The project “Activating Employment Potentials at the Local Level” aimed to improve employment potentials in the Savinjska region of Slovenia, identified due to high unemployment rates, through a regional financial instrument implemented in conformity with PHARE rules by a Grant Scheme.  The global objective of the project was to support and assist the Slovene administration in the creation of planning and implementation structures and procedures compatible with EU principles and procedures, especially PHARE rules on Grant Schemes.   It also assisted towards the preparation for future European Social Fund interventions in Slovenia. 

The specific objective of the project was to provide assistance in project implementation regarding procedural and organisational issues, monitoring, evaluation and general assistance in the management of the Grant Scheme.  The project contributed to setting up the required implementation structures enabling efficient management of the Grant Scheme. 

Type of services provided

• Assistance and training for the implementation of the Grant Scheme to all actors responsible for the management of the Grant Scheme, in particular to the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs. The assistance was provided during the selection and contracting process and through the implementation phase with an emphasis on the payment flow.
• Support and assistance to the Regional Development Agency in Celje and to the Regional Offices of Employment Service of Slovenia in Celje and Velenje for designing payments and reporting flow responding to the needs of the Contracting Authority, the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs.
• Assistance to design and implement the monitoring system of the Grant Scheme according to the needs of the Contracting Authority.
• Proposals for alternatives on intervention mechanisms (other than grant schemes), designed to fit under ESF requirements in lagging regions.
• Assistance to the regional administration on the preparation of the workshops addressed to the beneficiaries (applicants) of the Grant Scheme.