Agency news
2012.06.07. Meeting with the members of ESF learning network “NET@WORK: A NET FOR EMPLOYMENT”
On 7 June, 2012 the Ministry of Social Security and Labour and the European Social Fund Agency organised a meeting of the members of ESF learning network “NET@WORK: A NET FOR EMPLOYMENT”. A large delegation included the representatives of ESF managing authorities and the implementing bodies from Italy, Finland, Sweden, Slovak Republic, Malta and Bulgaria. The representatives of the Agency made presentations about the activities and the functions of the Agency as well as about the Project monitoring and control system. The participants of the meeting presented the Project management practice of their countries.
More information about the network here.
21-22. 05.2012. Visit of Estonian colleagues
The exchange of good practice with the ESF implementing institutions is one of the objectives of the European Social Fund agency. We are sure that the co-operation with the colleagues from other countries is very useful for the work quality improvement as well as the implementation of new ideas or projects. Traditionally the Agency has good co-operation traditions with the agencies of the Baltic States. In May we hosted a delegation from Tallinn “Foundation Innove“, which is dealing with the social and VET development projects, and Tartu “Archimedes“ – this agency is working with the science field projects.
During two days our guests had the discussions with the representatives of various divisions of the Agency about the specificity of ESF project administration, procurement procedures, organisation of work of the project managers, etc. Estonian Colleagues had an opportunity to get acquainted with the project of Lithuanian Youth Information and Technical Creativity Centre “Young researcher”. The project seeks to create preconditions for motivating and better involvement of young people in the scientific work. The participants of the visit found the project results very interesting.
10.05. 2012. Meeting with the representative of Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
On 10 of May, 2012, the European Social Fund Agency had a visit of Mr. Sokol Beja from the Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr. Beja was interested in the experience of Lithuania’s accession to the European Union and the work of EU support management institutions. During the meeting the activities of ESFA were presented and the possibilities of further co-operation were discussed.
09. 05. 2012. Meeting with delegation from France
On 9 of May,2012, ESFA together with the Ministry of Finance organised a meeting with the delegation from France: Claude Rack (The Ministry of Labour), Francois de Lavergne and Emmanuel Ballerini (TAO evaluation consortium). The representatives of Lithuanian Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Social Security of Labour have attended the meeting.
The meeting participants were introduced to the Data Exchange System which is created for the electronic data exchange between the project promoters and implementing institutions. During the discussions participants of the meeting have an opportunity to compare project data exchange systems being used in the countries as well as the exchange of the experience on Project administration.
8-9.03. 2012. Meeting of the Baltic Sea ESF learning network in Turku
On 8-9 of March in Turku, the meeting of Baltic Sea network was organised. The representatives of the members of the network from Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Lithuania, Finland, Sweden and Germany participated in the meeting. The participants of the meeting discussed the issues related to the EU Baltic Sea Region strategy and the links of the strategy with the ESF.
More information about the network here.
2012.03.14 France Aquitaine region delegation visit of European Social Fund Agency
On 14 March, 2012 The ESF agency received guests from France Aquitaine region – Mrs. Brigitte Babin, deputy director for VET and international mobility and Mr. Alain de Brugiere, Director General of VET department of Aquitaine region Council. The aim of the visit was to discuss opportunities of youth mobility and possibilities of further co-operation in various EU initiatives and the projects. The meeting was a good occasion to exchange views, to familiarisewith working methods as well as good practice in implementing of ESF projects.
26 – 27. 01. 2012. Study visit of the members of the Result Based Management international ESF learning network
On 26 - 27 of January, 2012, the representatives of Belgian European Social Fund Agency and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of Czech Republic visited the ESFA. The visit has been planned as one of the activities of the international ESF learning network on Result based management. Lithuania was represented in the network by the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the European Social Fund Agency. More information about the network here http://www.coprbm.eu/
During the meeting the strengths and weaknesses of Lithuanian ESF administration system for period 2007-2013 were discussed; the good practice in the field of ESF communication, establishment of indicators and external risk management at the level of operational programmes.
08-Sept-2009
Value of Grant Contracts Signed by the Agency Exceeded LTL 1 billion!
We are proud to inform that today, on 8 September, the value of the Grant Contracts signed by the Agency exceeded LTL 1 billion. According to the up to date information the number of the contracts signed is 298, and the value accounts for LTL 1.001.046.502,61, and the allocated funds amount to LTL 919.164.754,67.
We would like to remind you that the projects being developed under Human Resource Development Programme seek the intensity of the population’s economic activity and employability, the encouragement of the quality workplaces’ establishment and equality in the labour market and social life, the expansion of the Lithuanians’ opportunities for a lifelong education and training by facilitating the development of the dynamic knowledge-based society, improving the quality and quantity of the human resources for the research and technological development, increasing Lithuania’s capacity and potential in the research and technological development, as well as the promotion of the administrative capacities and efficiency in public administration.
