Spirit of Volunteering 2022 - Nomination Form

Overview

          Nominations are now open for the Antrim and Newtownabbey

                             Spirit of Volunteering Awards 2022

I am delighted to launch the Antrim and Newtownabbey Spirit of Volunteering Awards 2022, an initiative that recognises the hard work and dedication of the Borough’s unsung heroes.

As I have visited many organisations across the Borough, I have seen at first hand the amazing and selfless activities undertaken by people every day to help improve the lives of others in their communities, often without recognition.

Once again, this year we want to recognise those who have given much of their time to volunteering, and those who are relatively new to this invaluable service who have already started to make a difference. By willingly giving their time to volunteering, people are changing the lives of others as well as their own.

The theme for our awards this year focuses on precious metals and the intrinsic qualities that they possess which are similar to those of a volunteer.

Investors today appreciate the security of gold in a volatile world in the same way that a community appreciates its volunteers and the help and support that they provide on a daily basis. A recent example of this was during the Covid-19 pandemic when volunteers worked tirelessly, sometimes putting themselves at risk, to help others. As a Borough, we could not have achieved as much as we have over the past 2 years without the unwavering dedication and support from our community and voluntary sector.

I know that individuals bring a wealth of experience, skills and talents to volunteering, and it is these qualities and attributes that you should consider when completing your nomination form. I would also encourage you to highlight on the nomination form how the individual or group “makes a difference” through their volunteering experience.

I am looking forward to hearing about all the great work that volunteers carry out across our Borough, so if you know of an individual volunteer or group, who are the “golden nugget” within their community, please complete this short nomination form and ensure they receive the recognition they deserve.

Councillor W J Webb MBE JP

Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey

Volunteering is…

… the commitment of time and energy, for the benefit of society and the community, the environment or individuals outside or in addition to one’s immediate family. It is undertaken freely and by choice, without concern for financial gain.

Eligibility

Any person who has contributed to volunteering in the Borough of Antrim and Newtownabbey or lives in the Borough and undertakes their voluntary work outside the Borough is eligible for nomination. The nominee must have shown determination, commitment, enthusiasm and integrity through volunteering without concern for financial gain.

Criteria

1. Nominations must be completed on the official form, either online or in hard copy format if requested.  No supplementary information should be included. 
2. Nominations should reflect the definition of volunteering outlined in the nomination form.
3. Previous recipients of an Award within the past five years cannot be nominated. 
4. The Award recipients agree to make themselves available without cost, for publicity purposes when required.
5. The information provided within the nomination form will be used to assess the nomination. Should further information or clarification be required during the assessment process contact may be made with the Nominator, Nominee or Referee as appropriate.  In addition, an invitation to the awards ceremony will be forwarded to the Nominee’s address. The information provided will be held in accordance with the Data Protection Act/GDPR and will not be used for any other purpose.

Please note:

• All Nominations received on the official form will be acknowledged.
• The decision of the Antrim and Newtownabbey Spirit of Volunteering Awards Assessment Panel is final and no correspondence will be entered into in respect of that decision.

Volunteering can take different forms such as sports or social clubs, walking or youth groups, events such as clean-ups, fundraising, church groups or simply helping an elderly neighbour.

Giving selflessly to others, volunteers contribute significantly to the lives of those in the Borough without financial gain. So if you can think of someone who deserves recognition… nominate them!

Nominations close on  Monday 6 June 2022 at 4pm.  Winners will be announced at the Antrim and Newtownabbey Spirit of Volunteering Awards 2022 celebration event on Thursday 13 October 2022 at 7pm in Theatre at the Mill.

If you know someone who deserves recognition then nominate them for an Award in one of the following categories:

• Newcomer to Volunteering Award – An individual who has become a volunteer for the first time in the last 2 years.
• Team Spirit Award – ‘Team’ means to be made up of more than one individual and therefore the organisation who is nominated for this award should be a team who has contributed to the success of a particular event, project, or goal and has shown exceptional team spirit in doing so.
• Personal Achievement Award – An individual who has achieved a particular personal goal or milestone through their volunteering.
• Covid 19 Community Impact Award – An individual, group or organisation who has made a real tangible difference in their local community during the Covid 19 pandemic. For example through taking on a particular project or cause that has changed the community for the better during such difficult times.
• Young Persons Volunteering Award - An individual between the ages 11-24 who through volunteering, has made a real difference in their community or organisation.
• Community Safety Award - A group or organisation who has made a contribution to ensuring the safety of residents within in their local area.  For example Neighbourhood Watch.
• Social and Community Enterprise Award - An organisation, who through their activities, has made a substantial social impact in the Borough.
• Lifetime Contribution Award – An individual who has contributed over 25 years of their life to volunteering.

Tips for Nominating

1. Don't assume that the assessment panel members know what the volunteer you are nominating does - Panel members can only assess the nomination based on the information that is provided on your nomination form therefore provide as much information as you can. Although panel members may know the volunteer nominated they cannot add any extra information to the assessment process.
2. Talk to the volunteer you are thinking of nominating about their voluntary work or to others that know about their volunteering - It can be surprising to discover what other areas of voluntary work people are involved in. If you don't want the person to know that you are thinking of nominating them, simply have a conversation with them over a cup of tea/coffee to find out what else they do. You may find out that they have more volunteering experience than you realised.
3. Tell the volunteer's story in simple terms – This will give the assessment panel members a better sense of what the volunteer does, write your nomination to clearly show how the voluntary work undertaken by the person you are nominating is making a difference in the local community. Keep it simple without overuse of jargon so that the nomination becomes real for the assessment panel members.
4. Don't forget the small things that make a real difference - Everyone has something to offer to volunteering and every role is valued. When thinking of nominating a volunteer consider the small additional things that people do beyond their role. It may be that they are always there when needed; that they go that extra mile; that they are willing to undertake any duties; or always thinking of others and how they can help.
5. Nominate as many of your volunteers as you wish to - organisations sometimes are reluctant to nominate one of their volunteers because they don't wish to single a volunteer out for special recognition above their other volunteers. We would encourage you to nominate as many volunteers as you wish, even better why not nominate all your volunteers as a team.

For more information about the nomination process and awards evening, please contact the Community Development Team Tel: 028 9034 0073 or 028 9034 0066

What happens next

The Antrim and Newtownabbey Spirit of Volunteering Awards will be held on Thursday 13 October 2022 at 7pm in Theatre at the Mill.

The information provided by you will only be used for the purposes of assessing nominations and will be processed in accordance with current data protection legislation.  For more information visit our website www.antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk/GDPRCommunity