Policy for applications for assistance from Gilchrist Foundation Sports Institution
Gilchrist Foundation Sports Institution Policy for applications for assistance
- The goal of the Gilchrist Foundation Sports Institution is to assist disadvantaged and underprivileged people to have the opportunity to live a more healthy, active and fulfilled life of their choosing by reducing barriers to participation in sport.
- The Foundation relies on evidence that the benefits of sport include:
- the health benefits to the individual of physical activity
- facilitating the building of social wellbeing and friendship
- strengthening balance, coordination and mobility skills
- teaching the individual life skills such as working as part of team, collaborating and planning
- facilitating increased self-esteem through a sense of achievement
- promoting active inclusion by disadvantaged in society
- The Sports Institution will collaborate with local councils, state sporting organisations, universities, schools and government partners to meet its purpose.
Eligibility for Assistance from the Foundation
- Assistance is open to a person who:
- Is under 25 years of age,
- Is an Australian citizen or a permanent resident in Australia,
- Meets one or more of the additional eligibility criteria set out below.
- Geographical isolation (lives outside of an Australian city and is unable to participate or access their chosen sport or a competition at the level of their achievement)
- Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
- Migrant or refugee
- Suffers from poverty or financial hardship (criteria based on data provided by Australian Council of Social Service)
- Is disadvantaged by their circumstances such as family trauma
- Has a disability; and
- Shows merit in their chosen sport and can demonstrate how the Assistance will relieve their needs.
- Assistance is available to provide Recipients with the opportunity to live a more healthy, active and fulfilled life of their choosing by reducing barriers to their participation in sport. Funding might be provided for example:
- To fund lessons with a coach for a period;
- To fund attendance at an intensive camp in a sport in which the applicant shows promise to develop their skills;
- To fund an applicant’s living away from home costs to play a sport in which they show promise for a period of time to develop their skills;
- To fund participation by a coach in further training which that coach will take back to the community;
- To fund a specialist teacher or coordinator to teach sport at an outback school which has no sport teacher.
- Applicants will be required to provide any evidence reasonably requested to confirm their eligibility in accordance with the criteria set out in these Terms.
- The following selection criteria will be used by the Sports Institution:
- meets the eligibility requirements
- likelihood to successfully complete the training or program for which the assistance is sought;
- demonstrated passion for the chosen sport and a strong desire to improve their own knowledge and skills;
- participation in leadership, sport and extracurricular activities at school and in their communities;
- family or other support;
- performance in interview with Foundation;
- other criteria determined by the trustee from time to time
Application process
- The Application form is available HERE.
- Applications must be completed and submitted on this website.
- All information supplied as part of the application process must be true and correct at the time of submission and the Applicant must inform the Sports Institution immediately if any information supplied as part of the application becomes incorrect after the date of submission.
- Applicants may attach any relevant documentation (maximum 6 documents) in support of their application e.g. resume, letters of support, certificates, evidence of eligibility etc.
- The Sports Institution will take all reasonable steps to verify the validity of any application (including an Applicant’s identity, age, place of residence and relevant documentation).
- As part of the application process the Applicant must supply the name and contact details of two personal referees. Referees cannot be family members. Reference checks will be conducted and by providing contact details of a referee, the Applicant consents to this.
- Every Applicant who successfully applies to the Sports Institution for assistance will receive confirmation that their application being received.
Awarding of Assistance
- Assistance is provided to Applicants at the absolute discretion of the Foundation.
- The total amount of Assistance will vary according to the applicant, and the support required based on the application.
- Assistance may be paid directly to the Recipient by electronic funds transfer into their bank account or to the service provider who/ which is providing assistance to the Recipient.
- Assistance might be provided to a Recipient to meet costs associated with them accessing sport including:
- tuition or training costs for a fixed period;
- cost of equipment, uniform up to a total amount;
- contribution towards costs of living away from home up to a fixed amount;
- travel costs up to a fixed amount.
- When an offer of assistance is made, it is the responsibility of the Recipient to accept the offer in writing within the given time period. Failure to accept the offer within this timeframe may result in the offer of assistance being withdrawn at the discretion of the Foundation.
- Recipients must agree to:
- use any Assistance for the purpose it is provided,
- participate in an evaluation process undertaken by the Foundation,
- to provide reports on their progress to the Sports Institution on request,
- to their service provider such as their coach providing reports on their progress to the Sports Institution on request.
- The Sports Institution has discretion to terminate Assistance or not make any further payments at the discretion of the Foundation including if:
- the behaviour of the Recipient is considered to bring the Sports Institution into disrepute;
- the Sports Institution is satisfied that the Recipient has failed to comply with or meet any requirements associated with the grant of Assistance.
- Once terminated, Assistance will only be reinstated at the discretion of the Foundation.
- By applying for Assistance, Applicants agree to participate in all promotional activity (such as publicity and photography) surrounding the awarding of the Assistance, free of charge. Applicants who are awarded Assistance consent to the Sports Institution using their name, likeness, image and/or voice (including photograph, film and/or recording of the same) in any media for an unlimited period without compensation for the purpose of promoting the Foundation.
Liability
- Other than any liability that cannot be excluded by law (including the Australian Consumer Law), The Sports Institution (including its officers, employees and agents) excludes all liability (including negligence), for any personal injury suffered or sustained in connection with the Assistance and any loss or damage (including loss of opportunity), whether direct, indirect, special or consequential, arising in any way out of the Assistance.
- The Sports Institution will collect information to manage applications for a Assistance and the awarding of Assistance to successful Applicants in accordance with its privacy policy. Personal information collected may also be disclosed to third parties with the applicant’s consent or as permitted or required by law.