01-Sept-2009
Agency Joined Support Programme for Afghan Children
A Lithuanian organization Lietuvos Caritas and Lithuanian soldiers participating in a Provincial Reconstruction Team in the province of Ghor make arrangements for the support to the Afghan children under the name of Warm Hats for Afghan Children. The Support Foundation European Social Fund Agency is glad of having an opportunity for joining this nice initiative.
13-Jul-2009
Agency Certified under ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management Standard
In June of the year 2009 the Audit Company Bureau Veritas, UAB performed the assessment of the Agency’s management system, resulting in the certification of the activity field Administration of Projects under the EU’s Support Programme Delegated to the Agency under Quality Standard ISO 9001:2008, and issue of Certificate No 90865A.
18-Jun-2009
Meeting with Dr. Giedrius Viliunas, Secretary of Ministry of Education and Science of Republic of Lithuania
On June 17, 2009 the Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania Dr. Giedrius Viliunas visited the Agency. During the meeting with the Agency’s employees the discussion on issues pertaining to the higher education reform and the correlation with future projects funded by the EU’s Structural Funds was arranged. In his speech the Secretary of the Ministry made an analysis of the following issues: Targets of Higher Education Reform, Consistency of Bologna Process, the EU’s Education and Training Strategy and National Strategic Plans (NSP), NSP Competitive and Target Projects, NSP Project Competition Calendar 2009, Increasing Efficiency of Higher Education Institutions’ Management, and answered the questions of the Agency’s employees.
05-Feb-2009
Agency’s Blood Donation Initiative
On February 5, 2009 the employees of the Support Foundation European Social Fund Agency supported the initiative of the unpaid donation. The medical team of the National Blood Centre gave a ready assent and visited the Agency’s office. Kind and considerate medical team helped to dispel the worries of the first-time donors, and had serious discussions with the experienced ones. It is worth mentioning that even 26 employees of the Agency welcomed the initiative and were able to help those in the hour of need. This nice tradition has been fostered for the several successive years already.
09-Jan-2009
Assessment of Quality of Public Services Provided by Agency
In pursue of the quality assessment of the public services being provided to identify the degree of the service conformity to the needs of the project developers and distinguish any core deficiencies, the Support Foundation European Social Fund Agency arranged an annual survey among the ESF project developers. In the late December of 2008, 635 questionnaires were sent to the ESF project developers. Altogether 131 replies were received. The analysis of the survey data showed the Agency’s activity was given 4.1 points out of 5 possible. The questionnaire contained 17 questions distributed into four groups, i.e. quality of the services provided, competence, communications, and improvement. The best assessment of 4.25 points out of 5 possible was allotted to communications (the scope of the analysis pertained to the availability and behaviour of the Agency’s employees, quality of the information on measures being administered, quality of the new website and initiatives undertaken). The least point of 3.74 was given to the Agency’s capability to conform to the time frames set forth by the contract in implementing its functions of the documentation verification. We show our appreciation to all project developers finding their time to fill in the questionnaires and assisting us in the improvement of the project administration processes, quality of the services, and strengthening our hands in the areas of weakness.
29-Dec-2008
Christmas Charity Project
As every year the Support Foundation European Social Fund Agency’s employees undertook a charitable initiative and collected various stuff – clothes, footwear, toys, books, etc., and presented them to socially disadvantaged people. The charity was intended for Čiobiškis Special Home for Children Education and Care and Širvintos Social Support Centre through the mediation of the Širvintos Child Rights Protection Service. The Service possesses extensive lists containing information about socially disadvantaged and problem families and all those families have received various things granted them by the Agency’s employees.
22-Aug-2008
ESFA Celebrates Six-year Anniversary
On 22 August 2008, it turns six years since the Support Foundation European Social Fund Agency has been contributing to education, improvement and discovery of new opportunities for the Lithuanian people. Through the administration of the programmes delegated to it, the Agency often faces new challenges, rapid development, and novelties, i.e. the number of the supervised projects, personnel, and office area have been constantly increasing and expanding. We make no secret of the particular importance of this year for the Agency, as finally we have entered a new stage of the programming period, our plans have turned into reality, and paperwork has developed into real actions. The passed period has helped the ESFA to grow and mature, to become a reliable, trustworthy, modern, and goal-oriented organization. Therefore, it is an excellent occasion to express our gratefulness to founders, partners, employees, colleagues, applicants and project managers who we have been cooperating with and jointly striving for the achievement of key targets of the Human Resource Development programme during all these years.
12-May-2008
ESF Days in Regions
On 14-27 of May, 2008 the Support Foundation European Social Fund Agency, Ministry of Social Security and Labour of the Republic of Lithuania and Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Lithuania have launched the project and public approach under the name of The ESF Days in Regions. The approach consists of the series of events devoted to the closure of the Lithuanian Single Programming Document (SPD) for the period 2004-2006, i.e. presentation of successfully implemented projects and the results achieved.
