Certificate of Excellence
What is the Diana Certificate of Excellence?
The Certificate of Excellence is a new scheme administered by the Diana Award team. It recognises the outstanding contribution of young people aged 12-18 who work together in groups to improve their communities, organisations or schools.
The Certificate is our first award that is exclusively for groups of young people, rather than individuals. We wanted to reward those who work together to do amazing things that benefit others, such as raising money for charity, campaigning on a local issue or mentoring younger children in their schools or youth groups.
Like our main Diana Award for individuals, our Certificate of Excellence is highly prestigious and is backed by the Memorial Committee that was founded to ensure that the memory of Diana, Princess of Wales is commemorated in a way that is of lasting benefit to our society. Princes William and Harry support the Award and are kept up to date with the latest developments and events.
The Certificate scheme also allows you to nominate an entire group using only one form, and allows us to show even more young people how much their work is appreciated.
We couldn't be prouder of our Certificate of Excellence Holders, and we know they place high value on the recognition we give them. We hope they will inspire you to nominate outstanding groups of young individuals who work tirelessly for your community, organisation or school.
Who is eligible for the Certificate of Excellence?
The Diana Certificate of Excellence is for young people aged 12-18 who have worked together as a group to achieve positive change within their communities or schools. For a nomination to be successful, you will need to provide evidence that the all the young people have:
- Worked as part of a group to make an outstanding, sustained and selfless contribution to their community, over and above what would be expected of their peers.
- Taken part in an activity or project that has been sustained for a minimum of six months.
- Jointly had an impact on the lives of others, or on their school or community.
As a rule of thumb, if you can demonstrate that a group of young people has gone beyond 'the extra mile' on behalf of others, there's a strong chance they will be eligible for a Diana Certificate of Excellence.
Why nominate?
A Diana Certificate of Excellence has lasting benefits for both its recipients and society as a whole.
Young people are enormously proud when they receive recognition as prestigious as the Diana Certificate of Excellence. It encourages them to develop into deeply engaged citizens and acts as a major attraction for colleges and potential employees. It may also encourage them to make greater individual contributions to society, beyond the scope of the groups they have been involved in.
The Diana Certificate of Excellence offers a strong antidote to the negative light in which young people are so often portrayed. Certificate Holders are role models for others, acting as a force of good and continuing to make a lasting difference to their communities. They are valuable citizens who have a vital role to play.
The Certificate also acts as a kite-mark for nominating organisations and schools and it provides evidence of good practice. It also helps organisations demonstrate that enjoyment and achievement, along with participation, are ingredients that are essential to young people's lives.
Through the Certificate of Excellence scheme, we will produce a bi-annual report to showcase examples of high quality work identified through the nominations. This report will be distributed to Government departments, MPs, local authorities, schools, organisations and all Certificate Holders.
Who can nominate?
Anyone who knows a group of outstanding young people in a professional capacity, including teachers, youth workers, local authority officers, representatives of charities and employers, is eligible to nominate them.
How many groups can I nominate?
You can nominate one group of young people of up to 30 individuals for each individual Certificate of Excellence. You can nominate a maximum of two groups in any one year.
If you also wish to nominate an individual young person, who has not only made an outstanding, sustained and selfless contribution to their community, but has also demonstrated exceptional personal qualities such as compassion and leadership, selflessness and courage, particularly by acting as a positive role model for others, then you may wish to consider nominating them for the main Diana Award.
For further information or advice about this Award, please call our Nominations Information Line on 0845 337 2987 or email nominations@diana-award.org.uk.
How simple is the nomination process?
It is very simple.
You need to ask a number of young people and three or four staff members to form a Nominations Group, which should chaired by a senior manager and, where applicable, include a member of the organisations or groups responsible for the activities in which the nominees have been involved.
The Nominations Group will be responsible for making sure that your Certificate of Excellence candidates meet the criteria outlined above. Once all members are satisfied that the chosen group of young people should be put forward, then please fill in the attached form and return it to us. Alternatively, you can use the online nomination system that will appear on this site very soon.
Be sure to provide evidence that the group's achievements meet our criteria, and feel free to include as much supporting documentation as you can - testimonials, photographs and relevant multimedia are all welcomed.
When you have completed the form, please return it to us by the closing date, below.
Do all nominated groups receive a Certificate of Excellence?
No. If a nomination clearly does not meet our criteria, we will return it to you with an explanation that tells you why it has been rejected.
An internal panel assesses Certificate of Excellence nomination forms. The membership of each panel varies, but members will typically include Diana Award staff or trustees, and at least one existing Award Holder.
However, we do advise you not to tell any group of young people that they have been put forward until we have confirmed they will receive a Certificate.
What do group members receive?
Group members receive a hand-written certificate, signed by Rt Hon. Gordon Brown MP. Nominating schools and organisations also receive a display certificate.
When is the nomination deadline?
The next nomination deadline is 21st May 2010.
When will I know if my nomination has been successful?
Assuming that your form has been filled in correctly, we will notify you of the outcome within 14 days of receiving the nomination.
Visit Our Online Nomination Form
