Youth awards accepting online nominations
Posted Mar 12, 2010 By Charelle Evelyn
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Tweet ThisEMC News - Recognizing the accomplishments of Ottawaís outstanding youth has become as easy as a few clicks of the mouse.
This year, the Spirit of the Capital Youth Awards have an online nomination form to make the process of acknowledging the communityís inspirational young people more accessible.
Child and Youth Friendly Ottawa (CAYFO), a charity dedicated to the promotion and advancement of children and youth in the community, has been holding the annual awards gala since 1998 as a way to promote a positive image of young people and generate awareness for their contributions.
As CAYFOís mandate is to work with and support youth, organizers of the event wanted the awards process to be more accessible and cater more to the needs of youth.
ìThere are so many amazing young people who are making a real difference in our community and we are hoping to get the word out to a broader audience to ensure they are recognized for all that they do,î said Katie McGregor, co-chair of the Spirit of the Capital Youth Awards.
Last year, Ms. McGregor said over 100 nominations were received and organizers hope to expand on that this year.
The nominees are reviewed and narrowed down to two finalists for each of the eight categories: Personal Courage, Service and Caring, Young Entrepreneurship, Young Activist, Arts and Culture, Academic Perseverance, Young Athlete and Youth and Technology.
All finalists receive a plaque and free tickets to the May gala event. Winners receive a $500 bursary and runner-ups receive a $250 bursary.
Eligible nominees must reside within the amalgamated City of Ottawa and be younger than 21 years of age as of Jan. 1, 2010.
In keeping with CAYFOís ìfor youth, by youthî nature, a 14-member Youth Planning Committee handles the logistics of the awards.
ìItís really important for programs that recognize youth to have that youth perspective,î said Ms. McGregor, explaining that not only is it more rewarding but more relatable to the people theyíre supporting.
Committee members also have a lot to gain as they learn to put on an event of this size. ìThe young people we bring onto the committee are all deserving of awards themselves,î Ms. McGregor said.
The online nominations and separate Spirit Awards web site are just a couple of the changes made to the event over the past couple of years. Last year, organizers introduced a youth market, where young people were invited to set up booths to promote their products or services to the more than 500 guests in attendance.
A pre-gala event was also held, where the finalists could meet each other and participate in leadership activities.
ìWeíre consistently trying to grow the event,î said Ms. McGregor, adding that the committee is also looking into expanding mentorship.
ìWeíre hoping to bring on some sponsors to explore some mentorship opportunities,î Ms. McGregor said.
As important as it is for the youth to take charge, she said, itís also important to recognize the adult role models.
ìWeíre looking to bridge that partnership.î
Nominations for the Spirit of the Capital Youth Awards close April 2 with the prizes handed out May 31 at the Ottawa Marriot Hotel. For more information, visit www.spiritawards.ca.
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