Community Languages Program

The Office of Multicultural Interests (OMI) provi​des support to eligible not-for-profit community organisations to teach languages other than​​ English ​for students from Kindergarten to Year 12 out ​of ​school hours.

Community Languages Program

OMI’s Community Languages Program supports the community language sector in Western Australia by providing access to:

  • grants for new and established community language schools to support
  • the Community Languages Collection at the State Library of WA
  • funding to Community Languages Western Australia (CLWA) to deliver: 
    • development support administration and operational costs 
    • a free professional learning program
    • the Community Language Schools WA website.

The 2026 funding round is now open

OMI’s Community Languages Program provides funding through a Per Capita funding model. Per Capita grants support the operational costs of running a community language school and are calculated at up to $120 per student.

2026 Application process 

For schools that received funding in 2025, the 2025 acquittal and 2026 application have been combined into a single form. The submission deadline for this form is Friday 23 January 2026. Enrolment lists may be submitted separately no later than Monday 23 March 2026. Please note that applicants with outstanding reporting requirements will not be eligible to apply for OMI funding until all reporting obligations have been met.

For new schools, OMI provides guidance and support prior to submitting an application. Prospective applicants are encouraged to contact OMI to discuss eligibility, clarify program requirements, or arrange a meeting for more detailed assistance. The submission deadline for new schools is Monday 9 February 2026.

Applications and reports should be submitted to communitylanguages@omi.wa.gov.au

Community Languages Professional Support Program (CLPSP)

The Community Languages Professional Support Program (CLPSP), previously known as the Pathways to Improvement Program (PIP), was introduced in 2025. The CLPSP will provide sector support and development activities that cater for the needs of individual schools. Details of the 2026 CLPSP will be available shortly.  

The CLPSP will be delivered as targeted and enhanced sector support, maintaining quality professional learning, development and training through Community Languages Western Australia (CLWA) for community languages schools, moving away from an evaluation of current practices. The CLPSP will maintain a focus on the quality of teaching and learning in community language schools and appropriate support services to assist in achieving quality outcomes. 

Schools that receive a Community Languages Program funding are required to participate in the CLPSP sector support and development activities throughout the year. 

The CLPSP will be delivered by CLWA. For more information on the sector support and development opportunities available in 2026, please visit CLWA’s website. 

Community Languages Western Australia

Community Languages Western Australia (CLWA) is recognised as WA’s peak body for community languages sector in WA. CLWA’s website is a destination for information, resources, networking and collaboration for community language teachers and administrators.

Community Languages Collection

The State Library of W​estern Australia (SLWA) houses an extensive collection of teaching materials and resources for more than 40 languages. The collection has been made available to language teachers, particularly those from the community languages sector, through OMI.

The Community Languages Collection comprises a range of hard copy, digital, audio and visual resources that can be used in classes or in the development of lesson plans, ensuring students are receiving the best possible language education.

The State Library of WA has also developed teacher resources for use by community language teachers. The Community Languages Collection is available at the State Library of WA, Perth Cultural Centre, 25 Francis Street, Northbridge.

Templates

The following templates may be useful for your school's administration, and to submit with your funding application or final report where requested:

Page reviewed 16 January 2026