This year the Youth Development and Support Program will focus funding on projects under the theme ‘Youth arts and creative enterprises’. Applications should demonstrate how the projects will enable young people to engage in the arts and creative enterprises.

The Australian Government established the Youth Development and Support Program to provide funding for development opportunities for young people in Australia aged between 12 and 25 years.

The Government has committed $500,000 under the Program to fund initiatives that inspire and encourage young people to engage with government and their community, and help them develop skills and connections within their communities.
Through the Program, the Government will provide funding to eligible non-government, not-for-profit organisations to deliver a range of community-based, and National Youth Organisations, small-scale projects that will involve productive participation and encourage social inclusion of young people.
Eligible organisations will be able to apply for the level of assistance appropriate to the scale and scope of the proposed project under two streams of funding:

• Stream 1 –supporting Community-based Organisations
• Stream 2 – supporting National Youth Organisations.

Goals

Stream 1

Community-based Organisations may seek funding support to:

• inspire young people in Australia to recognise and achieve their full potential and to be active citizens;
• support the development of young people and their transitions to independence and adulthood;
• support opportunities for young people and local youth organisations to engage with the Australian Government’s youth initiatives such as the National Strategy for Young Australians and the Australian Youth Forum; and
• promote positive perceptions of young people as respected young citizens in their communities.

Stream 2

National Youth Organisations may seek funding support to:

• inspire young people in Australia to recognise and achieve their full potential and to be active citizens;
• to engage with young people in a number of communities and to communicate best practice models of engagement;
• support opportunities for young people and national youth organisations to engage with the Australian Government’s youth initiatives such as the National Strategy for Young Australians and the Australian Youth Forum; and
• promote positive perceptions of young people as respected young citizens in the wider community.

Funding

A total of $500,000 is available to support eligible organisations to deliver projects for implementation in 2011-12.

Organisations applying under Stream 1 of the 2011-12 YDSP Funding Round, can apply for grants of up to $40,000 GST exclusive. Organisations applying under Stream 2 of the 2011-12 YDSP Funding Round, can apply for grants of up to $70,000 GST exclusive.

It is anticipated that the majority of the grants made as part of the Program will be around $15,000.

Who is eligible to apply?

Program funding is available to organisations only. Program funding will not be paid to individuals.

In order to apply for Program funding, an organisation must be:

• non-government, and
• not-for-profit, and
• a company or an incorporated association.

NOTE: The following entities are NOT ELIGIBLE to apply for, or receive, Program funding:

• bodies that are not legal entities
• government organisations and entities (including local government councils)
• individuals
• for-profit organisations
• schools
• publicly funded vocational education and training providers (eg. TAFEs)
• higher education providers.

The YDSP is only providing grant funds to non-government, not-for-profit organisations as these are the organisations that are experiencing a reduction in investment income, corporate funding and support from philanthropic trusts and foundations. These same organisations are the ones that Australians who are under greater financial pressure as a result of the economic climate, are turning to. In harsh economic times it is often the young people in our communities who are the most affected.

Eligible Projects Types

Generally, this year’s theme for funding, ‘Youth arts and creative enterprises’, includes, but is not limited to, the following areas:

• music and performing arts
• film, television and radio
• interactive and digital media
• writing, publishing and print media
• design
• visual arts and
• cultural collections and not-for-profit collecting institutions (such as galleries, museums and libraries)

Useful Information

YDSP 2011-12 Application Form
( PDF 728KB | RTF 456KB)

YDSP 2011-12 Guidelines
( PDF 1MB | RTF 538KB)

YDSP 2011-12 Frequently Asked Questions
( PDF 169KB | RTF 140KB)

YDSP 2011-12 Draft Funding Agreement
( PDF 939KB | RTF 824KB)

Previous Succuessful Projects

2010-11

( PDF 266KB | RTF 68KB)

General feedback on Youth Development & Support Program 2010-11 applications
( PDF 324KB | RTF 156KB)

2009-10

( PDF 30KB | RTF 70KB)

Additional Funded Projects
( PDF 33KB | RTF 48KB)

Applications close 27 May 2011.