The Student Wellbeing Action Grant (SWAG) is a helping hand program. It is designed to support schools participating in the Living Ripples process to meet a specific identified or urgent need resulting from the Survey and Action Plan process. The Board is aware that schools have a wellbeing budget but at times, this does not meet what a school requires. It is expected that the Student Wellbeing Action Grant amount is a proportion of the total amount required. Typically a SWAG is a smaller grant with grants awarded being between $1,000 to $3,000 (excluding GST) but this is not prescriptive, rather an indication based on our recent grant rounds.

Schools can apply every year they are in the Living Ripples process.

Schools can apply for a SWAG based on their Resilience Survey findings and Student Wellbeing Action Plan process. This may be for a program, a service, professional learning or any other assistance aligned to the school’s overall wellbeing goals for their students. Capital and building works related projects are unable to be supported.

Schools are invited to select a solution that is most likely to achieve their school’s aim. Living Ripples works with a number of providers that reflect each of the eight elements of the Resilience Survey because the Living Ripples process is about creating transformational change for young people in a way that is long term, sustained and locally led, so is our approach connecting schools and providers. The provider organisations have undergone due diligence by the Living Ripples team and alongside the services, tagged to the focus areas within the Action Plan process, and their commitment and processes in maintaining regular connection with the schools where they partner for delivery over time.

If a school has nominated another program provider/ service organisation, please detail the reasons in the application form. Living Ripples will contact the provider for them to complete an expression of interest.

For schools that are successful in being awarded a Student Wellbeing Action Grant, schools receive a letter from Living Ripples following the Board’s assessment. Included in the letter is a request for the school to raise an invoice for Living Ripples with the amount specified. As soon as the school invoice is received it will be processed, best to allow a couple of weeks.

Grant requests are assessed based on the quality of the application prepared by the school. Schools are encouraged to clearly describe the wellbeing priority that the grant seeks to support that has emerged during the Living Ripples process, identify the connection of how the application aligns with the school’s existing plans, detail who the program will support, and how many, and the expected outcomes that will result.

The Student Wellbeing Action Grant (SWAG) is a helping hand addition to support the Living Ripples process. The grant program has been developed to support schools participating in the four stages of the process. The SWAG is a competitive process and not all applications will be successful. The Board is aware that schools have a wellbeing budget but at times, this does not meet what a school requires. It is the intention of the Board to allow schools to progress their wellbeing initiatives that the Student Wellbeing Action Grant amount is a proportion of the total amount required.

For schools awarded a SWAG, you are expected to evaluate the initiative you have implemented and share your findings with the Living Ripples team. We are keen to support schools with relevant, quality programs and your school’s review of the service or program is critical to informing our giving. Schools are also asked to participate in a short interview to prepare a Partner Profile. Partner Profiles are shared on the Living Ripples Community of Practice page and are a vital part of building a national network to support all young people with practical and locally led solutions.

Providers complete an expression of interest to be on the Living Ripples register listed on the Community of Practice page. Providers share a summary of their services, how they meet all mandatory and child safety obligations and their commitment and processes in maintaining regular connection with the schools where they partner for delivery over time. In response, and aligned with the commitment to the evidence-based approach of Living Ripples, approved providers will have access to consolidated evaluation data to understand their impact as part of a coordinated and collaborative approach to help young people achieve their potential.