The Government of Canada invites experts in the field of volunteering to submit a nomination to become a member of Canada's Volunteer Awards' National Advisory Committee

Contribute to the success of Canadian volunteers as Canada celebrates its 150^th anniversary.

GATINEAU, QC, Feb. 27, 2017 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Jean‑Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development announced the launch of a call for nominations to leaders from the not-for-profit, voluntary and business sectors to become members of the Canada's Volunteer Awards' (CVA) National Advisory Committee (NAC).

The National Advisory Committee role is to recommend award recipients annually in partnership with the Government of Canada. Committee members ensure that Canadians are recognized for their contributions towards making a difference in their communities.

Sumbit your nomination today to become a member of the Canada's Volunteer Awards' National Advisory Committee.

Nominations will be accepted until Friday, March 17, 2017 (23:59 PT). The members of the National Advisory Committee will be announced in spring 2017.

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Quotes

"I invite leaders from voluntary, not-for-profit and business sectors to help make a difference by engaging in the recognition of volunteers across Canada. Volunteers are the heart of our communities and Canada's Volunteer Awards provide an opportunity to highlight their great work and accomplishments. As we celebrate Canada's 150th anniversary of the Confederation, help us to honour these great Canadians."

– The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

Quick Facts

• Canada ranked fourth in the 2015 World Giving Index, which provides insight into the scope and nature of giving around the world.
• In 2013, volunteers devoted almost 2 billion hours to their volunteer activities, or the equivalent of about 1 million full-time jobs.

Further Information

Submit a nomination to become a member of the National Advisory Committee
About Canada's Volunteer Awards

Backgrounder

Canada's Volunteer Awards

The Government of Canada is committed to recognizing the significant contribution volunteers make to communities across Canada. Canada's Volunteer Awards complement other government activities that engage individuals at the community level to promote partnerships and leverage resources across sectors to address persistent social problems.

The objective of Canada's Volunteer Awards is to recognize annually and bring national prominence to the contributions individuals, not-for-profit organizations and businesses make to their communities through volunteering. This aligns with the Government of Canada's interest in promoting innovative solutions to local problems.

There are a total of 21 awards, both at the regional and the national levels.

There are 20 regional awards, four for each of the five regions across Canada (Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, Prairies and British Columbia and the North):

• Emerging Leader (youth 18 to 30);
• Community Leader (for individual volunteers or groups of volunteers);
• Business Leader (for businesses); and
• Social Innovator (for not-for-profit organizations).

There is also one national award:

• Thérèse Casgrain Lifelong Achievement Award (generally for those who have volunteered for at least 20 years).

Recipients are selected through a three-step assessment process:

1. Department officials screen nominations to ensure that they meet the eligibility criteria.
2. Regional Reviewers (volunteer representatives from across the country) assess eligible nominations based on the assessment criteria and develop a list of top‑ranked nominations for the National Advisory Committee.
3. A National Advisory Committee comprising up to 15 volunteer members from various regions of Canada is selected by the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development. The National Advisory Committee assesses the top-ranked nominations and advises the Minister on final decisions.

About the National Advisory Committee Members

The National Advisory Committee (NAC) members will advise and assist the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development (ESDC) on all matters relating to the selection of award recipients.

The Committee will consist of up to 15 volunteer members.

Committee members will serve for a three-year term with possibility of extensions by one-year increments, for a maximum term of six years.

Members will be selected by the Minister of ESDC.

Canada 150

Celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation at special events and activities that are being planned across the country. From local and community events to national celebrations in 2017, there will be plenty of ways to get involved and celebrate all that makes us who we are as a country. More excitement to come, stay tuned! We're celebrating 2017 with events happening across the country all year long. Be part of the celebration.

Follow @Canada150th on Twitter use #Canada150.

SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada

For media enquiries, please contact: Émilie Gauduchon-Campbell, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, P.C., M.P., Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, 819-654-5546; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected], Follow us on Twitter