Talented and Gifted Young People

Grant application guidance notes

Our talented and gifted grant application form for the year 2009-2010 has been updated. Please read through these guidance notes carefully before completing the application form.

There will be 2 grant rounds for 2009-2010. The closing dates for each round are:

First Round - Friday 23 January 2009
Any award granted will be paid in April 2009
Second Round - Monday 31 July 2009
Any award granted will be paid in October 2009

You will need to indicate on the application form which grant round you are applying for.

The reason we are doing this is to accommodate young people's time schedules with regard to their activities.

Applicants can only apply once in each 12 month period.

We are actively committed to encouraging young people to excel in their chosen activity. This may be in sports or performing arts. No application will be discriminated against.

All Sections of the application form must be completed. The application will be returned to you to complete if sections are left blank or references are not enclosed.

1. About you

Applicants must live or go to school in the borough to qualify for a Talented and Gifted Grant Award.

All applicants must be aged under 25 and in full time education to be eligible for this type of award.

Applicants must have reached a minimum standard of county level for sports and a grade 3 or higher level of accreditation for Performing Arts.

2. About your application

Please give clear details and your reasons for requesting a grant. Your application will be assessed on the basis of the information supplied.

3. About your activity

Please give accurate details of the level/grade and date of achievement gained. Please include all performances and competitions over the last 12 months.

You must submit a reference from your Coach, Teacher or Tutor confirming achievements to date. Where necessary the Coach, Teacher or Tutor may be contacted for further details.

A Council Officer should contact you on receiving your completed application form to assess your record of achievement and progress and obtain evidence and gain knowledge of your future plans.

4. Financial details

If you do not have a bank account in your name we can give you details of how to set one up.

An award of up to a maximum of £500 will be given depending on level/grade and achievement of applicant.

Grants shall be used only for the purpose applied for.

General

You will be contacted if you are successful in receiving a grant. The grant will be transferred to your bank account via bacs transfer. It is important to supply correct details of your bank account to enable the transfer to go through smoothly.

Applicants are asked to note that conditions may be attached to the grant such as making themselves available for Borough representation if selected, even if this clashes with a school/club (as in dance school/music or drama) commitment. These will be detailed by the Officer who visits you.

Successful applicants will be expected to write to the council at regular intervals to update the council on recent achievements so that the effectiveness of the grant can be monitored. This should include documents such as: Copies of certificates, results, press cuttings. (Do not send originals as these may not be returned).

Failure to do so may prejudice future applications. Any applicants who receive a grant in sport must be available to represent the borough in Youth Games or Mini Marathon.

This information may be used for publishing purposes.

Under the conditions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 the council may be directed by regulatory authorities to disclose information provided in your application if they consider it to be in the overriding public interest to do so, or they do not accept the exemption we claim. If this should happen you will be advised of the information to be disclosed in advance.

You should also agree in advance with the council any information that you consider is supplied in confidence. We will not normally accept information in confidence unless it is essential for its work.

Please return your completed grant application form to:

Jan Morrissey

Grants Officer

London Borough of Barking and Dagenham

Adult and Community Services

Civic Centre

Dagenham

RM10 7BN

Before returning the completed application form please check that you have included all the relevant documents i.e.:

Copies of relevant certificates of achievement (if you have them)
Reference from coach, tutor or teacher
Signed declaration form
Any other information to support your application

Good Luck!