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Future2 projects & grants program
Future2 Make the Difference! Grants have been awarded for three consecutive years, benefiting community projects working with young Australians who are disadvantaged or marginalised. Read more under Projects & Partnerships.
Prospective applicants for Future2 grants can find grant criteria and application process under Grants program.
Projects & Partnerships
2009 Make the Difference! Grants
Youth off the Streets - Scholarship Program
Time for Kids - Financial Wizards Project
Police & Community Youth Clubs - Music Program
2008 Make the Difference! Grants
Loddon Murray Community Leadership Program
Youth Information & Referral Service - Young Driver Program
Nile United Youth Group
2007 Make the Difference Grants
Search Light Inc - Southside Education financial literacy
Access Mildura
Nile United Youth Group
Future2 National Partnership
Whitelion
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2009 Make the Difference! Grants
Youth off the Streets - Scholarship Program
The Youth off the Streets Scholarship program targets young Australians aged between 14 and 21 years, who are disadvantaged and/or may be disconnected from their families or communities. The scholarships give them a vital boost enabling them to reach their full potential, achieve vocational goals and realise their capabilities.
Previous Scholarship recipient, Shayne, 20, has just completed his second year at university studying a Bachelor of Physical and Health Education. "The scholarship helped me fund all my academic and sporting needs, it helped me continue my education from high school and make a transition to university. It was the backbone of support for everything I did. Without it, I wouldn’t have been able to achieve any of the goals I had set myself” he said.
The program offers opportunities for involvement by financial planners who are FPA members, to provide young people with work experience and training, advice associated with their field of expertise or general mentoring support through various social activities.
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Time for Kids - Financial Wizards Project
Time for Kids - Financial Wizards Project is aimed at the young (16-25 year) parents of children who are receiving Time for Kids respite care and family support services. These young people have been thrust into parenting with limited household management skills and the responsibility of caring for a child without skills or role models to draw on.
10 participants will be able to attend each of the four workshops enabling 40 people together with their partners and children to benefit. They will cover areas such as goal setting and budgeting, household energy use, saving and spending, understanding bills and concessions.
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Working with the SA Chapter of the FPA, individual members will be invited to volunteer for two hours at each of the four workshops to mentor participants as they set up their household budget and develop their goals. FPA volunteers, who are supported by the Time for Kids financial counselor and project leader, will call the participant with whom they are matched one month after the workshop to offer encouragement and support.
“There are also opportunities for FPA members to become volunteer carers for a child from a disadvantaged household”, said Jo Wickes, Time for Kids’ CEO.
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Police & Community Youth Clubs - Music Program
The Police & Community Youth Clubs' Music Program aims to give marginalised under 18 year olds the chance to learn a musical instrument. The participants will come from low-income, high unemployment, predominantly Aboriginal suburbs of Orange where there is a high incidence of drug and alcohol abuse. They will be referred to the program by Police & Community Youth Clubs, youth workers, schools and Juvenile Justice. $4,000 of the grant will go towards three music scholarships for students to attend the Orange Regional Conservatorium and the remaining $6,000 for a new music class to be run over two years.
“It is our aim, through this exciting new program, to give a new music graduate from the Orange TAFE music program access to a teaching opportunity otherwise closed off, and to give the chance to learn a musical instrument to young people for whom it could transform life”, said Peter Roan CFP, a FPA member and key member of the team behind the program.
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| 2008 Make the Difference! Grants |
Loddon Murray Community Leadership Program
www.lmclp.org.au
A $10,000 grant from the Future2 Foundation supported a youth leadership development program in the rural communities of north Central Victoria. The grant went towards scholarships to enable disadvantaged young people to undertake the program.
The Loddon Murray Community Leadership Program has been running since 1996. It is one of 10 community leadership programs operating within Victoria but it is unique in that it covers the largest geographic area in a region that is agriculturally focussed and severely affected by drought, resulting in a generally lower socio-economic base than in other parts of the state.
The 2009 program selected participants from disadvantaged, migrant, indigenous and disabled members of the community. They influence, debated and interacted with more mature members of the community on issues that are important to youth and might otherwise be neglected.
During the year, they participated in skills workshops, met with leaders across the region and took part in field trips to explore innovative projects. Participants are supported by mentors and provided with transport to the program days.
How financial planners are helping
John Daniel, a member of the Financial Planning Association and of the LMCLP board, was a graduate of the LMCLP program in 1998 and supported this grant application to Future2. Today, he contributes to the program’s skills workshops, providing training in budgeting and risk management strategies in relation to community clubs and organisations.
Project outcomes:
Previous participants in this program now form an influential regional network that supports new participants to take on leadership roles. Preliminary results from LMCLP’s 10th anniversary evaluation indicate that some 90% of its 240 graduates believe that the program has had a positive impact on their communities across the north west and central region of Victoria.
With the proposed increased ratio of young people in the program, LMCLP plans to work closely with local government youth officers to ensure that participants are linked in with supportive local groups and relevant community projects relating to young people in rural communities. This engagement will benefit many non-profit and community volunteer organisations.
