Recognition and awards for TOPRA volunteers

TOPRA appreciates all the help and input of its volunteers. We support our volunteers so they can get on with the activities they enjoy, find most interesting and satisfying. Volunteers’ efforts are always acknowledged and we like to say thank you!

TOPRA has two awards for volunteers:

1. Distinguished Service Award
   
2. Top Team Award

Distinguished Service Award

This Award recognises volunteers whose contributions have made a real difference to TOPRA and the profession.

TOPRA has a Distinguished Service Award programme for individuals who have ‘gone the extra mile’ on a piece of volunteering work. There is no limit to the number of such awards given each year, nor to the number of awards a single person can achieve, but they can only get one in each year.

Sometimes, however, an exceptional outcome is not the result of a single person’s hard work, but due to the excellent work of the team that delivers, be it an ad-hoc working party, a permanent working party or a permanent standing committee.

TOPRA has therefore decided to acknowledge the work done by these teams by a new award, the ‘Top Team’ award.

The purpose of the award is to have a fun way to acknowledge excellent volunteer contribution, publicity for the behind-the-scenes hard work and a practical gift to the team as a thank-you.

Who can make nominations?

Chairs of any TOPRA Committee, Working Party or Special Interest Group can nominate any colleague on that group for an award. At least one other TOPRA member should counter-sign the nomination.

When can nominations be made?

Recipients of these Awards will be announced at the TOPRA Annual Review Meeting (ARM) each year. The deadline for the 2021 nomination period is 23 August 2021.

Nominations should be based on volunteer service given to TOPRA in the year since the last AGM.

What can the nominations be for?

Any type of volunteer service can be considered. For example, exceptional commitment to attendance at committee meetings, effective chairing or a particularly high-quality piece of work completed for TOPRA. If in doubt, please contact our Membership team for advice.

How are nominations submitted and assessed?

If you would like to make a nomination, you should complete the below nomination form and submit it in confidence to the Head of Membership.

You should NOT advise the nominee that you are putting their name forward.

The Head of Membership will submit all nominations to the TOPRA Board who will consider all nominations received and decide, from their knowledge of what volunteers in TOPRA do for the organisation, whether to approve the nomination. They may contact the proposer for more information. The process is confidential and the decisions are at the discretion of the Board and final.

The Head of Membership will then contact the nominee to advise them that they have successfully been nominated, and by whom, and invite them to attend the next TOPRA Annual General Meeting to receive their certificate.

What does the successful nominee receive?

The Distinguished Service Award certificate and badge will be awarded to all successful nominees.

The award will be published in the TOPRA members’ newsletter (InTouch) and may be publicised in the industry press.

Are there any exclusions?

• Nominees must be TOPRA members in good standing (ie, paid for the current year).
• Volunteers may not submit their own names.
• Board members cannot be nominated while they serve on the Board. However, Board members may make nominations.
• Volunteers may receive more than one award per year, but not for the same item of service.
• There is no limit to the number of awards a volunteer can receive overall.

In the absence of nominations that the Board considers worthy, there may be no awards given in one year.

TOPRA 'Top Team' Award

TOPRA acknowledges the work done by teams with the ‘Top Team’ award. The Award publicly acknowledges and expresses appreciation for an outstanding volunteer team contribution.

Who can make nominations?

Nominations may be made by any member or any staff member but not by a member of the team being nominated.

When can nominations be made?

Recipients of these Awards will be announced at the TOPRA Annual General Meeting each year. The deadline for the 2021 nomination period is 23 August.

Nominations should be based on volunteer service given to TOPRA in the year since the last AGM.

The TOP TEAM award will be decided annually and ratified at the September Board (or the meeting in the month prior to the Annual Review meeting).

What can the nominations be for?

This Award is intended to recognise the contribution of teams and the excellent work they deliver, be it an ad hoc working party, a permanent working party or a permanent standing committee. If in doubt, please contact our Membership team for advice.

Are there any exclusions?

The Board may not be nominated as a TOP TEAM. However, teams led by or including Board members will be eligible.

How are nominations submitted and assessed?

Nominations must be made in writing using a form provided as a guide, and the nominator must address aspects of the team’s work that make their performance exceptional, over and above what would be expected of any committee working for a professional organisation. The criteria will not be unduly prescriptive as it is anticipated that there will be many ways in which a team could be considered to be the ‘TOP’.

Nominations will be submitted to the Head of Membership who will present them for consideration by the Board and their decision is final. Ratification will take place at the Board meeting prior to the Annual Review meeting (usually September) and will occur only once a year .

The criteria for selection of the TOP TEAM will not be formally laid down and the decision is not to select the ‘best’ team based on set criteria but to use the information provided in the nomination to make a subjective judgement .There is no limit to how many times a team can be nominated (or win) for a TOP TEAM award.

Once selected, the Head of Membership will advise the Chairman of the team and ask for a list of all members of the team who have contributed during the year.

What does the successful nominee receive?

The winners (and from time to time, runners up) will be announced at the Annual Review Meeting, in the next InTouch member newsletter, on the TOPRA website and in the Annual Report.

Each member of the team will receive a certificate and the Chairman will be advised of a sum of money that the team can spend on a team dinner.