press and leaflets, Social media, presentations or information sessions to existing network and key stakeholders. It is also important to encourage participants to share with others what they have gained from taking part and inspire others. To make the most out of this opportunity to showcase your achievements you should think about dissemination as an integral part of your project. Refer to what you mentioned in your application form section H.2 Detailed information in Annex II of Programme Guide
- We can help you promote your project in a number of ways: For example: Submit a case studyWe love to hear your project stories and it’s a great dissemination tool to reach a wider audience. Use the case study form you can download from the case studies page on our website. Fill it in and we will edit your case study into a finished article to feature online. Here are some tips to compile a great case study: it’s the small human details that often make a great case study. For example maybe one of your participants applied for a passport for the first time, or they discovered a love of the local food? Please tell us about these extra ‘colourful’ details as well as more factual details about the project as a whole Always supply an image: The image helps convey your story. For example photos on Facebook alone generate 53% More likes than content without images? interview your participants and get quotes To see a recent example of a great case study go to our website: The organisation Peabody recently shared a case study of their Key Action 3 project called ‘relationship status: it’s complicated’. We have featured this in our youth sector brochure, which you can download form the Erasmus+ website. Other ways of promoting these are social media, future publications and our e-newsletter.
- Have you all signed up to our newsletter? Issued on a Monthly basis
- Relevant information about what it means to get involved in an Erasmus+ project as well as documents and guidelines to take you through the Before, During and After stages of a project. Key resources section - Links to our major publications Project management resources like the Erasmus plus programme guide, mobility tool+ guide and European Commission’s Erasmus+ logo and guidance for adding it to your promotional materials and documents for your project. - Project handbooks This is where we will publish reporting templates and guidance. You will also find the FAQ section with many helpful information for example eligible countries to participate in Erasmus+ and ways of finding partners. The Community section will give you information about support networks and key dates of events.
- As you can see the Erasmus+ website also includes our blog. We are always happy to work with guest authors and it’s a great way to reach a wider network. So if you would like to write a guest post then please contact us.In addition We’ve have many social media channels. You may notice some newer channels such as Storify. It captures tweets, videos and other online materials to allow you to tell a story. If you haven’t already seen our Transitions conference storify please take a look. It might also be something that could work well for your own dissemination. We’ve also started using slideshare to display presentations, such as this which we shall upload after this event.
- With over 2,000 followers on twitter, this is our most popular social media channel. It’s also a great way of alerting us to potential news articles and case studies.*Show of hands/stand-up*Q: How many of you use twitter?Q: How many of you follow us on twitter (@erasmusplusuk) Q: How many of you have tweeted us today? (mention people in the room that have tweeted) Why not tweeting us about today ‘@erasmusplusuk’ and we will re-tweet your messages.Remember you can record this type of activity in your final report as a dissemination activity. You can also ‘like’ us on Facebook to receive updates across our channels, and subscribe to our channel on Youtube (including case studies, Erasmus+ annual conference playlist and our 2014 Call stats infographic)
- Other ways we can offer support: Learning Networks initiative intended as a forum for projects to meet, share best practice around particular themes chosen for their relevance to the programme - the three 3 chosen for 2014 are Widening Participation, Measuring Impact and Employability). The last Learning Networks event was in Belfast in May and The next event takes place in Cardiff on December 3 - Learning Networks are open to all funded projects so please contact us if you would like to join. Annual conference – taking place in Edinburgh on September 22 at the John McIntyre Conference Centre. We hope some of you will be joining us for the event. Places are currently full, please contact us to be added to a reserve list. Finally support webinars! Great way to find out more from the comfort of your office/home. As you can see in the picture, our NA staff are on hand to deliver useful guidance. You will find details on our events and webinar page.
- I am now going to talk about 3 additional support networks all specialising in the field of youth. enable NAs to collaborate and share best practice at European level to improve quality and impact of the Erasmus+ programme How can you benefit from TCA: Youth organisations can send staff on training courses to develop their competences, through international training, support and contact seminars in the UK and overseas Selected participants receive 70% reimbursement of travel costs, 100% cover on food and accommodation recent training courses included: The Power of Non Formal Education (Italy), European conference on youth work, social innovation and enterprise (Sweden), EVS for Employability (UK), and many more! For further information see www.erasmusplus.org.uk/transnational-cooperation-activities All training opportunities are advertised through the Salto Youth website: As part of the European Commission&apos;s Training Strategy, SALTO-YOUTH provides non-formal learning resources for youth workers and youth leaders for example finding partner and trainers tools. It organises training and contact-making activities (Check the European training calendar on the Salto Youth website) to support organisations and National Agencies within the frame of the European Commission&apos;s Erasmus+ :Youth in Action programme Khalid who just presented to you is the TCA Project Manager
- Information network supporting the youth sector Active at national level in 34 European countries Many countries also have their own national network; members can discuss projects and find partners online through the Eurodesk intranet portal Eurodesk UK is currently developing its own national network and tools to deliver advice and guidance
- part of the European Commission’s strategy to foster the recognition of non-formal learning. It is available for projects funded by Erasmus+ Youth in Action (2014-2020) tool to visualise and to validate learning outcomes Documents the added value of the project Social recognition of youth work throughout Europe Supports the employability of young people and youth workers