ONTARIO SEARCH AND RESCUE VOLUNTEER ASSOCIATION
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR AWARD
CRITERIA

A. Establishment of the Awards Program
The Ontario Search and Rescue Volunteer Association Awards Program was introduced in 2004 to acknowledge outstanding work by an OSARVA Volunteer professional member and/or an OSARVA Volunteer Search and Rescue team/unit, and to raise awareness of Volunteer SAR efforts across the Province.

The Outstanding SAR Achievement Award recognizes the most exceptional contribution to SAR in Ontario by an OSARVA individual member or Volunteer team/unit organization. One Outstanding SAR Achievement Award can be awarded each year.

B. Eligibility
1. Any type of volunteer contribution to SAR in Ontario shall be considered for nominating an individual or team/unit for the OSARVA Awards program.

2. The nominee must have performed outstanding work in the field of SAR above and beyond routine work and service.

3. The contribution must be in the form of sustained effort over a period of time.

4. The Award may be granted posthumously.

5. If an individual or organization has been nominated for any OSARVA awards in the past, whether or not they received an Award, substantial new information must be presented for OSARVA to consider this nominee. A list of past recipients of the Outstanding Search and Rescue Achievement Award are available upon request.

6. The information contained in the nomination is the basis for the evaluation, so it must be complete and fully justify the nomination. The committee will not routinely contact the nominator or seek any supplementary information.

7. Nominations will be reviewed by the OSARVA board of Directors, Officers, and the Ontario Provincial Police who are familiar with the volunteer sector and OSARVA.


C. Preparation and Submission of Nominations
1. All nominations shall use the OSARVA Awards program nomination form and follow the attached guidelines for preparing the nominations.

2. Nominations shall be submitted no later than December 31, 2007. Nominations received after the deadline date will be filed for consideration in the next year's Awards program.

3. A nomination can be submitted by any OSARVA member over the age of 18, who is familiar with the contribution of the individual or team/unit being submitted.

4. Employees/Directors of OSARVA can nominate an individual or team/unit for the awards program however they will not be allowed to sit on the selection committee. Employees/Directors of OSARVA are not eligible for the Award.

5. An individual cannot nominate himself/herself.

6. A good nomination will use plain language to tell the selection committee what the nominee has done and how the contribution has helped SAR. The outcome and the process of the contribution must be described and substantiated.

7. A current biographical sketch, including dates of active participation within OSARVA, and any awards or honors earned by the nominee, is useful to the selection committee.

8. Dates and details about the nominee's work and how it has affected their community and volunteer SAR in general provides the selection committee with a valuable decision-making tool.

9. The nominator must provide two references (with names and complete contact information) that can substantiate the facts in the nomination.

    Submit the information to
    Darren Buck, Awards Program Coordinator, Ontario Search and Rescue Volunteer Association, 24 Hamilton Road, Barrie, ON L4N 8Y5
    Facsimile: (705) 734-3765        E-mail: darren@jdprintanddisplay.com


D. Selection Process
(i) Criteria
The nominations will be rated against the following criteria:

    1) Education and prevention
        · Identification of a need for a program
        · Planning and design of a program
        · Introduction of a successful SAR educational or prevention program
        · Application of the program
        · Success of the program
        · Scale of effort

    2) Technique and technology
        · Development of a new technique or technology
        · Introduction of SAR technique or technology
        · Success of the new technique or technology
        · Scale of effort

    3) SAR services
        · Changes or improvements to SAR
        · Positive impact of changes
        · Range/scope of impact
        · Fundraising

    4) Dedication
        · Years of service to SAR
        · Amount of effort
        · Role/impact

    5) Extraordinary rescue effort
        · Success
        · Use of SAR techniques
        · Personal risk
   
    6) Leadership
        · Leadership activities
        · Number of years as SAR group/team leader

(ii) Selection Committee
   
    1. The selection committee is made up of OSARVA board of Directors, Officers and the Ontario Provincial Police.

    2. Nominations will be discussed and confirmed with the organization(s) the nominee is affiliated with.

(iii) Selection of Recipients

    1. References may be checked upon receipt of nomination.

    2. After December 31, 2007 nominations will be compiled and sent to the selection committee for evaluation as soon as reference checks are complete.

    3. The OSARVA selection committee will notify the Outstanding SAR Achievement award recipient and all nominators.


E. Presentation of the Award
Award recipients' will be officially announced at the OSARVA Annual General Meeting Spring 2008.
The President of OSARVA and or his/her representative will present the Award at the Annual General Meeting.
The OSARVA selection committee will provide news releases on the Award to the appropriate media.
OSARVA will pay the following expenses: accommodations for the Outstanding SAR Achievement Award recipient to attend the annual general meeting. OSARVA will make the accommodation arrangements for the Outstanding SAR Achievement Award recipient.

Guidelines for Preparing Nominations

1. Fill out the candidate or organization’s information on the application form.

2. Write the reasons for the nomination in the area provided. Describe in a qualitative manner
3. Provide an up-to-date biographical sketch of the nominee or organization on a separate sheet.

4. Provide 2 other references (with their names and contact information) to corroborate the information you have provided.

5. Fill out the nominator information on the applications form.

6. Attach all relevant supporting documentation, including endorsements.

7. Submit nomination to the awards program coordinator.