Feature: ESES City Regional Deal

ESESCommunities.org is our online community benefits portal, matching communities and good causes with suppliers and businesses in the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal area.

Our portal is part of IRES (Integrated Regional Employability and Skills), a change programme that has successfully brought partners together, created regional strategic direction, and initiated enabler projects that enhance collaboration.

“On behalf of our amazing projects and partners, we bring you the latest IRES Impacts Document, showcasing both the local and regional impact the programme is making across Edinburgh and South East Scotland and beyond.

This annual publication brings together headline stats and inspiring stories of how our Deal is making a difference, from tackling poverty stigma to embedding social value in procurement. It also acts as a one-stop shop for information about all seven projects and includes free resources for employers, educators, and learners.”

Here are just a few of the exceptional achievements:
✅ Exceeded our headline targets 2 ½ years ahead of schedule
✅ Secured £11.2m of additional funding representing a 55% uplift on government investment
✅ Delivered 127,000 skills improvements
✅ Achieved over 8,300 job outcomes
✅ Supported 622 people to progress in their career

You can read the IRES Impacts Document for April 2025 here.