Women of Distinction Awards - FAQ
How are the nominees selected?
The Nominations Committee reviews all incoming nomination packages for completeness and eligibility. All accepted nominations are forwarded to an independent judging panel selected for their community leadership. The Nominations Committee and judging panel reserve the right to withhold an award in any category. The YWCA reserves the right to move nominees into another category if it is deemed suitable. All nominees and nominators will be advised in writing by March 21st, 2008. For a full listing of past award recipients, click here.
How are nominees recognized?
Nominees will attend and be honoured at the 25th Annual YWCA Vancouver Women of Distinction Awards reception and dinner held at The Westin Bayshore, Vancouver on Monday, May 26th, 2008. Award recipients are announced at the Awards dinner. Tickets for guests are available April 1st, 2008 from the YWCA Vancouver.
Can more than one woman be nominated together in the same category?
Yes. Joint nominations (i.e. two or more women being nominated together for their collaborative achievements) are eligible for nomination. However, sometimes it may be more logical to nominate each woman individually.
If the YWCA Women of Distinction Awards exist to recognize inspirational women, why is there a category for businesses or organizations?
In addition to honouring the outstanding activities and achievements of exceptional women in our community, the YWCA strives to improve the lives of youth, women and their families. Among other goals, the YWCA works to:
1. Foster acceptance for personal choices
2. Improve and safeguard the lives of working women
3. Create better living standards for women and their families.
4. Promote physical activity and healthier lifestyles
5. Support life-long learning, skills upgrading and career training
6. Engage the community through volunteer training and opportunities
For these reasons, in 2005 a new category was introduced - YWCA Innovative Workplace - to recognize businesses and organizations that promote a variety of positive values, including work/life balance.
Why have the numbers and names of categories changed from year to year?
The categories are updated annually based on the level of submissions in previous years' categories, input from Women of Distinction committee members, judges and nominators, and general assessments of the areas of contributions of women in their communities.
