Introduction

In 2007, the ACT Government established the ACT Audrey Fagan Scholarships Program in memory of the ACT’s first female Chief of Police. Ms Fagan was a strong supporter of women in leadership roles and also a generous mentor to young women.

The Scholarships Program aims to develop the skills and expertise of ACT women to increase their participation in decision-making and leadership roles.

The Audrey Fagan Young Women’s Enrichment Grants Program (Enrichment Grants) is a component of the Scholarships Program and honours Ms Fagan’s support and mentoring of young women.

Aim

Enrichment Grants provide young women aged 12 to 18 years with an opportunity to receive support to develop a project that will assist them to achieve their goals. Funding can contribute to costs such as equipment, forums, courses, and travel expenses to activities.

Enrichment Grants aim to inspire young women to enhance their skills and knowledge within their area of interest. It provides an opportunity for young women to make decisions, take responsibility, or initiate projects in collaboration with an experienced mentor of their choice.

Priority Areas

Applications which demonstrate an active focus on achieving their individual goals will be viewed favourably.

Funding Requirement

Eligible applicants may submit only one (1) application.

If you are not sure if your idea fits and you wish to discuss your proposal please contact Office for Women via email women@act.gov.au

Available Funding

A total of $10,000.00 (GST exclusive) is available in the 2021 funding round.

Applications are capped to a non-recurrent grant up to $2,000.00 (GST exclusive).

Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility
To be eligible for an Audrey Fagan Young Women’s Enrichment Grant, applicants

must meet the following criteria:

1. be a young woman aged between 12 - 18 years of age (the year the grant is applied for)
2. a resident of the ACT; and/or attend an ACT school; or being home schooled in the ACT
3. have the support of a mentor (refer to 6.3 Mentor)
4. have not received an Enrichment Grant or Youth Interact Scholarship in the past two (2) years
5. priority will be given to young women from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background, cultural and linguistically diverse backgrounds and/ or in receipt of an Australian Government Health Care Card
6. grants will be restricted to projects and programs within Australia
7. complete all questions
8. submit application by 5pm on 26 July 2021.

Please note: previous unsuccessful applicants of the Audrey Fagan Young Women’s Enrichment Grant are welcome to apply.

Parent/Guardian Permission

Applicants must obtain permission from their parent/guardian before submitting their application.

Mentor

To be eligible for an Audrey Fagan Young Women’s Enrichment Grant, applicants must have the support of a mentor.

If you are having difficulty identifying a mentor, please contact the Office for Women via email at women@act.gov.au.

The mentor’s role
A mentor should provide guidance and support to help you develop and undertake your project and be available to support you throughout the life of your project.

A mentor should not be paid additional funds to provide the mentoring role to the applicant outside of their normal duties; such as teaching or coaching.

Together you and your mentor should design a project to meet your needs, providing a learning experience to increase your self confidence and encourage development of a plan that includes goals, tasks, review and reflection opportunities to assist you to achieve your project aim.

This may be as simple as identifying an activity/project you’d like to participate in over the next six (6) to 12 months and being clear on the steps required to meet your goal.

Your mentor will be required to provide a one-page report about how their mentoring role supported you to achieve your goals – what was effective, what were the challenges and the lessons learnt.

How to choose a mentor
The mentor would be someone you respect and who is able to help you with your goals in a particular area. You may choose to talk to a person with expertise in your area of interest or to build on an existing relationship you have with your:

1. teacher
2. coach
3. professional in chosen field
4. supervisor
5. manager

Benefits a mentor can provide
Examples of the benefits a mentor can provide you are:

1. learning opportunities providing exposure to new ideas and ways of thinking
2. transference of knowledge
3. networking opportunities
4. development of management, leadership and communication skills to enable better career prospects
5. increased confidence and self esteem

Funding can be used for:
Examples of proposals that will be considered for an Audrey Fagan Young Women’s Enrichment Grant funding are:

1. pay tuition, fees, or books (does not include school fees)
2. specialist equipment
3. registration costs for an activity/project
4. accommodation costs for the activity/project
5. travel expenses to an activity/project

Please note: the maximum grant funding available is $2,000. If the cost of

participating in the activity/project is more; you will need to show how the additional costs will be met