Adult Recognition

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Adult Recognition News! 

It is that time of year when we get together and honor our hard-working beloved volunteers.

Since the events will be this fall it is important to gather your nominations and endorsement letters now and get them emailed to the adult development department near you. The deadline has been extended to September 17^th. 

Don’t forget your award nominee must be a registered Girl Scout and have adult screening approval on file with the council.

The recognition task groups will meet in late September to evaluate the nominations and make their recommendations to the GSNC board of directors at their meeting in October.

Fun events are planned all over the council. Look for the event that is closest to you or suits your needs. Registration information will be coming soon.

      In the East Bay, Marin and parts north the event is October 23^rd at the San Francisco Zoo. There will be a Service Unit Basket Silent Auction so start thinking about what your Service Unit would like to donate. For information about Service Unit Silent Auction Baskets click here.

      In Sonoma County the event is Oct. 28^th at the Redwood Credit Union 3033 Cleveland Ave.  Santa Rosa.

      In the South Bay Area the event is November 7^th at the Villages San Jose. There will be a Service Unit Basket Silent Auction so start thinking about what your Service Unit would like to donate. For information about Service Unit Silent Auction Baskets click here.  For registration information click here.

      The North Central and North Coast areas have decided to have local celebrations and they will be announced locally. Check with your CDD for details.

  To check to see what awards your nominee has already received, click here.

 

Service unit level awards, such as the Outstanding Leader and Outstanding Volunteer awards, will be awarded at service unit and regional celebrations in the spring.  Nominations for those awards are still due to your local CDD in mid-March.

 

More information will be posted here soon.

Adult Recognition Awards

Everyone likes to feel appreciated for her or his volunteer service. Whether in the form of a simple thank-you for a small job well done or a formal commendation for years of faithful service in a key position of an organization, such acknowledgment is a signal to the recipient that she or he is noticed and appreciated--that she or he is recognized.

An attitude of appreciation can be created by:

1. Being aware of the extra effort put forth by an individual.
2. Taking the time to mention a person's service or thanks for a job well done.
3. Helping people to attain a higher level of achievement.
4. Developing a climate wherein work is sincerely noticed and noted at all levels.

When and how the recipient is recognized will make the expression of gratitude memorable. Recognitions might be made on special Girl Scout holidays, at Service Unit meetings, at a special recognition event, immediately following service rendered, at community recognition events, etc.

Who to Consider for Recognition

• Adult volunteers or staff in any position in Girl Scouting
• People and organizations outside Girl Scouting who provide invaluable support to Girl Scouting

Formal Recognitions

For truly significant service, there is a formal adult recognition program in Girl Scouting. These council and national awards recognize outstanding accomplishments that go well beyond what would be expected for the position held.

Download The Adult Recognitions At A Glance to help you determine:

• Which awards would be appropriate for your candidate(s)
• Whether letters of endorsement are required, and how many, for each type of award
• Who approves the award nomination
• The deadline date for submission of nominations

Outstanding Volunteer and Outstanding Leader Awards

The Outstanding Volunteer is a national award, and it is awarded by service units at local service unit meetings. These awards are approved by the service unit working with the Community Development Director. Contact your service unit recognitions committee to submit a nominator statement. Deadline is March 30.

The Outstanding Leader award is also a national award, and it is either awarded at service unit meetings or in some areas may be awarded at local or regional recognition events. Contact your service unit recognitions committee to submit the nomination form along with two letters of endorsement. deadline is March 30.

The Leadership Development program was developed by GSUSA to promote continuing enhanced education to volunteer adults working with girls in the troop setting. For more information and the application for the pin please click on the link below.

Leadership Development Pin

Other Awards

The remaining national and council awards are awarded during the fall at local and regional recognition events. These awards are approved by the Adult Recognitions Task Group and the Board of Directors, and must be submitted no later than the second Friday in August via e-mail to recognitions@girlscoutsnorcal.org (preferred) or mailed, faxed, or hand delivered to your local council office.

How to Nominate Someone for an Award

1. Complete the nomination form (download forms below): Clearly state the personal achievements of the candidate, and specifically state the reasons that the candidate’s achievements meet the criteria for this particular award. Nomination forms should be neatly printed or typed, or nominations may be submitted on tape. Click here for Council Resource Guide, and read the “council goals” page.


2. Recruit additional people to write the required letters of endorsement: Be sure to communicate the deadline for submission, to whom they should return the completed letter, and share the Letter of Endorsement Tips. Letters of Endorsement should be neatly typed or printed and may also be submitted on tape. Note that the nominator may not write letters of endorsement. Click here for Letter of Endorsement Form.


3. Turn in the entire nomination package on or before the second Friday in August: By e-mail to recognitions@GirlScoutsNorCal.org (preferred) OR to your local council office (by mail, fax or hand delivery)

The Nomination Forms

National Awards
Outstanding Volunteer Award
Outstanding Leader Award
Appreciation Pin 
Honor Pin
Thanks Badge
Thanks Badge II

Council Awards
Alliance Award
Chris Arkley Significant Impact Award
Dennis Chew Outstanding Fundraiser Award
Phyllis Jones Amistad Award
Ruth Robertson Commitment to Excellence Award
Eleanor Thomas Exemplary Leadership Award
Maud Whalen Continued Exceptional Service Award

Letter of Endorsement Form (used for any award)

Awards Timeline For 2010

Appeals Process

If the Adult Recognition Task Group determines that a nomination does not meet the criteria for the award, they may decide to:

1. Approve the nomination for a different award category. For example, if a candidate’s service is deemed to exceed the criteria for the nominated award, a more appropriate award might be approved. For example, if a candidate is nominated for the Appreciation Pin but their service has benefited the entire council, then the Honor Pin might be approved instead. On the other hand, if the candidate is nominated for the Honor Pin but no evidence is given that the candidate served two or more geographic areas, then they might instead be approved for the Appreciation Pin.


2. Deny the nomination. In a case where there is no evidence given that the candidate’s service met the award criteria (e.g. no evidence was given to show that the service was truly exemplary and exceeded the expectations for the position held), the nomination could be denied.

If the nominator genuinely feels that the award was denied or changed in error, the appeals process should be followed. Click here for appeals process.

Adult Recognition Task Group

If you would you like to know more about the work done by the Adult Recognition Task Group please click here for Adult Recognitions Task Group Position Description.

Informal Recognitions

Some ways to say "thank you" informally at local service units or by committees or task groups could include:

• A framed photograph of the Girl Scouts who participated in a particular project or event (can be a blown-up snapshot)
• A thank-you statement published in a Girl Scout publication, web site or Yahoo group newsletter or community paper
• Flowers presented at a meeting
• Birthday or holiday greetings made by the girls
• A special citation read at a meeting
• Specific awards such as “Rookie of the Year”, Most Valuable Team Member, Green Angel, Green Knight, etc. as developed by your service unit team, committee, or group
• Fun awards such as breath mints (‘you take my breath away’), note cards (‘for a noteworthy achievement’), or batteries (‘you’ve added energy to our group’)
• Click here for more ideas