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Youth Information & Referral Service - Young Drivers Program
www.youth.mackay.net.au
A $5,000 grant supported employment opportunities for socially excluded young people in Mackay, Queensland, by helping them gain their driver licences.
YIRS is a one stop shop for all youth needs in Mackay, with a range of programs designed to remove the barriers that young people face when accessing information in regard to their health and well-being, and about services available in the community. The young people who access these services are between the ages of 16 and 25 and have Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, South Sea Islander, or Caucasian backgrounds. Many are socially excluded and not actively participating in any capacity in the community; they may have experienced family breakdown, abuse, neglect, alcoholism or domestic violence.
The Young Drivers Program is aimed at disadvantaged youth seeking to obtain a learner licence. Once the young person feels confident with their practice test results, YIRS arranges to get him or her to QLD Transport and pays for the test. Funds are used to pay for learner driver permit (18.60), Young Driver Log Kit ($68.40), Birth Certificate ($26) and driving lessons ($60 per hour – to maximum of three). The program started in 2007 and was in danger of being discontinued when initial funding ceased and YIRS had to fund it from community donations. Future2 funding enabled a vital program to continue for a further year.
How financial planners are helping
Frances Easton, a member of the Financial Planning Association Mackay Chapter nominated the project for Future2 funding. Matt Stevens, Chair of the FPA Mackay chapter endorsed the importance of the project to the wider community and hoped that it would open up more opportunities for members of the FPA to work alongside the community for the benefit of those most in need.
Project outcomes
The Young Driver Program assists disadvantaged young people to build their confidence and independence through obtaining a learner’s permit and a licence. They are better able to secure gainful employment, rely less on government benefits, and lead more productive lives in the community. |
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19-year old James Reade from Bendigo during a tour of a Cohuna dairy farm in 2008. Since graduating from the program James has been elected to the City of Greater Bendigo Council, the youngest ever
councillor.
Above: Raymond has achieved his learner licence. Top: Ayesha is undertaking her mock test for the learner licence |
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2007 Make the Difference! Grants
Search Light Inc.
A $10,000 grant from the Future2 Foundation supported the building of financial and life skills among disadvantaged girls attending the Southside Education Centre, a community access school in Brisbane.
Search Light's 'Future2 Financial Success' project was a two-year pro bono and outreach project aimed at girls in Years 10-12. The girls are alienated from their families and from mainstream education. Many are the victims of sexual or physical abuse, most live in poverty; some are juvenile offenders, or are in care and protection. Fifty percent of students identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders. One in four of those in Years 10-12 are mothers. The school works to prevent, intervene and re-engage girls in the community.
With Future2 funding, the project was able to bring a paid financial counsellor into school once a week to assist 60 girls (Years 10-12) with financial literacy. Healthy living sessions were run and a co-op set up to sell basic food items and other essentials to the girls. A series of financial literacy workshops were run by the Smith Family during semester 3 2008 , covering budgeting, money saving tips and budgeting on a limited income.
How financial planners are helping
The grant application was submitted by the Financial Planning Association's Brisbane Chapter, which is providing support to the newly-funding project in a number of ways. These include:
- Identifying a financial counsellor to guide and mentor the girls. From mid July 2008, FPA member Annie Sperling of Lifeline had weekly sessions at the college, helping the girls individually with a range of financial questions.
- Arranging for expert speakers to contribute to the girls' financial education sessions
- Brokering better deals for students with financial institutions
- Distributing project information to FPA members in Brisbane, some of whom will give their time to help the girls with financial issues
Project outcomes
The project has helped the girls develop their financial knowledge and skills and levels of financial stress were reduced as a result of expert counselling. Healthy living sessions developed important life skills for the girls and the co-op shopping facility, opened in July 2008, enabled the girls to better look after themselves and their children. The involvement of elders and others in the community made it easier for girls to withstand pressure from family members to give them money.
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Access Mildura
Future 2 awarded a $10,000 grant to Access Mildura, an innovative and progressive disability organisation offering training courses - in fields such as retailing, catering, gardening, and domestic and commercial cleaning - for disadvantaged and disabled young adults.
Access Mildura used the money to set up a new retail training facility to expand the employment opportunities of young people whose disabilities make it hard to get and retain work. The grant funded the purchase of cash registers, touch screens, a computer and software and furniture. Availability of practical retail experience for trainees enabled Access Mildura to expand its retailing courses to include certificates 3 and 4, so increasing job opportunities for successful students.
How financial planners are helping
The Sunraysia Chapter of the Financial Planning Association submitted the grant application for Access Mildura. Philip Shugg, a financial planner and FPA member, carried out a feasibility study of Access Mildura’s future directions including possible relocation of premises, together with the financial requirements and funding possibilities of such a move. He has acted as both mentor and adviser. Another FPA member, Lyn Thompson is helping to raise the funds to make the relocation possible. The FPA Sunraysia Chapter helps to spread awareness of Access Mildura's important work in the community.
