GWT's Excellence Awards

GWT is calling for individuals and groups to nominate their intergenerational projects/activity, plans and ideas for an Excellence in Intergenerational Work Award.

There are four award categories:

  1. Innovation in the Community – We are looking to recognise projects which have found new and creative ways to sustain and develop their intergenerational relationships over the period of the pandemic.
  2. Digital Innovation – We are seeking nominations for projects that have embraced digital technologies and used them creatively to connect all ages together in mutually beneficial activities, building and strengthening intergenerational relationships.
  3. Tackling Ageism – We are looking to recognise projects and initiatives that have made particular efforts to challenge ageism over a very difficult period in our lives and communities.
  4. Creative ways to connect after Covid-19 – For this award, we want to hear about your ideas for re-establishing connections between the different generations.

This year due to the pandemic changing the way we live, we have updated the categories to reflect the changes and developments made across Scotland. The emphasis on physical and social distancing as the principal tool for limiting the spread of Covid-19 has limited our contact with family and friends and forced us all to find new ways of sustaining and developing our social relationships.

This has had a major impact on the shape of intergenerational practice which has positive and purposeful relationships between generations at its heart. When the pandemic first struck, a great deal of intergenerational work came to an abrupt halt because it relied on face-to-face interactions and involved vulnerable people. Over time, people began to develop innovative and creative responses to the changed circumstances, creating new ways of connecting people at a distance, enabling them to support each other through a very challenging time.

As the country learns to live with Covid-19, the challenge continues. Intergenerational relationships have an even more important contribution to give to our communities now. However, these need to be developed and managed in safe and sustainable ways.

This year’s awards sit within this context and will recognise the many ways in which organisations and communities are rising to the challenge and adapting to a vastly changed context.

Find out more by reading the guidelines below. Nomination forms are available as a Word document attached below, or you can also submit a Google Form.

Nomination forms to be submitted by Friday 5th February 2021 at 12 noon to Bella Kerr.