Nomination eligibility
What do I need to do to nominate a person or project?
To nominate someone you will need to provide the following information:
- Your own contact information
- Contact information of the person you are nominating (phone number and email address)
- To know what award category you are entering. NOTE: you can only nominate a person or project in a maximum of two categories.
- To summarise why you are nominating that person/project/program and what some of the outcomes or achievements were
- A bit about where the nominee is from in rural or regional Victoria
- Any supporting links about the nominee like newspaper articles or websites
- A referee for the nomination (see below to find out who can be a referee).
Who can nominate?
Anyone can nominate young people, youth workers, or youth projects for the respective awards. The person, project or program must be located in rural or regional Victoria.
And YES you can nominate yourself… in fact we encourage it!
You might be a young person who has been impacted by an amazing youth worker, or you might work with an exceptional young person leading change that you believe should be recognised for their work.
You do not have to live, work, or study in rural and regional Victoria to nominate someone who is.
Just note that you cannot be your own referee too!
What counts as rural or regional Victoria?
At YACVic we consider anything outside of metropolitan Melbourne to be rural and regional Victoria. These boundaries can be a little blurry, so if you’re unsure get in touch.
Can I nominate a team or group of people?
Yes, you can nominate either an individual or a group of people in these categories:
- Young person leading change in rural or regional Victoria
- Outstanding youth project promoting diversity and inclusion in rural or regional Victoria
- Outstanding youth participation in mental health & wellbeing
- Outstanding youth participation in community-based disaster resilience
- Young people producing outstanding content in a media or social media environment
You can only nominate an individual for the following categories:
- Youth Worker making a difference in rural or regional Victoria
- Young peer worker of the year
What is the age range to be considered as a young person for these awards?
For the purposes of these Awards, ‘young people’ is anyone aged 12-25.
What sort of people are considered ‘youth workers’?
When we talk about ‘youth workers’ at YACVic, we are referring to any individuals who work or volunteer with young people including community workers, social workers, teachers, healthcare professionals and anyone else who engages with, or works to provide opportunities for young people. So for the youth worker category, a nominee can be in any profession that works or volunteers with young people.
Nomination process and judging
Can I start my nomination and then finish it off later?
Yes. Nominations are made on Smarty Grants, which allows you to come back to your work - but remember to save your draft each time or the work will be lost when you exit the form.
It’s always good to make sure you have all the information you need to complete the nomination before you get started.
Get in touch if you are struggling with the nomination form.
Can the nominator be the referee for the nomination?
Yes, in some cases.
The referee should be someone who knows the nominees achievements and contributions well. Consider it similar to a referee that you would use when applying for a job.
In some cases it might be appropriate for the nominator to be the referee. For example, a local government youth worker may nominate a young person from a local government reference group, they could also be the referee.
In some cases you might need to find another referee. For example, if you are a young person nominating a local youth worker, you might want to have their manager as a referee.
NOTE: a referee should not be a family member, and if you’re self-nominating you cannot be your own referee.
Are there other ways to nominate?
Yes – if Smarty Grants is not accessible or preferable, you can submit a video nomination.
Please note that a video nomination can be no longer than one minute, and it must address the all selection criteria. Please send the video to staff_rural@YACVic.org.au.
What will nominations be judged on?
The judges will review each nominee for how they have made a difference as a young person, or for young people, who are living, working or studying in rural or regional Victoria.
All categories have a selection criteria which the judges will assess in making their decision. Make sure your application addresses these points directly.
NOTE: each category has a different selection criteria.
Award announcements and ceremony
How many finalists will be announced?
There will be a minimum of three finalists per category, announced at the start of September.
Can I attend the awards ceremony?
Yes, we encourage young people and youth sector professionals from rural and regional Victoria to attend. Tickets will be available on the YACVic events page from mid-July.
Do finalists have to attend the award ceremony?
No, but we do encourage finalists to attend. The Awards ceremony will be a celebration of what is happening in the rural and regional youth sector and the amazing young people that live in rural and regional Victoria. We’d love finalists, nominees, nominators and any other young people or youth sector professionals in rural and regional Victoria to attend.