Project outcomes
The program has helped to build the confidence and self esteem of marginalised young people in Mildura and wider Sunraysia region. It enable some of them to enter mainstream employment in the retail sector, so that less young people rely on social security and can be self-reliant and make a contribution to the community.
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Magdalene Centre's Nile United Youth Group
Future 2 awarded a $5,000 grant to the Magdalene Centre, a cooperative venture in Adelaide between St Mary Magdalene’s Moore Street, St Peter’s Cathedral and Anglicare SA, for the development of a new project to assist young Sudanese immigrants. The Centre provides a wide range of services to help the socially isolated, homeless, those suffering addictions, or who are disabled, living in poverty and discriminated against. They come from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and their needs are often complex.
Fifty to sixty young Sudanese who are new to Australia, have limited income and varying levels of English language skills benefitted from weekly meetings where they received peer support and mentoring and participated in social and living skills activities. A structured year-long program was designed to address their specific needs in areas such as cooking, shopping to a budget, saving techniques, dealing with bills and rental agreements, health and nutruition.
In 2009, a second Future2 grant ($10,000) was made to enable the further development of the Nile United Youth Group for boys and establishment of a similar network for the girls, who for cultural reasons cannot participate with the boys.
How financial planners are helping
Through a link with the South Australia Chapter of the Financial Planning Association, financial planners helped to build financial skills in areas such as budgeting, saving and understanding financial contracts. The FPA SA Chapter gave its support to the second grant application, believing that the project had quickly demonstrated its capacity to help the boys develop links with people and organisations beyond the Sudanese community and to more readily adapt to their new lives.
Project outcomes
As well as acquiring living skills, up to 60 young Sudanese have become more involved in the wider community. In essence, the project has given them a better chance at life in a new country.
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Young Sudanese refugees develop Aussie skills on the BBQ during a break in soccer training
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A Future2 National Partnership
Whitelion
Future2 and Whitelion are working together to bring mentoring, employment and outreach opportunities to young offenders and those at risk of custody. Whitelion is a community-based youth foundation which is working to reconnect disadvantaged 'hard end' young people with the community. Whitelion opens doors to opportunities, relationships and community for young people involved in the Youth Justice System or at risk of involvement. Whitelion has a range of programs aimed to give participants positive life experience and to encourage behavioural change.
In November 2007 Future2 trustees committed to discussions with a view to a more formal partnership arrangement with Whitelion, believing that Future2 can help to create awareness of Whitelion's work through the Financial Planning Association and its members. Through its partnership with Whitelion, Future2 - with support from the FPA membership - could help severely disadvantaged young people from out-of-home care and the justice systems with jobs, mentoring and financial skills.
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Grant programs
The Future2 Foundation was established to provide Australians in need with a second chance.
A key aspect of Future2's work is accomplished through grants to organisations that reach out to the disadvantaged.
All grants are made at the sole discretion of Future2 Foundation, based on its evaluation of individual applications, its determination of relative priorities, and the availability of funds. The Foundation reserves the right not to award any specific grant for any reason, or for no apparent reason, no matter how deserving the proposed project may be or closely the requester has followed the guidelines and procedures. |
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Focus areas
The Foundation supports initiatives that further its mission to support the financially under-privileged and to enable the financial planning profession, and others linked to it, to give back to the community from which they draw their livelihoods.
We aim to contribute to projects and programs which give a second chance and hope for a better future to Australians trapped in difficult financial circumstances.
| We seek to support programs and projects that: |
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are targeted to disadvantaged and those in society who have special needs; |
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focus on young people aged 18-24 |
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operate on a regional or nationwide basis; though local projects that have potential for wider application may also be considered; |
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able to demonstrate results; |
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involve financial planning professionals in some capacity, eg, as community volunteers or in pro bono activity |
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are collaborative in nature, with non-profit organisations working, for example, with social service and youth agencies or community-based adult education centres. |
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Future2 Make the difference! Grant program
Future2 will from time to time launch specific grant programs. The first program of this type invited applications for the Make the Difference! Grants from Chapters of the Financial Planning Association on behalf of local charities and community groups.
Three grants were awarded for 2007 and 2008. A further round of Make the Difference! Grants opens to applications in May 2009 and closes 31 July 2009.
Click to download the Grant guidelines and Inquiry form.
Click here for more on the funded projects.
How to apply
1. Eligible applicants should complete and submit an Inquiry form, online or by mail.
2. Applicants whose Inquiry has been approved by the Grants Committee will be invited to submit a full proposal within 30 days.
Application timeline
| Inquiries to be received by |
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31 July 2010 |
| Grants Committee decision by |
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31 Aug 2010 |
| Applicants informed of decision by |
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15 Sept 2010 |
| Applicants invited to submit a full proposal by |
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15 Oct 2010 |
| Acknowledgement of proposal / outstanding queries to applicant by |
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30 Oct 2010 |
| Decision notified in writing to applicants by |
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15 Nov 2010 |
Applicants are asked to refrain from contacting the Future2 Foundation about status of their request.
Please send enquiries to info@future2foundation.org.au
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