Nominations open for Awards recognising vital work in sensory impairment
To highlight the good practice and promote the rights of people living with sensory impairment, a new awards ceremony has been developed to recognise this vital work.
The Scottish Sensory Awards, which take place in February 2016, aim to celebrate the range of work with deaf, deafblind and visually impaired people and to raise awareness of the work of statutory, third and independent sector services with people with sensory impairment.
The creation of sensory impairment awards for Scotland also provides a focus for all organisations and individuals to build on the impetus of the recently published See Hear Strategy and the range of categories have been linked loosely to the recommendations from the Strategy.
The awards categories look to recognise the broad range of talent involved in sensory impairment and nominations are welcome from groups or individuals who would like to recognise the work of a colleague, friend or group. The categories are:
Category 1: Preventing and screening for early diagnosis
Category 2: Promoting choice and control supporting person centred approaches for people with a sensory loss
Category 3: Personal and workforce development
Category 4: Engaging people with a sensory loss and information sharing across all our communities
Category 5: Encouraging community connectedness; community arts; libraries and leisure
Category 6: Un-sung heroes; neighbourhoods, school, residential and day-care. In this category we want to highlight a person or group who through their ongoing commitment ensures that people living with a sensory impairment remain included in their community.
The nominee may be:
- a transport worker who ensures that the needs of customers with sensory impairment are anticipated and responded to
- a student or pupil who ensures that peers with a sensory impairment remain connected with their peers
- shop workers who make sure that customers with sensory impairment are supported within the shop
- a good neighbour who supports their neighbour to remain involved in their community
- volunteers who are active in the promotion of inclusion for people living with a sensory impairment
- day-care workers who go above and beyond their work role to enhance the quality of life for those living with a sensory impairment
- National Trust, National Park workers who actively promote the inclusion of people with a sensory impairment.
Category 7: Promoting partnership working across all services for people with sensory loss.
This category should recognise a person or group who through their ongoing partnership work with other individuals or organisations to ensure that people living with a sensory impairment remain included in their community and are able to easily access services and supports.
The nominee may be:
- a specialist sensory impairment team or service working with a non-specialist team or service
- a non-specialist sensory impairment team or service working with a non-specialist team or service
- a specialist sensory impairment team or service working with a specialist team or service
- individuals working in partnership to support people with a sensory impairment
- individuals working in partnership to support people with a sensory impairment.
Closing date for application forms is 5 January 2016.
The awards will be held at the Stirling Court Hotel at the University of Stirling of February 15, from 1pm and you can download the nomination form here. Return the form by email to: [email protected] or by post to: Sensory Impairment Awards, c/o SCoD, Central Chambers Suite 62, 93 Hope Street, Glasgow, G2 6LD.
