Applications for funding are accepted from the formal and non-formal education sector across the UK for young people aged 11-19.  We welcome applications from:

• Secondary schools
• FE colleges
• Sixth form colleges
• Supplementary schools
• Special Education Needs schools*
• Extra-curricular groups
• Youth groups
• Sports, music, theatre groups
• Applications from clusters of schools are also welcome

*In order to encourage more applications from SEN schools applications can be submitted without:
- a partner in France but which focuses on project work on an topic they will explore further in France
OR
- a specific project focus but the visit has a strong cultural element and time is spent in the partner school

N.B. Secondary schools in England who wish to carry out a curriculum based project and whose local authority has an area link with France, should refer to our Joint Curriculum Projects Programme.

Grants will be awarded to cover mobility costs of both one-way and reciprocal visits to France and its overseas departments (Martinique, Guadeloupe and Réunion) that form part of a bilateral project.

Projects must have specific aims and activities and work have a central theme, such as:

• Language learning
• Culture and the arts
• Energy and the environment
• Citizenship
• Science and technology
• Business and enterprise
• Multimedia and ICT
• Sports
• Vocational skills
• Cross-curricular themes

Examples of activities include:

• Joint research work
• Entrepreneurial projects
• Development of new ideas, design, materials
• Scientific explorations
• Debating workshops
• Cultural events, exhibitions and productions
• Community projects
• Creation of websites or films
• Blogging, reporting or song-writing
• Sports activities within the framework of a specific project

Please note that grants will not be awarded to fund:

• A traditional ‘school exchange’ without a specific theme and project
• Tours by music groups or sports teams
• Tourist visits
• Unilateral projects

Successful projects will receive grants to cover travel, accommodation and subsistence. Three levels of grants are available:

• Up to £5,000 for one-way UK-France visits
• Up to £10,000 for reciprocal visits between Metropolitan France and the UK
• Up to £10,000 for one-way or reciprocal UK – French départements d’outre-mer visits

To apply you should submit an application form by the relevant deadline to:

The Lefèvre Trust
British Council
10 Spring Gardens
London
SW1A 2BN

Deadlines:

20 June 2008 for visits starting after 1 September 2008
31 October 2008 for visits starting after 1 January 2009
31 January 2009 for visits starting after 1 April 2009

You can download the application form and guidelines here:

Application Form 2008-09

Application Guidelines 2008-09

If your application is successful you will enter into a contract with the British Council and your institution will be awarded 80% of the amount awarded.  One of the conditions of the contract is that you submit a final report within 4 weeks of completion of the project, after which the remaining 20% of the grant will be paid.

The Evaluation and Reconciliation Form as well as the Reporting Guidelines will be available here to download soon:

Evaluation and Reconciliation Form 2008-09

Final Reporting Guidelines 2008-09

Applications are assessed after each deadline by a panel consisting of our staff and external assessors from the youth and education sectors. Applications are assessed against the following criteria:

• Strength of Collaboration:
• The project involves collaborative project work and joint activities between the young people from both countries.
• Quality of the Project:
• The activity focuses on thematic project work leading to concrete results.
• There are real plans for dissemination of the results incorporating the wider community.
• There are plans to develop a sustainable partnership post-project.
• Young people are actively involved in the conception, implementation and dissemination of the project. Some projects may be youth-led with guidance from education staff.
• Profile of Participants and Promoters:
• The group is a first time applicant.
• At least five young people from each participating institution are involved in the project.
• The project involves young people with fewer opportunities
• The groups includes SEN young people

• Before submitting an application the institution must have established contact with a partner institution in France and have agreed collaboration
• Each application must nominate a contact person who will be ultimately responsible for the project and the administration of the final report and reconciliation
• The project should be subject to an ongoing review of progress in relation to the stated objectives of the original application
• Any changes to the project must be agreed in writing with the British Council
• We always welcome a language-learning element in projects but this is not compulsory

Madame Nina Lefèvre established the Trust after the death of her husband, the leading London fine art dealer and publisher Ernest Albert Lefèvre, who died in 1940. Madame Lefèvre wished the memory of her husband to live on by promoting relations between the UK and France through partnership and the mutual learning of each others language and customs.

The British Council is the Trustee of the bequest and manages to the programme.