What makes this particular award different from any other at Manning Clark House is the consideration of family obligations. Dymphna Clark, who was a dedicated wife and mother as well as a scholar, translator and so much more, had to juggle family and professional life in her own way. We are aware that family obligations can be a challenge for a parent or carer when deciding to take a month long sabbatical for professional projects that require travel away from their families.
Due to the inclusion of a Family Obligation Allowance, plus flexibility in the take up of the award, we anticipate that this fellowship will appeal to researchers / writers who have children or others dependent on their care as it will give them a unique opportunity to research and work on their literary pieces while having the support for their family obligations.
The outcome and expectation from each fellow is that they utilise the valuable time and available resources on their fellowship to produce a published literary work in Indigenous Australian history.
Background to the award
Dymphna Clark’s connection of past and future is the inspiration for this award, where preserving one’s family history is a value by which she is remembered. On Saturday, March 2, 2002, at the very first Dymphna Clark Lecture, Dymphna’s grand daughter, Anna Clark, spoke about “the idea of generations and inheritance that Dymphna represented”. In her talk, Anna Clark shared the analogy of ‘the box’, an invaluable family relic that was handed down from generation to generation bearing the names of all the female descendants, and “the box” has in some ways re-enacted “Dymphna’s own connection of past and future as well as heritage and responsibility”.
In light of the connection to heritage and responsibility, Dymphna was also a driving force behind the formation of the Aboriginal Treaty Committee in 1979. The Committee’s aim was to promote the idea of Treaty amongst non-Indigenous Australians and served the purpose of recounting the Aboriginal experience in Australia by comparison to the experiences of the indigenous people in Canada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and the United States.
So it is very important to us that all interested candidates who are writers, and major carers in their families, will be fully encouraged to apply by the inclusion of a Family Obligation Allowance in the budget and the built-in flexibility.
Who can apply
To this day, the accessibility of Indigenous Australian history and research is still incomplete. With Dymphna’s connection to past, future and heritage as well as her history of family responsibility, we believe that the recipients of the Dymphna Clark CAL Literary Award would be:
1. Writers, journalists, researchers and scholars of Indigenous Australian history*
and
2. Those for whom family obligations make it difficult to undertake intensive research for their academic or non-fiction literary work.
*It is expected that the research would be part of the applicant’s work towards publishing a major academic or non-fiction literary work in Indigenous Australian history.
Award benefits
The period for take up of the award is 1 January 2012 to 30th September 2012 (though extensions beyond this date will be considered).
Accommodation
Each fellow will have the opportunity to reside at Manning Clark House for a total of one month (30 days) that they will be able to divide up into three trips as they need within the award period (depending on room availability). At MCH, they will have the full facilities of the home as well as access to a wide range of local organisations, such as the National Library of Australia, National Archives of Australia, major universities, and more, to compile their research and data for their literary work. (A light breakfast will be available). Accommodation at Manning Clark House
Travel
Through the provision of extra travel allowance scholars may break their stay into chunks and therefore better manage their research time to fit around family obligations. Three trips of up to $1,000 per trip will be provided.
Living Allowance
$100 per day for a total of 30 days will be provided.
Family Obligation Allowance
This allowance will not only cover travel expenses for a child to join the parent on their fellowship, but will also include additional accomodation and some “educational” expenses should the parent choose to place their child in a holiday program or other care, if required, during their live-in fellowship at Manning Clark House. Children will be accommodated in a double room at Manning Clark House with the parent. Applicants will need to include details for requirements in their application form.
Other information
Successful applicants will be required to deliver a talk on their research or a related topic to members of Manning Clark House during their stay. They are also asked to write a short report on the benefit to them of the award for MCH and CAL.
How to apply
Applications open 1 September 2011 and close 14 October 2011 and must include the following:
1. a statement (maximum of 1000 words) outlining:
- past professional activities
- project to be undertaken during the Fellowship
- contribution that particular institutions and people in Canberra might make to the project and
- potential publishing outcomes
2. a short (maximum of 2 pages) CV
3. a statement outlining the carer / family commitments and estimated costs that will require additional funds under the Award’s Family Obligation Allowance
4. the names and contact details at least two confidential referees who have been informed about the application and the nature of the Fellowship
5. suggested dates for residence.
Please email applications to director@manningclark.org.au with the subject heading DYMPHNA CLARK CAL AWARD
The two fellows who receive the Dymphna Clark CAL Literary Award will be selected by a panel of history writers / academics.
Applicants will be informed of the outcome of the judging by 11 November 2011.
Please email applications to director@manningclark.org.au with the subject heading DYMPHNA CLARK CAL AWARD (no hard copy applications will be accepted)
The Award is provided by Manning Clark House Inc in conjunction with the Copyright Agency Limited Cultural Fund.
Janet Holmes รก Court Residential Scholarships
Five scholarships are available for scholars (students and academics), writers, artists etc. for stays at Manning Clark House for two weeks. Applications are considered throughout the year and will will be provided on a first-come-first-in basis and will depend on room availability. All applications will be reviewed and approved by the MCH Inc Management Committee. If you are interested in applying, please contact the Director on 02 6295 9433 or by email director@manningclark.org.au.
Contact Information:
For inquiries: director@manningclark.org.au
For submissions: director@manningclark.org.au
Website: http://manningclark.org.au/