DEVELOPMENT POLICY

Introduction

Australian Marist Solidarity (AMS) is the international development arm of the Marist Brothers Star of the Sea

Province and the Marist Association of St Marcellin Champagnat. It has a particular focus on empowering young

people to transform their lives and community. Promoting the dignity of the human person, as safeguarded by

internationally recognised human rights conventions, is a core value of AMS.

Purpose

This policy seeks to provide clear definitions of development and non-development/welfare activities, as defined by

the Australian Commonwealth Government, thereby ensuring that AMS continues to deliver overseas aid activities

in accordance with the Overseas Aid Gift Deduction Scheme (OAGDS).

This policy also endeavours to ensure that AMS complies with the Australian Council for International Development

(ACFID) Code of Conduct by:

• accurately representing its activities to its donors, partners and the public;

• ensuring that funds raised for development activities are not used for non-development/welfare activities;

and

• making clear separations between development and non-development/welfare objectives and activities.

Scope

This policy applies to AMS Board directors, committee members, employees, volunteers, partners and other

stakeholders who operate under the auspices of AMS.

Policy

Development Activities

Development assistance includes activities undertaken in order to reduce poverty and address global justice issues,

including ESG considerations AMS adopts the Australian Government's definition of development activities as

described in the OAGDS Guidelines:

Development activities improve the long-tenn well-being of individuals and communities in developing

countries. Eligible development activities must demonstrate fair distribution; be informed by local people;

and deliver sustained or lasting benefits.

For a project to be considered by AMS, the following key criteria must be met by the project partner:

• The project seeks to improve the well-being of a community without favouritism or discrimination by race,

religion, culture, political persuasion, gender, gender identity, race, disability, sexual orientation,

marital status or religious beliefs.;

• The project is identified, designed and implemented in close cooperation with primary stakeholders and

local people to ensure that project activities are appropriate, in direct response to local needs, and build on

local capacities;

• The benefits which result from the project are lasting, sustainable and likely to continue after the funding

from AMS has ceased.

In addition to these criteria and in alignment with its mission and vision, AMS has a particular interest in projects

that support vulnerable young people, educational initiatives and the work of Marists.

For more information regarding key OAGDS criteria, see the Overseas Aid Gift Deduction Scheme Guidelines.

AMS supports development projects that:

1. Recognise the human person not as the passive beneficiary of development interventions, but as its active

subject, claimholder and participant;

2. Promote and prioritise the human rights of all beneficiaries, with emphasis on the civil, political, economic,

social and cultural rights enshrined by international standards;

3. Are initiated as outcomes of consultation with communities and involve those affected by activities in

decision-making processes - including children and young people;

4. Are planned and executed with a view to handing control and ownership of activities over to the local

community;

5. Provide ongoing benefits; and

6. Benefit whole communities without favouritism or discrimination for reasons of race, religion, culture,

political persuasion.

Non-Development/Welfare Activities

The characteristics of non-development/welfare activities include the following:

• Projects which provide direct assistance to individuals or communities because of an immediate or urgent

need;

• Projects which seek to address immediate needs rather than to address the root causes of these needs;

• Projects which provide activities for or on behalf of beneficiaries, without requiring their participation in

the planning and evaluation; and

• Projects which do not have the capacity to become sustainable.

Such activities are not eligible for funding under OAGDS, however projects of a non-development/welfare nature, if

deemed still worthy of consideration, might be referred by AMS to other Marist bodies.

Activities not funded by AMS

AMS will not consider funding any activities which may compromise AMS's status as an 'approved organisation'

under OAGDS. Such activities include:

1. Partisan political activities (supporting a particular party, candidate or organisation affiliated to a political

party either in Australia or overseas). This includes, but shall not be limited to:

• AMS personnel, representatives or partners (when using AMS's name or resources) being involved

in party political activities;

• using funds or resources to facilitate or support a specific political party, candidate or political

organisation in a local, regional or national election in any country;

• using funds or resources to fa cilitate or support a particular politician or faction to gain power

within a government or within a party-political structure.

2. Evangelising, proselytising or attempting to conve1t people to another religion or faith. Activities which are

undertaken with the intention of converting individuals or groups from one faith and/or denominational

affiliation to another, or which make aid and/or development activities conditional on participation in

religious activities are not supported.

3. Activities that are not covered by adequate child protection policies, including providing funds that support

an individual with any conviction under the Crimes (Child Sex Tourism) Amendment Act 1994.

4. Activities that are not covered by adequate anti-terrorism policies.

Separation of Development and Non-Development/Welfare Activities

AMS holds Deductible Gift Receipt Item 1 Status. It complies with the requirements of the Australian Commonwealth

Department ofForeign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the Australian Taxation Office and ACF ID. AMS funds development

activities exclusively, as defined in this policy.

Project Assessment

Projects are assessed as either development or non-development/welfare activities by AMS staff and the AMS

Programs Committee, according to the criteria outlined in the AMS Project Appraisal Form.

Project partners are required to agree that project funding provided by AMS will only be used for the approved

activity type and for the agreed purpose.

Partnership Agreements

In submitting an application for funding, partner organisations agree to be bound by this policy and to ensure that

funds allocated for development purposes are not misapplied or misused. The AMS Project Application Form,

together with a Letter of Approval from AMS granting funds to the partner organisation and the Project Agreement

Document constitute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) as per DFAT's guidelines.

Humanitarian Assistance

AMS works to provide long-term development assistance to its pa1tners. While it does, on occasion, work with

communities who have experienced humanitarian emergencies, it does so only after the immediate crisis has

subsided and its work is focused on long-term recovery. As such, AMS does not consider itself a humanitarian actor

or agency.

Implementation

The implementation of this policy will be guided by the AMS Operations Manual.

Monitoring & Review of Policy

AMS will undertake a review of this policy in accordance with the AMS Policy Review Process, or sooner if required.

This review will be undertaken initially by the Chief Executive Officer and AMS staff and then reviewed by the AMS

Finance, Audit and Risk Committee and Board of Directors.