Award Nominations

EMERGING LEADER AWARD

This award recognizes individuals whose energy and vision have furthered the cause of youth employment in Ontario. They have also demonstrated vision, collaboration and commitment in their efforts to serve their clients and communities.

This award recognizes an individual (rather than an organization).   

Nominated leaders’ activities should ideally be focused in one of the following areas of priority: 

• Work-integrated learning (i.e. an activity or program that integrates academic learning with its application in the workplace. More specifically, “work-integrated learning” means a work placement, including field placement, a practicum, a clinical placement, a cooperative education work term, an internship, an applied research project or service learning. In can also include career exploration activities. The practice may be real or simulated and can occur in the workplace, at an educational institution, online or face-to-face)

• Sector strategy development (i.e. a practice to improve employment opportunities for workers, or those seeking employment, while supporting business competitiveness. It embodies a diverse mix of industry-specific approaches: training and skills development, research about the industry or working conditions, convening businesses to discuss their challenges, advocacy to public policy changes, helping workers to organize, or provision of services designed to meet the needs of both workers and businesses. Sector strategies are focused on two outcomes: helping workers and those seeking employment move into better jobs by removing barriers and skills gaps, or building ladders; and improving the quality of low-wage jobs, or raising the floor).

• Enhancing of supports to youth with mental health or disability challenges.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Nominations are put forward by the nominees’ organization or peers.  More than one person from the same organization can be nominated, but please be selective.  The nominee must be an employee of a First Work member organization.  The nominee must be with their current organization for less than five years.

A nominee must meet the following criteria:

• has made a significant contribution to his/her organization, community or region, with particular focus in one or more priority areas (see the About This Award section);
• has demonstrated vision, leadership and the ability collaborate to serve the needs of their clients

To submit a nomination for the 2020 Emerging Leader Award, click HERE.

The winner will be notified in advance and announced at the FUTURES Conference.  Winners will subsequently be profiled on the First Work Website and in social media campaign following the Futures 2020 Conference.

IMPACT & INNOVATION AWARD

This award recognizes projects and initiatives that demonstrate an innovative response to an issue or challenge in the youth employment sector, and that demonstrate promising outcomes and serve as inspirations for other service providers

Please note: This award recognizes an organization (rather than an individual), for a particular project or initiative. The project or initiative may have been accomplished in partnership with one or more organizations or employers.

Nominated projects should ideally be focused on one of the following areas of priority:

• Work-integrated learning (i.e. an activity or program that integrates academic learning with its application in the workplace. More specifically, “work-integrated learning” means a work placement, including field placement, a practicum, a clinical placement, a cooperative education work term, an internship, an applied research project or service learning. It can also include career exploration activities. The practice may be real or simulated and can occur in the workplace, at an educational institution, online, or face-to-face).

• Sector strategy development (i.e. practices to improve employment opportunities for workers, or those seeking employment, while supporting business competitiveness. It embodies a diverse mix of industry-specific approaches: training and skills development, research about the industry or working conditions, convening businesses to discuss their challenges, advocacy to public policy changes, helping workers to organize, or provision of services designed to meet the needs of both workers and businesses. Sector strategies are focused on two outcomes: helping workers and those seeking employment move into better jobs by removing barriers and skills gaps, or building ladders; and improving the quality of low-wage jobs, or raising the floor)

• Enhancing of supports to youth with mental health or disability challenges.

Open to First Work Members only; organizations may nominate their own projects. If the nominated project is a result of a partnership, at a minimum, the lead organization must be a First Work member.

The nominated project or initiative should meet the following criteria:  

• is a unique program or service response to a challenge facing their clients or community;
• demonstrates creativity, quality and innovation;
• the program or service response can serve as a model for other service providers;
• has evidence (qualitative or quantitative) of the initiative’s impact on individuals, the community, and the organization, and;
• is a recent initiative that has been in place for no longer than five years.

To submit a nomination for the Impact & Innovation Award, click HERE.

The winner will be notified in advance and announced at the FUTURES Conference.  Winners will subsequently be profiled on the First Work Website and in social media campaign following the Futures 2020 Conference.