Funds will initially be sourced through The Phillips Foundation contributing to Living Ripples, a registered charity. It is proposed that in the future, Living Ripples Ltd will fundraise to contribute to the Student Wellbeing Action Grant program.

The Living Ripples Board determines the annual budget for the Student Wellbeing Action Grant program. Each year a pledge is made and this may vary at the discretion of the Board and/or the applications received.

Aware that schools have a budget to direct to wellbeing programs, the Board assesses a school’s application based on a range of factors. This includes the ability for co-contribution and the proposed impact as part of the school’s overall priorities and plans.

All funded schools are asked to evaluate the program and contribute to preparing a Partner Profile. This builds a library of place-based locally led successful initiatives developed by the schools to support their students and offer these experiences to others.

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.

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

Schools are invited to select a provider 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, payment is made to the selected service provider that the school has advised during their application process. Grants are approved at regular Board meetings, usually at the end of each school term. It is expected that the program can commence, subject to availability/ planning, the following term.

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 program 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.