Effective practice grant
Formerly known as open round training grants
The effective practice grant is to assist employers with costs arising from training that supports skill development of frontline disability support staff and directly benefits consumers.
Funds can only be used for the cost of:
- course fees
- course related resources to assist training
- wages of trainee or course participant, where the training occurs outside of their regular working hours, or back-filling for the trainee if required for some essential frontline positions.
This grant is not able to fund travel and accommodation costs, or course development and administration costs.
This grant funding is in addition to the maximum amounts organisations are eligible to receive under any other Disability Workforce Development grant funding.
All applications must comply with Disability Workforce Development terms and conditions and will be assessed against the following criteria and priorities for selection and eligibility.
On this page:
Training priorities
Priorities for the 2013 grant are:
- Numeracy and literacy: training that enhances numeracy and literacy skills for frontline support staff
- Specific disabilities and specialist support: training on specific ‘conditions’ or impairments, dual diagnosis (for example disability and mental health), or specialist support such as assistive technology or equipment
- Behaviour support: training around models and techniques for understanding, preventing and responding to behaviour that is ‘challenging’
- Values and ethics: values based approaches and models of service that inform organisational practice
- Cultural competency/responsiveness and safety: training on culturally relevant models of care, for example Tikanga, Treaty of Waitangi, cultural safety or Pacific responsiveness
- Community facilitation: training on facilitating/supporting access to community resources, membership and citizenship
- Communication: training that supports the development of effective communication skills.
Applications can be made for topics outside of those listed above but priority will be given to these and to training that is led by disabled people.
Applications
Applications will be considered throughout the year subject to available funds. We aim to process applications within 4-6 weeks of receipt.
In the event of oversubscription, first time applicants will be prioritised, i.e. those who have not previously received funding from this grant.
Download a 2013 application form.
Application criteria
When determining which applications will be funded, we will carefully consider which - if any - criteria and/or priorities should be accorded greater weight. Consideration of these matters may involve consultation with the Ministry of Health.
Trainees
Trainees included in the application must:
- be a paid employee in a disability support service that is funded by the Ministry of Health
- be employed in a role that has significant interaction with disabled people (consumers)
- be a New Zealand citizen or hold permanent resident status
- be committed to participating in and completing the training course
- have approval and support from their employer to participate in the course.
Courses
Courses eligible for funding must:
- have a clear start and end date
- start (and preferably finish) in the calendar year of the grant
- be delivered in New Zealand.
Training courses will have priority if they:
- lead to knowledge and skill development for frontline support staff and that align or complement the existing disability career pathway
- are led by disabled people and support the principles of the New Zealand Disability Strategy, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Ministry of Health Disability Support Services' strategic goals.
Applications
Funding applications must:
- be made by an organisation funded by the Ministry of Health Disability Support Services
- be from an organisation that has a proven track record in supporting learning for their staff or the sector
- not be for training that is already fully funded (by other agencies).
Applications will have priority if the organisation:
- specialises in providing services for Māori or Pacific people
- has demonstrated a commitment to workforce development for Māori or Pacific support workers
- provides services in rural or remote locations.
Applications from an organisation that has previously received Disability Workforce Development grant funding will not be accepted until the organisation has presented an invoice and met all due reporting requirements for any previous grants.
Funding allocation
- No one participant will be funded more than $2,000 (GST inclusive) per calendar year.
- No one organisation will be funded more than $20,000 (GST inclusive) per calendar year.
Further information
If you have any questions please email us at disability@tepou.co.nz or contact your regional facilitator.
