OFFICE OF NON-GOVERNMENT

SCHOOLS AND SERVICES

MINISTERIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE: MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION (MEC)

Schools in Community Festivals

Grant Program
Guidelines for festivals held before 30 June 2015
THEME: Youth Voice
Closing date: Friday 21 November 2014
Please read the Guidelines carefully before completing this Application Form

ABOUT THIS PROGRAM

The Schools in Community Festivals (SCF) Grant Program is administered
by the Multicultural Education Committee (MEC) on behalf of the Minister
for Education and Child Development.
Funding is available to community organisations to engage schools and
childrens services in the cultural life of festivals in our community by
further developing or implementing a school/childrens service
participation component. The participation component of the festival will
focus on the theme Youth Voice.
The SCF Grant Program encourages cross cultural interaction between
communities and schools/childrens services and allows young people to
participate in and enjoy the cultural richness of a variety of community
festivals in South Australia. There are two aspects to the participation
component of a festival.
Aspect 1: preparatory activities prior to the community festival. The
culture/s of the festival organising community to be shared with students
from a cross section of schools/childrens services by cultural workers:
these people visit schools/childrens services in a pre-festival period.
Students participate in classroom activities conducted by cultural
workers e.g. writing (create recipes, food, poems, songs, cook books)
arts & crafts (posters, paintings, drawings, photography) performing
arts (music, dance, drama, and puppetry) or leisure (games, sports,
recreational activities).

OFFICE OF NON-GOVERNMENT
SCHOOLS AND SERVICES
MINISTERIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE: MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION (MEC)
Aspect 2: participation by students/children at the community festival.
The material developed in workshops led by cultural workers prior to the
festival is presented at the festival in conjunction with interactive
workshops for students/children or performances by students/children.
GRANT OBJECTIVES of the school/childrens service participation
component:

To promote the sharing of cultural traditions in South Australia's

multicultural society by supporting the involvement of schools and
childrens services in community festivals

To promote cross cultural learning through active participation

between schools, childrens services and culturally diverse
communities in South Australia

To promote the development of culturally and linguistically diverse

communities by supporting community organisations to initiate,
plan and share activities that reflect, renew and inspire further
learning of their cultural heritage and practices

To promote cultural diversity through school participation in arts

related activities and practices.
GRANT OUTCOMES of the school/childrens service participation
component:

Community Partnerships with schools and childrens services

Increased understanding of culturally diverse communities cultures,

including heritage, traditions, values and beliefs

Partnerships between schools/childrens services and communities

to communicate ones culture through arts related activities and
practices.
FESTIVALS Community Festivals will:

be a minimum of one day of celebrations with a variety of artistic

and cultural activities related to the above theme

reach a wide cross section of South Australias community

The School/childrens service Participation Component will:

involve students / children from a variety of linguistic and cultural

backgrounds
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?
Community organisations with a one day festival
School/childrens service Participation Component and that

that

has

OFFICE OF NON-GOVERNMENT
SCHOOLS AND SERVICES
MINISTERIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE: MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION (MEC)

have discussed the MEC Schools in Community Festivals Grant with

the MEC Office

are an incorporated community organisation registered in South

Australia or if not incorporated, will need to join with another
incorporated body that will apply for the grant

are a not-for-profit organisation

have an Australian Business Number (ABN).

For any further assistance contact the office for Consumer & Business Affairs:
Phone: 1300 138 918 or visit the website: www.ocba.sa.gov.au

WHO IS NOT ELIGIBLE TO APPLY?

Community organisations that:

have not complied with the funding conditions of a previous MEC

Grant
involve only the participation of the communitys ethnic school in
the community festival
hold a festival that is not open to a wide cross section of South
Australias community

APPLICATION SUPPORT
Please contact the MEC Executive Officer for further information or
assistance in completing an application form. Contact details provided on
the last page.
FUNDING
Funding is available for the School/childrens service Participation
Component of the Festival only.
The incorporated community organisation holding the community festival
or sponsoring the community festival is responsible for the administration
of the grant and meeting all grant conditions.
A maximum of $3,500* is available for schools and childrens services to
participate in community festivals.
* Note: Subject to availability of funds by Office of Minister for Education and Child
Development.

OFFICE OF NON-GOVERNMENT
SCHOOLS AND SERVICES
MINISTERIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE: MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION (MEC)
Applicants should:

lodge an application at least four weeks prior to the festival taking

place

prior to lodging an application, make contact with as many schools

and childrens services as possible to obtain an indication of their
interest in participating in the community festival

ensure that there is a minimum of three (3) schools including at

least one childrens services with students and children from diverse
cultural and linguistic backgrounds involved in the school
participation component of the community festival

explore support from languages associations, ethnic schools, and

visual or performing arts groups within their community

develop a clear cultural education program that includes a range of

activities see examples above

ensure that a range of community members is involved in the

creative process and implementation of the school participation
component of the festival.
APPLICANTS WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED A MEC GRANT
SHOULD:

identify at least two (2) new schools/childrens services that will

participate in the community festival in the current grant round
identify in the application how the school participation component of
the festival has been further developed and enhanced

