The Mum & Dad Grant
The new Mum & Dad Grant is a unique combination of "grant and gratitude" for mothers and fathers who once put their own education on hold for their children's sake. It enables them to pick up where they left off when their kids were born.
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One of these first 24 grantees is Leni.
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About the grant |
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Leni, now 37, did not celebrate her 19th birthday back in February 2000. Her mother had died of breast cancer just five weeks before and she was devastated.
However, one year later, by then in her second year at university, she decided to celebrate her 20th birthday the way she thought such a birthday should be celebrated. But someone at the party put something in her drink and when she woke up the next day she had no recollections of how she got home and no idea why she was in such a bad state. Two months later she realized she was pregnant. What she did not have: A partner. What she did have: Great ambitions to become an author. She was studying literature and German philology. Leni had great plans for the future and yet, she could not get herself to have an abortion. In November 2001, her twins Erik and Rita were born. Leni and her kids have been Global Natives since 2012, they have three partner families. Emma, their partner family's gran in Barcelona, was instrumental in making the twins aware of the brand new grant program. In August 2018 Erik and Rita applied for the Mum & Dad Grant for Leni, who, 17 years ago, had dropped out of university because of them, had worked in a bookshop ever since and had taken on lots of extra work as a ghost writer to support them. |
Global Natives will celebrate their 10th anniversary in March 2019. The idea for this grant was born during the preparations for this occasion. The intention: To demonstrate just how important it is that kids and parents support and encourage each other. Family life and education: Both need cooperation to work.
The Mum & Dad Grant can be applied for by teenagers for their parents and will be awarded once a year at Xmas. Applications are welcome between June 1st and September 1st. Applicants receive notifications no later than Dec 1st each year. 2018: Twenty-four grants were awarded.However, over 11.000 applications were filed.
This means: Over the next few months, just in time for the anniversary, we'll be rethinking the application process and the potential number of annual grantees. This will be evaluated with the help of 408 teenagers who applied this summer. Their arguments and hopes will play a major role in further development. |
Grant & Gratitude
What can the Mum & Dad Grant accomplish in future?
We want it to be a highly individual program, merging our financial backing with the kids' active support. This means we'll figure out and agree on a plan of action together. The grant will cover a fair share of education and living costs for up to two years. The applicants themselves will support their parents' ambitions by taking on a fair share of family duties and by being reliable partners to live and learn with. 11.000 sons and daughters so far have stated that they are ready to play their part. Applications will be welcome again in June 2019. Global Native membership is required.
We want it to be a highly individual program, merging our financial backing with the kids' active support. This means we'll figure out and agree on a plan of action together. The grant will cover a fair share of education and living costs for up to two years. The applicants themselves will support their parents' ambitions by taking on a fair share of family duties and by being reliable partners to live and learn with. 11.000 sons and daughters so far have stated that they are ready to play their part. Applications will be welcome again in June 2019. Global Native membership is required.
