The program offers year round programming, with the highlight and most engaging, immersive part being the warm weather outdoor activities. During the cold weather the focus shifts towards developing teamwork and a plan and strategy that can be applied once the weather warms up.

Components of a program: local community assets, skills and natural resources plus curriculum and training.

In what ways are you aligned to the goals of the program: -creating youth leadership -engaging/strengthening community -building a community asset

Reasons for bringing the program to your community may include:

To trial/introduce the program/concept to your community.

To establish and develop the program on-going in your community.

To use the program to work with other existing complimentary programs such as arts or gardens or leadership or environmental, or community.

To raise funds.

Funding: How will program be funded? Funding can be sourced from the following avenues:

Fee for service for each child's participation in project-based learning opportunities.

Government funding for teen education and training.

Corporate sponsorship.

Foundation support.

What is the budget?

Youth leadership. -What process will be used for finding youth leaders -or to enable them to find us? Who will drive this process?

-How much time per week is expected from students who wish to participate?

-What incentives can we provide students who undertake the program.

-What mix of in-school time vs out of school time is appropriate?

-Can we get one morning/afternoon - once a week for one semester?

-For High School students, can we offer educational credits like as in the case of South Australia?

-Can we offer other incentives such as “Principals Award” or “Mayor’s Award” for work done?

-Can we offer students cash or gift incentives for some weekend/after school hours/holiday work?

What process will be used for finding and choosing adult mentors? Who will drive this process?

In what ways can we involve local artists, musical director/choreographer/drummers? Community engagement-

- The program adopts a more-the-merrier approach which can be used to strengthen community, build youth confidence and reduce per participant costs. To what degree does each stakeholder support a "more the merrier approach?" How many people do we aim to engage? Previous projects have engaged between 500 and 1500 individuals in 3-4 months for a one day a week program. It has been determined that the program can be scaled up to 5 times this amount if run for 5 days.

What time-frame is suitable? How many of each age group are we aiming for? Preschool, Primary School, High School, Adults, Seniors

Who will drive the process of reaching out to others and inviting/engaging them?

-How much involvement (time) do we expect from each participant on average? -When do we want this engagement to take place? How many hours during school time, weekdays and weekends?

-Can we enroll adult mentors? What community focused organizations will we invite to support these efforts?

Is transportation necessary and if so, how will it be addressed?

How do we plan on engaging and drawing upon the local artistic community?

Can businesses be invited to participate as sponsors? Can youth become involved in this process and be given incentives?

Building a community asset / structure Who are the site hosts - caretakers of the land that the project will take place on? Who are the stakeholders of this site? Is the space and it’s organization accessible to the general public? Is public accessibility part of the charter for this space? Is it connected to a place of higher learning?

What is the commitment for on-going involvement in the program through public access to the site? What structure is proposed? What function will it serve? Who will it serve? Which communities? How will it serve this population?

What are the proposed structure? Will it be big enough to involve professionals - engineers, architects, carpenters? -Mud fun is affiliated with architects and engineers who have experience in this medium and can create designs conducive to the goals. Are we clear about when and how the site changes from a community play-space to a construction site? While the emphasis is on the play-site open to all, when/if it becomes a construction site, (through necessity of design requirements) can students be given a TAFE or equivalent construction certificate through this project?

Time Frame What is the ideal time-frame for the group’s/community’s participation- 3,6,9,12 or 24 months? Calendar is for Australian southern regions weather. September-December - a program can be designed around the Spring school semester and culminate with end of school year celebrations/events. Dec-Jan: The program’s activities are very conducive to summertime warm weather and getting wet, and so the end of year Spring semester events/programming can lead directly into a summer program for the whole family- designed around the festive holiday spirit. Feb-April - A program can be designed around the first term back from summer, either to introduce the program or as a continuation from summer and/or the semester before summer-to further develop and apply the skills they have learned. May-August - During the colder winter months, students can make miniature scale models, host indoor festive events, and create choreography and theatrical presentations that can be developed to showcase to the community when the weather warms up.