Leadership Award
This nominee is an individual who has shown extreme dedication and exceeded expectations in supporting and leading community initiatives. This dynamic leader should have a track record of accomplishments within their sector. They should act with boldness by taking smart risks to advance organizational and personal goals. Risks may have yielded both successful and unsuccessful outcomes – and learned from both. Furthermore, this individual has created opportunities for others within the community to have access to resources and platforms to empower them and grow personally and professionally.
Advocacy & Social Impact Award
This nominee has made contributions and impact by advocating equal access to programs, services and resources to support marginalized communities. This individual has worked to educate decision makers, the public and the media regarding struggles marginalized communities face on the daily. Their work should focus on raising awareness through activism which encourages others to make an impact.
STEM Innovation Award
This nominee is actively involved in breaking down barriers in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) field and providing innovative solutions that help change the world we live in. They successfully apply new technologies – or existing technologies in an innovative manner to enhance and further grow the STEM sector. Their dedication is seen within their efforts in raising awareness and creating opportunities to make the STEM sector accessible to all.
Arts & Entertainment Award
This nominee is a creative individual who has demonstrated artistic excellence and/or innovation in their chosen artform. Artforms can be (and are not limited to) music, film, television, broadcasting, literature, theater, etc. Their chosen expression has contributed to the diversity of Canada’s arts and entertainment scene. The nominee promotes the various creative industries in a positive way through arts, culture, heritage, education, and ethnicity.
Immigrant of the Year Award
This nominee is an immigrant or refugee to Canada that has made continual positive contributions to Canadian society. Through this award, we honour and celebrate the talent, excellence, and impact of the individual’s hard work and dedication to represent the immigrant community and the people of Canada in general.
Corporate Champion Award
This award recognizes a single organization’s dedication to equity, diversity and inclusionary practices. Their outstanding commitment to practice, events, applied research, policy, programs, and other activities helps to foster equitable, sustainable and measurable change for marginalized and under-represented members of our society.
Lifetime Achievement Award
This nominee is an individual who has demonstrated outstanding vision, dedication, and commitment in creating impact within marginalized and underrepresented communities throughout their whole career. Year after year, this individual has dedicated their work and effort in contributing to the empowerment and growth of these communities and networks through their leadership. This award recognizes this individual’s influence and innovation in creating ground-breaking impact and supporting marginalized and underrepresented members of society to have access to programs, services and resources to grow, as well as for being a role model/mentor for everyone through their work.
Under 30 Award (ages 14-18)
This award recognizes the outstanding achievements and career potential among youth (14-18). The realm/sector is not limited; this youth should demonstrate leadership, advocacy and commitment to making social change.
Under 30 Award (ages 19-30)
This award recognizes the outstanding achievements and career potential among youth (19-30). The realm/sector is not limited; this youth should demonstrate leadership, advocacy and commitment to making social change.
Skills for Change Alumni Excellence Award
This nominee is a former Skills for Change’s services graduate who has gone above and beyond within their professional life. This award recognizes this individual’s track record of outstanding contributions and their efforts to further support Skills for Change’s mission.
Impact Changemaker Award
This nominee is an exceptional “changemaker” whose work focuses on educating decision makers, the public and the media and/or affecting policy and legislation through effective research advocacy at the local, provincial and/or national levels. The advocacy work should exceed normal expectations of regular advocacy practice and should be inclusive and respectful of the values and personal autonomy of those who are affected by it. This award recognizes this individual’s dedication in raising awareness and creating impact within the areas of policy, legislation, and social justice.
Entrepreneurship Award
This nominee is an ambitious visionary who is leading a successful, dynamic business. They have successfully combined creativity, innovation, and business strategies and demonstrated mastery of their skills and knowledge in their sector. Through their blooming business, they push our economy to the next level and play a crucial role in Canada’s economy.