Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1528582
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 27 OCTOBER 2024 9 COMMERCIAL Servizzi Ewropej f 'Malta – Promoting EU funds for employment and social innovation locally IN today's rapidly evolving world, technological advances and changing demographics are significantly affecting how Eu- ropeans live and work. The Eu- ropean Union (EU) recognises the need to address these chal- lenges and is committed to pro- viding the necessary funding to help Member States respond ef- fectively. At the heart of the EU's efforts is the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), the primary tool for investing in people. Within the ESF+, the Employ- ment and Social Innovation (EaSI) funding strand plays a key role. With a budget of €762 million for the 2021–2027 peri- od, EaSI supports projects across all Member States that focus on critical policy areas: employ- ment and skills development, labour market mobility, social protection, active inclusion, and improving working conditions. SEM as the National Contact Point for EaSI To increase awareness and un- derstanding on the EaSI funding strand locally, Servizzi Ewropej f'Malta (SEM) serves as the Na- tional Contact Point for EaSI. As a National Contact Point, SEM is responsible for promot- ing EaSI's EU-wide initiatives and results locally. Additionally, SEM is tasked with ensuring that potential Maltese beneficiaries such as NGOs, social partners, educational institutions, private enterprises, regional and local councils and government enti- ties are fully aware of the fund- ing opportunities that they can benefit from the EaSI funding strand. SEM has created a compre- hensive section on its website dedicated to EaSI. This includes detailed information on the funding strand, current open calls, examples of successful projects, and related updates from the European Commission. This information is available in both English and Maltese and is aimed at encouraging more indi- viduals and organisations to take advantage of the funding oppor- tunities offered by EaSI. Earlier this year SEM under- took a comprehensive media campaign to raise awareness about EaSI. Our representatives have appeared on various tele- vision and radio programmes to discuss the benefits and oppor- tunities EaSI offers, as well as to highlight our ongoing promo- tional activities. Additionally, SEM has been running an active social media campaign on differ- ent platforms, where we share regular updates and important deadlines related to EaSI, effec- tively engaging with a diverse and younger audience. SEM Supporting Potential Ben- eficiaries As National Contact Point, SEM is committed to support- ing potential applicants in sub- mitting high-quality proposals to secure EaSI funding. In April, SEM held an information and training event on how to devel- op competitive project propos- als and how to navigate both the application and implementation processes. This allows partic- ipants not only to gain more knowledge on EaSI but also on the process involved to apply and implement projects under this funding strand. A similar event is scheduled for Thursday November 7, 2024, between 8:15 and 13:30 at SEM's premises, 280, Republic Street, Valletta. To register, vis- it SEM's website at sem.gov.mt, click on the Engage icon at the top of the homepage and select Events from the provided drop- down menu. Once in the Events section, find the event titled In- formation and Training Session: Employment and Social Innova- tion (EaSI). For further information on Ea- SI and SEM's assistance, please contact SEM on 27797300 or easi.sem@gov.mt.