| Once
you have read the application form thoroughly and are confident that you
are eligible to enter the next step is writing up your application. This
may take a few days. It is often good to get your ideas down in a first
sitting and then leave it for a day or two before having a fresh look at
what you have written.
Headings
It
might be helpful to begin with a rough outline under headings based on
what is required. You can then jot down a few points under each heading
which will get you started. Remember to address each of the three selection
criteria.
(Tip:
do the easiest bits first and come back to the more time consuming details
later.)
The
Selection Criteria
(Tip:
Remember be specific and keep it simple. Limit yourself to what you know
can be achieved in the 12 months time frame.)
1.
A demonstrated personal commitment to sustainable primary industries and
to the role of rural women in your State or Territory.
The
first criterion is asking you to write about your commitment to primary
industries and its future sustainability. You will need to show how you
are committed to primary industries and to rural women in your State.
The key word here is demonstrate so as well as talking about your background
and your ‘philosophical approach’ you should try and give concrete examples.
The Selection Committee will be looking for evidence of your commitment.
You
might like to include things like:
•
Your participation in rural organisations and the benefits they have returned
to your industry and its people
•
Your involvement in rural women’s groups and your understanding of the
role of women in primary industries
•
The resources and effort you have put into your own enterprise/business
and your industry
•
The long term commitment and involvement in your enterprise, an organisation
or industry.
2.
Potential to achieve and deliver benefits to agriculture. (One and no more
than three pages)
This
is the most important selection criterion and will be weighted accordingly.
This
criterion is about your vision for your industry and how the Bursary will
help you achieve it and how you operate at a higher level in your industry.
The
Selection Committee will be looking for a clear and tangible personal vision
and the dividends that vision will return through the Bursary to you and
your leadership capacity and to primary industries. Essentially they will
want to know how the Bursary is going to grow you and in turn how you will
grow your industry.
So
give some thought for your burning vision for primary industries, if you
had the resources what would you like to change or improve in primary industries
today, how you could make a difference and what would be the benefits to
you and to the broader primary industries.
Paragraph
One: Outline as clearly and succinctly as possible your personal vision
for primary industries.
Paragraphs
Two to Five: Outline how the Bursary will help you achieve your vision.
You may wish to expand on what generated the idea, provide some evidence
supporting the need for your vision, how it will help you be a leader and
how your vision will benefit primary industries both now and beyond the
12 month period.
Paragraphs
Six to Nine: Set out two or three objectives which focus on your vision,
in other words what you are trying to achieve and what change you are trying
to make.
A few
examples:
•
To promote market opportunities for wool products
•
To establish new markets or partnerships overseas for olive oil.
•
To further develop leadership qualities and skills amongst women in the
cotton industry
•
To develop a new rural educational program for secondary school
•
To develop a new promotional campaign to educate the urban population on
primary industries
•
To write or publish a book on family farm business intergenerational issues.
•
To develop websites that promote primary industries and the rural
communities they support.
Paragraphs
Ten to Twelve: :Provide a draft budget of how the Bursary will be spent.
Try to be realistic about costs. Do some research and get some quotes or
estimates to help you plan your budget. This is an indicative budget only.
Examples of some of the costs you may include: Accommodation and meals,
training costs, conference and workshop registration fees, printing, promotion
and postage, travel expenses, employment and childcare support.
3:
Provide leadership and share skills and knowledge
This
is where you need to think about how your vision and what you propose to
do with the Bursary will provide you with leadership skills and how you
will impart those new found skills and knowledge on to others. |