FUNDING WILL NOT BE PROVIDED FOR:

equipment or hire of equipment that will be used for purposes other

than the school participation component of the festival
musical instruments
costumes
outdoor cooking equipment
kitchen/cooking utensils
offsetting the general costs of the festival

HOW TO INVOLVE SCHOOLS AND CHILDRENS SERVICES

The most effective way to involve students and children in your
community festival is by directly approaching schools/ childrens services.
Prior to lodging a grant application, it is important to make contact with

OFFICE OF NON-GOVERNMENT
SCHOOLS AND SERVICES
MINISTERIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE: MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION (MEC)
these schools and childrens services to obtain an indication that they are
interested in participating.
This process will assist organising committees to:

liaise with schools and childrens services about the community

festival
involve a wide cross section of schools and childrens services in the
festival
effectively plan the project and accurately estimate the amount of
funds required.

CULTURAL WORKERS / PERFORMERS

Cultural workers and performers play an essential role in organising and
delivering the school participation component, both through preparatory
activities prior to the community festival and in supporting the
participation of students/children at the community festival.
Festival organising committees need to identify and liaise with suitable
cultural workers and performers (eg musicians, dancers, theatre
performers, writers, poets or other individuals who have the relevant
artistic and cultural skills and abilities to enrich the schools program).
Points to consider:

criminal
history
screening
clearance
is
required
for
volunteers/cultural workers visiting schools

cross cultural learning in participating schools/childrens services

can be recognised by sending certificates of participation
SCHOOL CULTURAL PRESENTATION AT THE FESTIVAL
Festival organising committees will negotiate with schools/childrens
services for the most effective way to display the shared cross cultural
skills (e.g. through cooking, exhibition, performance).
GST REGULATIONS (in relation to receiving grants)
When completing an application, community organisations are required to
provide MEC with the following information:

Australian Business Number (ABN)

OFFICE OF NON-GOVERNMENT
SCHOOLS AND SERVICES
MINISTERIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE: MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION (MEC)

Status of the community organisation: profit or not-for-profit

organisation

GST status: Whether your organisation is registered for GST

Small not-for-profit organisations whose annual turnover is less than
$150,000 are not required to register for GST. (Please contact the
Australian
Taxation
Office
on
132866
or
go
to http://www.abr.gov.au/ABR_BC/ for help applying for an ABN or if you
are unsure of your community organisations GST status)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS AND FUNDING CONDITIONS
The Minister for Education and Child Development provides the funding
for
schools
participation
in
community
festivals
based
on
recommendations submitted by MEC.
The President / Chairperson / Executive Director of the Community
Organisation must:

use the Grant allocated only for the school participation component
of the community festival
ensure that the Minister for Education and Child Development, the
Multicultural Education Committee (MEC) and the South Australian
Government (with the government logo that will be sent to all
successful
organisations
on
request)
are
appropriately
acknowledged at any official opening of all related events and in any
publication, poster, and promotional material
invite the Minister for Education and Child Development and the
Chair of the Multicultural Education Committee to the event
return to MEC all unspent funds
comply with all information in the Grant Acceptance Form
provide a full Financial Accountability and Acquittal Statement
(including complete receipts) and a Final Report

*Failure to comply with the above funding conditions will result in the Community
Organisations being ineligible to apply for future MEC funding until they have acquitted a
previous grant and complied with the conditions of accepting that grant.

FINAL REPORTS
The Community Festival organising committee will provide (using MEC
templates):

OFFICE OF NON-GOVERNMENT
SCHOOLS AND SERVICES
MINISTERIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE: MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION (MEC)

a Final Report, completed after the community festival has been

completed, that may include pictorial representation and multimedia
resources

a Financial Accountability and Acquittal Statement.

The two reports will assist with the evaluation of future grant programs
and may assist other community groups with applications.
PROCESS FOR ASSESSMENT OF APPLICATIONS

Applications will undergo a preliminary assessment for eligibility by

the (MEC) Secretariat.
Applications will then be considered by the Multicultural Education
Committee panel and recommendations made to the Director Policy
Coordination, Office of Non-Government Schools and Services.

ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
The Multicultural Education Committee panel will assess applications on
the quality of the information provided and the extent to which the school
participation project meets the objectives and outcomes of the SCF Grant
Program.

OFFICE OF NON-GOVERNMENT
SCHOOLS AND SERVICES
MINISTERIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE: MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION (MEC)
Schools in Community Festivals
Applications for festivals held before 30 June 2015
The closing date for applications is Friday 21 November, 2014.
For festivals held before this date, applications must be submitted at least
four weeks prior to the event.

All applications must be signed before submitting a hard copy or email.

Completed applications should be sent to:
The Executive Officer
Multicultural Education Committee (MEC)
Office of Non-Government Schools and Services
GPO Box 2370
Adelaide SA 5001
Website: www.mec.sa.edu.au
Tel: 8226 1191

E-mail: decsmec@sa.gov.au
Fax: 8226 1616