This week I met with the team from The Queen’s Awards for Voluntary Service who wanted to find out more about what we do.
We often receive calls from people enquiring about the Voluntary Service awards, confusing them with our own Enterprise Promotion award for individuals. I thought it might be helpful if I broke down the basics of each Award to make it clearer for everyone...
| The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise Promotion | The Queen’s Awards for Voluntary Service |
|---|---|
| Recognises individuals who have played an outstanding role in promoting the growth of business enterprise &/or entrepreneurial skills & attitudes in others. | The highest award given to volunteer groups across the UK. |
| Established in 2004. | Established in 2002. |
| Up to 10 Awards are granted each year & potentially 1 additional Lifetime Achievement Award. | On average, 1 award is given per 3 nominations. |
| Nominations are made online. | Nominations are made online. |
| Open to individuals who are active in the field of enterprise promotion in the UK. Anyone can make a nomination but self-nomination is not permitted. Those nominated should be active in the role/area for which they are being nominated at the time of nomination & have undertaken the activity for not less than 2 years. | Open to any group of 2 or more people undertaking local volunteer work. At least half of the group must be comprised of volunteers. Nominations must be independently supported. |
| Those nominated should contribute more than just the requirements of their paid employment/primary activity & their achievements must make them stand out against others. E.g.s of activity are mentoring, promoting business enterprise in disadvantaged communities & developing partnerships between the business community & educational institutions to promote an understanding of enterprise. | Those nominated should do work that provides a service & meets a need for people living in the local community. Groups should be supported, recognised & respected by the local community & their beneficiaries should be local residents. |
| Nominations must be submitted between 21 April & the last working day in September each year. Entry is free. | You can make your nomination at any time but the deadline for each year is 30 September. Entry is free. |
| An independent assessment of all nominations received is carried out & a shortlist is considered by the Enterprise Promotion Assessment Committee. The final shortlist is reviewed by the Prime Minister & HM The Queen bestows the Award on his advice. | Once eligibility is confirmed, nomination groups are visited by the Lord Lieutenant/Lieutenant representative in their county who produces an assessment of the group & makes recommendations to an independent Awarding Committee. This committee makes recommendations to the Cabinet Office which submits a final list to HM The Queen for her approval. |
| Winners are announced on 21 April every year. | Winners are announced on 2 June every year. |
| Winners receive an engraved crystal glass commemorative chalice & a Grant of Appointment, signed by HM The Queen & The Prime Minister, at a presentation ceremony at BIS. All recipients & their nominators are also invited to a Royal reception at Buckingham Palace. | Winners receive a certificate signed by HM The Queen & a domed glass crystal. Representatives from the group may also be invited to attend a Royal garden party. |
I hope I've distinguished the main differences (and indeed similarities) between both Awards so that you can easily decide which you would like to participate in. Remember that both Awards have a voluntary focus but our Enterprise Promotion award is for individuals while the Voluntary Service award is for groups - ours rewards those promoting enterprise and theirs community volunteer work. Simple!
So - do you know someone who has played an outstanding role in promoting and encouraging enterprise skills in others? Has anyone you know gone that extra mile to encourage entrepreneurial skills and attitudes in, for example, local communities, young people or students? Give them the recognition they deserve and nominate them today for a Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion.
As always, if you have any questions about The Queen's Awards for Enterprise please call the helpline on 0207 215 6880 (our mailbox is unfortunately still out of action but I will post on LinkedIn to let you know when it’s up and running again).
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