Andrew McCallum Leadership Scholarship 2026 Application

About the Andrew McCallum Leadership Scholarship

The Andrew McCallum Leadership Scholarship is a 12-month scholarship of $5000 funded annually by the Office of Children’s Guardian, open to alumni of the ACWA Community Leadership Program for their professional development as leaders.

Aim:

To future proof the community sector through the development of its emerging leaders.
To create opportunity for further professional development for the alumni of ACWA’s Community Leadership Program.
To facilitate career progression/aspirations for the recipient.

Values:

Stewardship of a sustainable and adaptive community sector
Creation of a civil society.

About Andrew McCallum AO

Andrew was the CEO of the Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies (ACWA), the NSW non-government peak for organisations working with vulnerable children, young people and their families from 2006 until his retirement in 2018.
He was a past President of the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), the Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS) and the Children’s Welfare Association of Victoria (CWAV), and is a former Chair of the Child and Family Welfare Association of Australia (CAFWAA).
In 2011 Andrew was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia in recognition of his service to the community in a range of leadership roles across the social justice sector.
He has a strong belief in developing the sector’s greatest asset, its people. Andrew was thus a strong advocate for ACWA’s Community Leadership program from its inception and it is in his honour that the Scholarship is named.

About Office of Children’s Guardian

The Office of the Children’s Guardian is an independent NSW statutory authority with regulatory, oversight and investigative functions. We support, monitor and act to promote, regulate and create high standards of child safeguarding in NSW.
The main functions of the Children’s Guardian include the regulation of statutory out-of-home care, adoption services, and the employment of children under 15 years in specific industries.
The Children’s Guardian also has responsibility for managing the Carers Register Residential Care Workers Register and Specialised Substitute Residential Care Register, administering the Reportable Conduct Scheme, and the Working with Children Check. In February 2022, the OCG introduced the NSW Child Safe Scheme – an overarching scheme that aims to prevent abuse in child-related organisations.
Rachael Ward is Acting Children’s Guardian and has more than 23 years’ experience specialising in child protection law and is a member of the Children’s Court Advisory Committee. Most recently, Ms Ward served as Director of Child Law, Department of Communities and Justice.

Eligibility Criteria

You successfully completed ACWA’s Community Leadership Program, graduating in the past two years.
You are usually employed in the community, human services or a related sector.
You have the support of your organisation for your Leadership Development Plan as outlined in this application.
You are able to undertake your proposed Leadership Development Plan within 12 months of acceptance.
If successful, you must be available to be a guest speaker at the following year’s ACWA Community Leadership Program Graduation.

Selection Criteria

Demonstrated commitment to personal development for the betterment of society.
Demonstrated desire to pursue leadership goals within the community or related sector.
Demonstrated willingness to apply your learning within your supporting organisation/sector.
To be considered for this scholarship, you must satisfactorily address these criteria in your application form responses.

Selection process

Your application will be assessed by the Scholarship Panel including former CEO Andrew McCallum and ACWA’s CEO.
You may be required to speak to your Leadership Development Plan with the panel if the panel wishes to clarify elements of your plan.
The successful applicant will receive an email offering the Scholarship. You will need to respond via email to accept the offer.

Key dates for applicants

Recipient responsibilities

You have sought and obtained support from your employer for your Leadership Development Plan.
You are available to receive the Scholarship at the current year’s ACWA Community Leadership Program Graduation.
You are able to undertake your proposed Leadership Development Plan within 12 months of acceptance.
If successful, you must be available to be a guest speaker at the following year’s ACWA Community Leadership Program Graduation.
You provide ACWA/Office of Children’s Guardian with a report outlining your learnings from your completed Leadership Development Plan including evidence of completion of any courses undertaken as part of the Plan.

Please see Terms and Conditions for further details.

Changes to your Leadership Development Plan

If you wish to change your Leadership Development Plan before the close of applications, please resubmit your new Leadership Development Plan or otherwise contact clp@ccwt.edu.au

Payment of Scholarship

The value of the Scholarship is $5000 (incl. GST). The Scholarship fee is not available directly to the recipient. ACWA will undertake to pay costs up to a maximum of
$5000 on receipt of invoice/s from relevant providers as outlined in your approved Learning Development Plan. At the conclusion of the 12-month period of the Scholarship, the recipient is not eligible to receive payment of any unspent funds.

Application Form

Before submitting your application form, please read the Terms and Conditions of the Scholarship carefully, which includes your responsibilities as a recipient of the Scholarship.

Terms and Conditions:
Basic Eligibility
• You successfully completed ACWA’s Community Leadership Program graduating in the last two years.
• You are usually employed in the community, human services or a related sector.

Concurrence of employer
• You have the support of your organisation for the professional development program you have outline in this application.

Duration
• You are able to undertake your proposed leadership development plan within 12 months of acceptance of your scholarship.

If your proposed Plan exceeds 12 months, please contact: clp@ccwt.edu.au to discuss.

Accountability
• You are available to attended the following year’s ACWA’s Community Leadership Program Graduation as a guest speaker.
• You provide ACWA/Office of Children’s Guardian with a report outlining your learnings from your completed Leadership Development Plan including evidence of completion of any courses undertaken as part of the Plan.
• You inform ACWA of any changes to your contact details.
• You contact ACWA if you wish to change any part of your Leadership Development Plan as outlined in your application. Any changes will be considered on a case by case basis.

Deferring
Deferring your scholarship is only possible in exceptional circumstances and on a case by case basis. You will need to contact clp@ccwt.edu.au to discuss your proposed deferment.

Scholarship Budget Guidelines
Your scholarship may cover part or all of your proposed Leadership Development Plan. As part of your application, you are required at provide an indicative budget to demonstrate how the Scholarship funds will be used.

Exclusions
The Scholarship cannot be used for the following:
• Purchase of equipment and consumables
• Air Travel in Premium Economy, Business or First Class
• Accommodation at hotels over 4 stars
• Payments to other persons not outlined in your Leadership Development Plan.

Payment of Scholarship
The value of the Scholarship is $5000 (incl. GST). The Scholarship fee is not available directly to the recipient. ACWA will undertake to pay costs up to a maximum of $5000 on receipt of invoice/s from relevant providers as outlined in your approved Learning Development Plan. At the conclusion of the 12-month period of the Scholarship, the recipient is not eligible to receive payment of any unspent funds.

Tax/Centrelink payments
• ACWA/Office of Children’s Guardian cannot provide you with advice on taxation or Centrelink matters.
• ACWA/Office of Children’s Guardian is not liable for the payment of any tax or any other obligations you may incur as a result of accepting this scholarship.
Publicity and promotion If you are awarded the Scholarship, your details including your name, organisation, video and photograph may be
used for promotion and publicity purposes but only in relation to the Andrew McCallum Leadership Scholarship.

Liability Waiver
In accepting the Andrew McCallum Leadership Scholarship, you agree to waive, release and discharge ACWA/Office of Children’s Guardian, its officers, associates and partner organisations from any and all liability including, but not limited to, any liability arising from the negligence or fault of the entities or persons released, for death, disability, personal injury, property damage, property theft, or actions of any kind which may occur to you during or after the scholarship period, including during or after any travel undertaken as part of the scholarship.

Scholarship termination
Failure to meet the scholarship terms and conditions will result in the termination of the scholarship and you may be required to repay some or all of your scholarship.