National Youth Council of Dominica announces nomination criteria for Youth Award

Dominica: National Youth Council of Dominica will be hosting the National Youth Awards this coming August 2022.

We are tremendously excited and so proud to have brought back this initiative to uplift and recognise the hard work as well as efforts of our young people making a name for themselves day after day.

The National Youth Awards recognises youth between the ages of 16 and 35 who have contributed to and created positive change in the lives of others within their community or nation by extension. The Youth Awards focuses on young persons in Dominica who have triumphed over great odds and served as inspiration and a role model to others.

Nominations can be submitted using this form: https://forms.gle/Zgi4JpD6ayfkyA7n9.

The Youth Council has announced nomination criteria for the Awards, which are as follows –

1) Outstanding Youth or Youth Organisations in Cultural Preservation and National Heritage Award –
Criteria:
– Must be an advocate for culture and heritage among youth.
– Must actively demonstrate and promote local culture.
– Must participate in cultural traditions or activities.
– Award is given in recognition of the efforts of cultural figures that contribute to the intellectual and artistic promotion and preservation of Dominican culture and its appreciation and understanding around the country, region or world.

2) Outstanding Youth in Indigenous Cultural and Traditional Preservation Award –
Criteria:
– The recipient has contributed to the empowerment and development of the young and general Kalinago population.
– Must participate in indigenous cultural and traditional activities.
– Must actively demonstrate and promote the indigenous cultural and traditional language.
– Must be an advocate for indigenous and traditional culture among youth.
– Must promote indigenous values and language in school and the community.
– Lead a balanced life based on a foundation of strong cultural as well as spiritual values.

3) Outstanding Youth in Agriculture Award –
Criteria:
– Must be actively involved in agricultural education: production and policy.
– Must be involved in agro-processing Marketing. Farming or some other form of agri-business.
– Must be a positive role model to others wishing to enter the field.
– Must actively promote participation in agriculture amongst youth.
– Must innovatively contribute to the agricultural industry through their practices.

4) Outstanding Youth in Digital Transformation Award –
Criteria:
– Business must be owned by the awardees.
– Must have an up-to-date. Consistently maintained or active digital relevant links.
– Content is current, regular and appropriate.
– Ease of payment Digital Wallet: e.g. Mobanking, online banking, Mlajan, or PayPal.
– Able to do business efficiently and effectively with a professional business model that seeks to impact Dominica’s digital business sector on a micro, small, medium and large scale.
– Must demonstrate being an advocate for the use and implementation of technology and promotes the creation of jobs in the digital economy.
– Promotes, creates, inspires and seeks to produce content that is current, relevant and engaging.

5) Outstanding Youth in Entrepreneurship Award –
Criteria:
– Enterprise is self partially owned.
– The enterprise must be incorporated.
– Must contribute to the economic and social development of the community.
– Must demonstrate a projection for sustainability, for example, outlines plans for growth.
– The nominee should serve as a positive role model to other young entrepreneurs.
– Must be currently operating for at least one year.

6) Outstanding Youth in Mass Media, Contey Creation and Journalism Award –
Criteria:
– The award is made to journalists, commentators, photographers, media houses as well as digital creators who have, through their intervention, positively contributed to an awareness of the contributions and achievements of young people: promoting national youth development and youth empowerment.
– The recipient must be actively involved in media for at least two years and is a positive role model to enter the field.

7) Outstanding Community Youth Organisation Award –
Criteria:
– Must be registered with the parent organisation, for example, the District Youth and Sports Council and or other stakeholder government or Non-government agencies.
– Must comply with the administrative and procedural firework stipulated by the parent organisation, for example, governed by Constitution. Rules and regulations, policy guidelines.
– The Youth organisations should have a positive public image and amicable relations and partnerships with the youth: the community and other key stakeholders.
– Must actively encourage you to become a member of a similar institution.
– Must have successfully implemented sustainable projects that have had an impact across the community.

8) Outstanding Youth in Climate Activism and Environmental Advocacy –
Criteria:
– Demonstrates major leadership role in creating, organising and implementing projects or campaign(s) related to Climate Activism and Environmental Advocacy.
– Demonstrates application of fresh solutions and approaches to relevant environmental challenges.
– Has developed projects that have had a significant impact on SDG13 climate action as well as those with components of Environmental sustainability and climate awareness and can be used as a model for other communities.
– Have been engaged with youth groups and stakeholders to collaborate on projects related to environmental conservancy and other major elements related to the environment.

9) Outstanding Youth in Liberal and Performing Arts Awards –
Criteria:
– Must be registered and be an active participant in a performing arts organisation or a solo performer.
– Must have participated in national, regional or international activities related to the performing arts.
– Should continually exhibit ethical behaviour and must contribute to the social consciousness of positive youth behaviour.
– Must promote performing arts among youth.

10) Outstanding Youth in Creative and Literary Arts Awards –
Criteria:
– Nominees must have produced works in the past two years.
– Must contribute to the social consciousness of youth development and continually exhibit positive ethical behaviour.
– Must encourage and support the development of creative and liberal arts in youth.

11) Outstanding Youth Living with Disabilities
Criteria:

-The award is made to an individual who, despite his disability, makes a significant national contribution in the social-economic or professional sectors.
– Must be an active member of a community club and participates in a community programme. Make a meaningful contribution to community development or represent her association nationally. Regionally or internationally.
– Must be seen as an example in society to others with disabilities.

12) Esteemed Volunteer Award –
Criteria:
– Individuals must have served as a volunteer with at least three volunteer organisations in Dominica.
– An individual should have demonstrated a high level of reliability and produced work of an acceptable standard.
– The individual is truly driven and passionate about volunteerism and goes beyond the call of duty to ensure the highest level of service when executing or participating in activities.
– Must be in good standing with an organisation where active membership exists.

13) JCI Dominica Fadelle Yankey Excellence in Leadership Award –
Criteria:
– They should be connected to their community, school or institutions, where their leadership skills are utilised.
– Substantive participation and leadership on committees, working groups, community groups, mentoring activities, etc.
– Leadership in addressing issues, influencing change, or new directions with the community.
– Leadership in areas of professional development and use of technology.
Nominees must be willing to promote the ideals of JCI for the year after winning the award.

14) Outstanding Youth in Diaspora –
Criteria:
– Must be a Dominican citizen living in the Diaspora contributing to development in Dominica.
– It must be effecting Dominican Youth in the Diaspora or Dominican Youth living in Dominica.