The Irish Red Cross Volunteer Support and Development Working Group is pleased to open nominations for the 2023 National Volunteer Awards! Please see the details of the categories and nomination forms below, as well as some tips for submissions.
Closing date for nominations: Monday 25 September.
The National Volunteer Awards is open to Irish Red Cross members only, and allows us to celebrate the hard work, dedication, and achievements of members, who give their time in voluntary service to support the most vulnerable in communities across Ireland.
This year’s award ceremony will take place in Croke Park on Saturday 11 November from 14.30 – 17.00 (registration from 13.00). Tea/coffee will be served on arrival and light refreshments will be served after the ceremony. As a further celebration of volunteerism within the National Society, this year’s award ceremony has an open invitation to all members who wish to join on the day. Places will be limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Those wishing to attend can register their interest by emailing nva2023@irishredcross.com.
Categories and Nomination Forms
Volunteer of the Year
The Volunteer of the Year Award is awarded to a volunteer within the National Society who has shown dedication to their volunteer role and has had a strong, positive impact on their community. This award will be presented to someone who has embodied the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross and has supported the Irish Red Cross Strategy in some way. This person will have demonstrated creativity, initiative, or passion in their role as a volunteer.
Young Volunteer of the Year
The Young Volunteer of the Year Award is awarded to a volunteer within the National Society who is under the age of 18 and has shown dedication to their volunteer role. They should also have a strong and positive impact on their community. This award will be presented to someone who has embodied the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross and will have supported the Irish Red Cross Strategy in some way. This person will have demonstrated creativity, initiative, or passion in their role as a volunteer.
Community Support Volunteer of the Year
The Community Support Volunteer of the Year Award is awarded to a volunteer who has shown dedication to their role either at the Branch or Area level. This person will have had a strong and positive impact on their community, encouraging community-based activities within their locality. This award will be presented to someone who has embodied the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross and will have demonstrated creativity, initiative, or passion in their role as a Community Support Volunteer.
Unit Member of the Year
The Unit Member of the Year Award will be presented to a member of the Unit Structure who has embodied the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross and has demonstrated initiative and passion within the Unit Structure in the work that they do. This person may have saved a life, assisted during flooding, or played a role in disaster or crisis recovery in their local communities. This person will have displayed dedication and commitment to their Unit and have demonstrated exemplary service in their role as a unit member.
Instructor of the Year
The Instructor of the Year Award is awarded to a volunteer who is a qualified Irish Red Cross Instructor. This award will be presented to someone who has actively delivered courses to members of the Irish Red Cross and the general public across a wide range of courses. This volunteer will have demonstrated creativity and initiative in their role as an instructor. They will have maintained an excellent standard of course delivery, ensuring students have an enjoyable learning experience in the courses they participate in.
Branch of the Year
The Branch of the Year Award is awarded to a branch within the National Society that has shown dedication to supporting their members and has had a strong impact on the community served by the Branch. This award will be presented to a Branch that embodies the Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross and has supported the delivery of the Irish Red Cross Strategy. The Branch will have shown leadership to their members by managing good governance, administration, compliance, operational support, and community fundraising efforts.
Lifetime Achievement Award
The Lifetime Achievement Award is awarded to a volunteer within the National Society who has a minimum of fifty years’ service and has made a significant contribution to the Irish Red Cross during their time volunteering. This person will have a strong and positive impact on their community, encouraging humanitarian-based activities within their locality. This award will be presented to someone who has demonstrated outstanding vision, extraordinary dedication, and commitment to their volunteering within the Irish Red Cross.
Newcomer of the Year
The Newcomer of the Year Award is awarded to a volunteer within the National Society who has shown dedication to their volunteer role having joined since September 2020. This individual will exhibit outstanding performance and will have made a significant contribution in their role since joining, demonstrating a positive and willing attitude when faced with new tasks, and bringing innovative ideas to improve the volunteering experience in the Irish Red Cross.
Tips for Submissions
To assist in the drafting of the nomination, you may wish to use the following format:
First paragraph: Introduce the person
- How long have they been involved in the Irish Red Cross?
- What positions have they held?
- What sets them apart from other members?
Second paragraph: Address the criteria
- What have they done? Give evidence of their achievements throughout their service with Irish Red Cross.
- Why is their service exceptional? Give evidence that they have made a major contribution to Irish Red Cross, maybe through their devotion to Red Cross Principles, selfless humanitarian service to others, exceptional leadership, or dedication to Red Cross tasks assigned to them.
Third paragraph: Reiterate that this person is worthy of the Award
- Summarise why this person should receive this award
