The Herald Society Awards will be made in 12 categories. Entries can cover projects and initiatives of all sizes, but they must have been active between July 2008 and June 30, 2009.
The Herald Society Awards will be made in 12 categories. Entries can cover projects and initiatives of all sizes, but they must have been active between July 2008 and June 30, 2009.
Judges will be looking for teams or individuals who have managed to take an innovative or imaginative approach, and for work which has identified clear needs and goals, and delivered tangible results.
All the entries will be considered by an expert panel of judges to be appointed by The Herald.
- Education Initiative of the Year
This award will be given in recognition of work with pre-school and school-age children in nurseries, schools and colleges which is creative and inspiring, and which can demonstrate clear benefits for learners.
- Community Project of the Year
Community engagement is a buzz phrase in the public sector, but this award is for initiatives which go beyond the tick box approach. It will reward work which puts control in the hands of communities and enables ordinary people to take the lead in changing their local circumstances.
- Health Provider of the Year
This category is open to initiatives in hospitals, doctors' surgeries, health boards, or any other organisations working within the NHS. Judges will be looking for innovative work which can demonstrate impressive results whether that is in early intervention and preventative health care or improving the outcomes of medical care and treatment at a later stage.
- Service Provider of the Year (working with under 24s), sponsored by the Association of Directors of Social Work
This category will be awarded to an individual, team or initiative working with young people in a post-school or out-of-school setting, which has achieved results that others haven't managed, through unusually creative or imaginative approaches.
- Service Provider of the Year (working with 65+)
The award will go to a team or initiative working to improve the lives or lifestyles of older people which has achieved results that others haven't managed, through unusually creative or imaginative approaches. Judges will look for evidence that the work has helped clients to overcome health, economic or social disadvantage or otherwise improve their quality of life.
- Environmental Initiative of the Year
Responding to climate change is one of the biggest challenges we face and individuals can often feel powerless to make a difference. That is why it is important that the public sector takes a lead.
This category will reward an initiative which goes beyond tokenism to deliver change in the public services on the climate agenda. The judges are likely to look for evidence of ideas with impact and potential to be replicated.
Campaign of the Year, sponsored by EVH This award will go to an individual or group which has worked to promote change in the public or voluntary sector: for example to improve services, widen access or reduce inequality. Judges will be looking for evidence of how communities sit at the heart of the campaign and what it has achieved.
- Collaboration Award, sponsored by improvement service
With budgets under severe pressure in the public and voluntary sectors, effective partnership working is more important than ever.
This category seeks to give recognition to an outstanding example of collaboration in the public and/or voluntary sector. We are looking for forward-looking collaborative work which can convince others of the benefits of such an approach for communities or service users.
- Outstanding Public Service Worker of the Year
This award will go to an individual whose outstanding drive and commitment has made a difference in improving the lives of people in Scotland. Judges will be looking for evidence of what has been achieved and reasons why those people nominated deserve special recognition.
- Outstanding Public Service Team of the Year, sponsored by Unison Scotland
This category will reward a team, department or partnership whose public service values, outstanding drive and commitment have made a difference in improving the lives of people in Scotland. Judges will be looking for evidence of what has been achieved by the nominees and why they deserve special recognition.
- Equalities Initiative of the Year, sponsored by Royal Mail
This award is to recognise and reward initiatives that go beyond simply complying with legal duties on equalities and the internal plans now required of public bodies. Entries should highlight work within the public or voluntary sector which demonstrates genuine engagement with communities about equalities issues. They should demonstrate an impact either in terms of improving the circumstances of people or supporting communities to support themselves to change their own circumstances for the better.
- Unsung Hero Award, sponsored by the Big Lottery Fund
Very often in the public and voluntary sectors, and in communities, there are people who work tirelessly, above the call of duty for little thanks.
Everyone knows someone who is a magnet in their community but receives little recognition, even when initiatives would often fail without them.
This award will be given to the individual who in the judges' opinion best fits the definition of unsung' hero or heroine.
Nominations can be for members of the community, or people working in the public or voluntary sector in Scotland. Your entry should explain their personal qualities, what they have achieved and why they deserve greater recognition.
For an entry form, email alison.martin@heraldandtimes.co.uk or write to:
The Herald Society Awards,
Alison Martin,
Head of Events,
TheHerald,
200 Renfield Street,
Glasgow,
G2 3QB,
or call on 0141 302 7410. The closing date for all entries is Friday, September 22, 2009.
