Youth Opportunities Program (Round 13) – Australia

Deadline: 15-Jul-24

NSW Government is accepting applications for the Youth Opportunities Program that enable marginalised young people to lead and participate in community development activities.

Program Objectives

• The Youth Opportunities program provides one-off, time-limited grants for new projects that enable marginalised young people to lead and participate in their communities.
• The purpose of Program is to increase marginalised young people’s participation in activities that strengthen their connection and belonging to their communities.
• The Program supports organisations to empower marginalised young people to design and deliver community projects, enabling them to:
  • overcome barriers to participating in the community
  • build community based partnerships and networks
  • feel a greater sense of belonging within their community
  • feel empowered, as their ideas and opinions are respected, considered and acted upon
  • gain relevant training to support their participation
  • feel more confident within themselves and their abilities, having expanded their knowledge and skills
  • be recognised for their efforts as volunteers having given their time to design and deliver community projects
  • seek further opportunities to participate and stay engaged in their community.
• The Youth Opportunities program requires applicant organisations to have spoken with young people and involved them in developing the project proposal prior to submitting a grant application.
• Organisations must also involve young people at every stage of the project – from identifying the need and developing the project proposal through to design, project delivery and final review.
• This program is administered by Department of Communities and Justice.

Funding Information

• Grant amount: From $10,000 to $50,000

Timeframe

• The project should be started by 1 March 2025 and the project must be completed by 30 May 2026.

Eligible Projects

• Projects should focus on giving young people the opportunity to develop a range of skills, including:
  • life skills and healthy behaviors
  • leadership, communication and teamwork
  • event management and planning
  • volunteering opportunities that link young people to further education and training.

Outcomes

• Funded projects are expected to contribute towards the following outcomes:
  • Project Outcomes (short-term)
    • Increased participation in youth-led and youth-driven community activities indicated by
      • the number of youth-led and youth-driven community projects funded per round,
      • the number of marginalised youngpeople directly involved in the planning, design and delivery of the project as volunteers, and
      • the number of volunteer hours spent on the planning, design and delivery of the project.
    • Marginalised young people address and overcome barriers to participation indicated by
      • the number of marginalised young people that attend and participate in events/activities as part of the project.
    • Marginalised young people participate in activities that strengthen their connection to their local community indicated by
      • the number of youth-led and youth-driven community events/activities held as part of the project.
    • Marginalised young people learn a range of skills that strengthen their ability to participate in their local community and support future social and economic participation indicated by
      • the numberof marginalised young people that undergo training (formal or informal) as part of the project.
    • Marginalised young people’s contributions are recognised and valued indicated by
      • the number of recognition activities and events that were held as part of the project.
  • Program Outcomes (medium-term)
    • Marginalised young people feel a sense of choice and control (self-determination) in their lives indicated by
      • the proportion of marginalised young people who report being involved in decision making throughout the project.
    • Marginalised young people feel a sense of connection and belonging to their local communitiesindicated by
      • the proportion of marginalised young people who report feeling a sense of belonging in the place and community where they live and
      • the proportion of marginalised young people who plan to continue to volunteer within their community.

Eligibility Criteria

• Under this Program, eligible organisations are:
  • incorporated not-for-profit community organisations operating in NSW
  • NSW Local Councils
• For the purposes of this program, organisations deemed to be ‘incorporated not-for-profit community organisations’ operating in NSW include:
  • incorporated organisations that are registered and approved as not-for-profit bodies by NSW Fair Trading
  • not-for-profit companies limited by guarantee, registered in NSW (it is preferred but not essential that the applicant organisation in this case holds a valid ACNC registration and/or DGR status)
  • not-for-profit companies limited by shares, registered in NSW (must be non-dividend distributing)
  • associations (registered under the Associations Incorporation Act 2009 with NSW Fair Trading)
  • cooperatives (registered under a relevant Act of Parliament)
  • religious organisations (registered as one of the above or established under an Act of Parliament).

Ineligible

• Commonwealth or State Government agencies
• schools (including Parents and Citizens Associations), a university or TAFE college
• individuals or sole traders
• commercial for-profit organisations
• sub-contractors engaged to manage or deliver the project on behalf of non-eligible organisations

For more information, visit NSW Government.