ESC: Development of European values for Inclusive SocietY

MEH brings together Merseyside based voluntary, private and public sector agencies to promote and generate multi agency and cross sector working around key issues relevant to social inclusion. This is on a local, regional, national and European level. The organisation is recognised by many public and voluntary sector bodies as a key influence in promoting social inclusion on Merseyside. MEH Core Values are: • INCLUSION: We recognise that everyone has something to contribute, embracing their individual talents and skills and empowering them to reach their potential. • INTEGRITY: We attempt trustworthy and competent in the work that we do, so that people have justifiable confidence in us. • INSPIRATION: We aspire to lead, empower and enable people to break new ground, pioneering improvement in social inclusion • COLLABORATION: We develop and work within partnerships which build on everyone’s strengths and engage in open dialogue in pursuit of positive social change. Merseyside Expanding Horizons Ltd (MEH) is an established voluntary and community sector organ-isation working in the field of social inclusion on Merseyside and is a key stakeholder and influential support body. MEH focus on Social Inclusion through partnership to deliver projects supporting dis-advantaged individuals into employment, training and self-employment and social enterprise de-velopment through a wide range of informal learning methodologies. MEH deliver services to ts and support a range of excluded groups. MEH are adaptable and are present at both strategic and grassroots level. MEH has established links with associates, public sector organisations and decision makers working within youth and adult education supporting a number of regional initiatives to support excluded individuals into learning and the labour market At EU and local level, MEH has a wealth of experience in supporting individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds to participate fully in society through learning. We have experience of running volunteer mentoring programmes which support members of the community including ethnic minorities, men, people with mental health problems to develop their skills and competence in employment and self-employment. We have led a variety of programmes over the last 12 years supporting excluded individuals to reach their potential in the labor market, most recently a training course sup-porting older learners, people with mental health and migrant women to develop skills knowledge and competencies to move towards business startup and self-employment. MEH have strong experience in transnational project working - experience includes • Youth exchange • Projects on gender quality and diversity, • Mentoring programmes, • Engaging disadvantaged young people, social inclusion, informal learning, • Supporting Refugees and migrants • Training and validation for disadvantaged learners • Career guidance and counselling. We have developed strong EU partnerships and have experience of developing and adapting inno-vative learning programmes and associated materials We have led and been involved in pro-grammes designed to empower people from disadvantaged backgrounds to achieve their potential through learning including specialist tailored support for women, older people, migrants, BME communities, health, mental health and disability. MEH currently employs 7 core members of staff, within a structure that includes operational and financial management, development, delivery and administration. Staff member have expert experience in EU project and financial management and delivery in various fields such as; non-formal/ informal learning, mentoring, employability and training. Staff members are Prince 2 project management practitioners (www.prince2.com) and PTTLS (City & Guilds Preparing to teach in the life-long learning Sector) trained MEH also has 6 associated members of staff who we employ on a pro-ect basis who are skilled in teaching, training, entrepreneurship, community development, evaluation and research.