Eligibility & Review Criteria

Eligibility

    Applications are invited from any young person who meets the following criteria:
  • At the time of application has at least attained the age of 16 years and is no more than 30 years of age;
  • Is currently living in Australia (or if overseas on temporary assignment will return to a permanent place of residence in Australia);
  • Has been working by her/his self or has lead a team to perform significant ongoing work or a significant specific project to work towards the eradication of poverty.

Please note that the Awards are to an individual, rather than a group or organisation. So, although it is fine to be working within the context of a group or organisation, the Award is for an individual.

What Review Criteria Will Be Used?

    The criteria used to assess the applicants are broad in nature and we realise that entrants will not necessarily be able to demonstrate deep involvement/experience across all areas. The criteria are:
  • Ability to maximise impact of anti-poverty work by receiving the award,
  • Direct impact (or significant potential for direct impact) on immediate needs of those in poverty,
  • Development of potential for self sufficiency of those in poverty,
  • Creating public awareness of issues,
  • Generation of public participation and community building,
  • Evidence of reflection on the seriousness of poverty problem tackled,
  • Sustainability of funding base for project/work,
  • Relevant personal circumstances of the applicants (for example, degree of infrastructure support available),
    • …and perhaps most significantly…
  • The degree to which the applicant is working with people in poverty towards eradication (as opposed to imposing a solution for other’s poverty).

How will applications be reviewed?

Applications will be reviewed by the Selection Committee made up of representatives from a range of community service, cultural and faith backgrounds.

This review will recommend a short-list of applicants who will be invited to a discussion with members of the Selection Committee to help inform a main recipient and encouragement awards. This will take a variety of forms depending on the location of the applicant.

What sort of Anti-Poverty work are we looking for?

We understand that people do work at all levels and that the term ?eradication of poverty’ and such is open to broad interpretation. We are prepared to accept nominations based on broad reading of these terms and without imposing a specific definition. By setting firm definitions we may run the risk of discouraging those who have undertaken or intend to undertake (for example) small, innovative projects which have had large impact in their specific context.

    The work done by an applicant may have included (but it is not limited to) ongoing work or projects in:
  • tackling homelessness,
  • mental health support,
  • social justice activities,
  • education,
  • financial literacy and debt reduction,
  • cultural awareness,
  • building entrepreneurial skills,
  • any of these areas in an overseas context.

As an additional guiding comment, it is also worth noting the comments of the Award convenor during the 2006 award presentation when he said:

... we are looking to recognise and support young people who say "this is not about me giving the world an answer to poverty. This is about me being willing to dedicate my life to walking humbly with fellow humanity, to taking on board its wisdom and being able to share my wisdom when it is suitably ripe and I know it is ready for sharing."