The Special Olympics Ireland Volunteer Awards

The Special Olympics Ireland Volunteer Awards provides the opportunity for volunteers to recognise their peers for the dedication, energy, enthusiasm and “can do” approach they bring to Special Olympics in their capacity as a volunteer. This the third year of the awards, we’ve added an additional category to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the 2003 World Summer Games in Ireland.

Here’s your chance to nominate a volunteer who deserves recognition. Nominations are closing soon - so get your nominations in today! Winners will be announced in September. Remember when filling in your nomination, the judges are independent and won’t know your nominee like you do so please be specific about your reasons for nominating, the category descriptors will help you.

We are inviting nominations for volunteers under the following categories:

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Special Olympics World Summer Games 2003 held in Ireland, we are delighted to add a new category this year.

This award is to acknowledge volunteers who were inspired by the very successful Special Olympics World Games in 2003, who took that inspiration, acted upon it, and has been making a difference with Special Olympics at a local level since.

Youth volunteers are our future. Their time with Special Olympics may be their first volunteer experience and we want to make it a rewarding one, inspiring young people to donate their time to others throughout their lives or at various stages through their lives. This award recognises the contribution youth volunteers make. It champions the efforts of other volunteers who nurture the volunteer experience of youth volunteers in particular.

You can nominate someone in this category who has impressed you as:

· A youth volunteer (aged 15 to 26) acknowledging the impact the youth volunteer has on those they volunteer with or support

Or

· A volunteer who nurtures and champions youth volunteers. A volunteer who sits outside the 15 to 26 year age group but who actively recruits, supports, promotes and encourages youth volunteers in their volunteering context.

This award is set to commend a club volunteer at any level, be it from CMT, coach, Health Promotion Facilitator or general volunteer. The nominees will have devoted time and energy to the development and functionality of their local club and athletes and will have gone above and beyond the role requirements. The award recognises the contribution made by the volunteer to get their club back to sport post-pandemic.

As a large volunteer-led organisation, strong leadership is essential to move the organisation forward. Leadership can be demonstrated in lots of different ways and in various contexts from making big decisions, having a positive influence on other volunteers, problem-solving, and future proofing, to just making things happen. We often think that a volunteer must be in a formal leadership role to lead but leadership isn’t just confined to such positions. 

This Volunteer Leader award recognises the actions of those volunteers who bring other volunteers with them. That can be in any context, e.g., club, event, committee, fundraising. It aims to recognise leadership behaviours whether in a formal leadership role or whether leadership is demonstrated informally

Volunteers are at the heart of the Special Olympics family. The nominees in this category are the essence of what drives Special Olympics forward as they contribute on a number of levels to the organisation and its athletes. This award seeks to recognise those volunteers who inspire others thereby creating an environment where sports and volunteering can thrive