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Home My WebLink AboutCS-15-92 . THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE REPORT Meeting: Report #: APRIL 20, 1992 CS 15-92 File #: File # ,. ) LJ ::> '2. 1_ c, ') Res. # b I Ii' '- ~ .',) j~ GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE Date: By-Law # Subject: PARTICIPATION IN PROVINCIAL VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION PROGRAMS Recommendations: It is respectfully submitted that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend the following to Council: 1. THAT Report CS-15-92 be received; 2. THAT the Town's participation in the available provincial initiatives be approved as an extension of the proposed municipal recognition process (Report #CS-14-92); and 3. THAT Council approve to use the same process as was used for the Senior Achievement Awards program until the proposed Municipal process is formally adopted. 1.0 BACKGROUND: 1.1 At a meeting of Council, February 10, 1992 the following resolution was passed: "THAT Report CS-06-92 be received; THAT the Town of Newcastle not participate in the 'Recognizing the contribution of Volunteers' program; THAT the Ministry of citizenship be informed of Council's decision." Later in this same meeting, the following resolution was passed (Resolution GPA-108-92): THAT resolution #GPA-107-92 be amended by adding thereto: 'and THAT staff review and report to the General Purpose and Administration Committee on a program recognizing the contribution of volunteers.'" .. /2 n r., () I 1/ n 11ECYCLED I':t\ PAPIER PAPER 't:!::1 RECYCLE lHIS IS PRlNTEDON RECYCLfD PAPER . REPORT CS-15-92 - 2 - APRIL 20, 1991 1.2 Council has received Report #CS-14-92, prepared by the Community services Department, which addresses the need for a formal/established process designed to acknowledge and recognize the contributions that volunteers make to this Municipality. The report has proposed recognition of volunteerism, outstanding Achievement and/or Years of Service, in four (4) categories - Sports/Recreation, Cultural/Heritage, Seniors and civic. This report will address the issue of participating in Provincial volunteer recognition initiatives. 2.0 PROVINCIAL INITIATIVES: 2.1 The Province of Ontario has three (3) high profile recognition initiatives that are promoted each year. They, and the responsible Ministries, are: Corps D'Elite Ministry of Tourism and Recreation Recognizing the contribution of Volunteers Ministries of citizenship; Culture and Communications Senior Achievement Awards Ministry of Citizenship Attachment A summarizes the intent of each of these programs. 2.2 In Report CS-14-92 (Town of Newcastle Volunteer Recognition Program) it has been recommended that the proposed Selection Committee plan the process through which the Town's volunteer corp would be formally acknowledged and recognized. This process could also provide a mechanism that would allow Council to submit nominations to the appropriate Provincial programs. Since the Province tends to announce, and solicit nominations for, their recognition .. /3 n.. '.' (j" '-I {. , REPORT CS-15-92 - 3 - APRIL 20, 1991 programs in the first quarter of each year it would be appropriate for the volunteers recognized by the Municipality (eg. in 1992) to stand as the Town's nominations in the subsequent year's (ie. 1993) provincial program. The end result is having one process that allows for volunteer recognition at two levels. 2.3 To date, the Town of Newcastle has been able to participate in only one of the three provincial programs - the Senior Achievement Awards. The process used to participate was very simple but was quite effective. The Community Services Department sent letters to the community organizations which operate and provide services in this Municipality. The response, in the form of nominations, clearly supports the concept of a volunteer recognition process. On Friday, April 3, 1992 the Community Services Department forwarded seven (7) nominations to the Ministry of Citizenship - Office for Senior's Issues. 2.4 until the Town has officially adopted an "in-house" recognition program, the Community Services Department suggests continuing participation in provincial initiatives through direct mailings to community organizations. This can be supplemented through timely press releases, to the local media, informing the community of the program's availability and nomination process. The Town, through the Community Services Department, would be responsible to collect the submitted nominations and to forward them to the appropriate Ministry by the published deadline date. 3.0 CONCLUSIONS: 3.1 There is clear support for the development of a formal process to recognize the contribution of volunteers in the Town of Newcastle. The purpose of this process is not just to thank those who have donated their time and efforts to date but, to hopefully encourage others to take another look .. /4 ~; ~ (~l , I~j REPORT CS-15-92 - 4 - APRIL 20, 1991 at getting involved. Recognition serves both purposes - that of thanking and that of motivating. 3.2 It is the Community Services Department's recommendation that the Town's participation in the available Provincial initiatives be considered an extension, or continuation, of the proposed municipal recognition program. 3.3 Further, the Community services Department recommends that participation in 1992 Provincial recognition initiatives continues, using the process of direct community mailings and press releases, until such time that the Town of Newcastle formally approves and adopts a Municipal recognition program. Respectfully submitted, . Caruana, Director ment of Community services Recommended for presentation to the Committee, \ \/1 ", I , / 0 / f f-' /l/_i \.' I La&renc~ E, Kotseff Chief A4ministrative Officer JPC:JJC:sa :J '~ , ....) . r ATTACHMENT A PROVINCIAL VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION PROGRAMS CORPS D'ELITE - MINISTRY OF TOURISM AND RECREATION recognizes outstanding efforts by those volunteers or recreation professionals who have contributed significantly in a volunteer capacity toward the development and advancement of recreation at either the Provincial or Regional level nominations will be reviewed by an annually appointed Selection Committee comprised of volunteers and professionals representative of recreation in ontario ONTARIO SENIOR ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS PROGRAM - MINISTRY OF CITIZENSHIP co-ordinated by the Office for Seniors' Issues recognizes and honours outstanding seniors who, after age 65, have made significant contributions to their communities nominees must be residents of ontario who are 65 years of age or older and have made a significant contribution in one or more of these categories: Arts/Literature, Community Service, Education, Environment/Science, Fitness/Recreation/Sports, Humanitarian Activities, Preservation of History or Volunteer ism Selection Committee is appointed by the Minister of the Ministry of Citizenship awards are presented at a special ceremony at Queen's Park during June (Senior citizens Month) RECOGNIZING THE CONTRIBUTION OF VOLUNTEERS - MINISTRY OF CULTURE & COMMUNICATIONS program is administered in co-operation with the Ministry of Citizenship includes volunteers/volunteer ism in the areas of the arts, heritage conservation, community information centres, public libraries, and citizenship to name a few VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARD - Adults - for 5, 10 & 15 years of continuous service - Youth (24 years & younger) for 2+ years of continuous service OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS - individuals, non- profit organization or businesses for exceptional contributions within the field of volunteerism services rendered must be distinct from normal/professional duties of the nominee - no payment for service is allowed ~7~ ~ ,/ J_