Regional Social Work Awards 2025 - Rising Star Award - Application form

This award is open to individual social workers within the first three years of practice (inclusive of the AYE year). Their practice will demonstrate the unique identity, diversity, vibrancy, care and commitment of social work. The individual can be practising in any social work role in Northern Ireland. 

When nominating a social worker for this award, please outline what makes their practice excellent in relation to the award category.  Please include examples of the contribution the social worker has made to social work services.  Quotes and testimonies from service users, carers and other professionals strengthen a submission.

Submissions for this award should evidence how the nominee demonstrates the unique identity, diversity, vibrancy, care and commitment of social work.

Examples could include one or more of the following:

• Curiosity: practice that questions the status quo and identifies areas for improvement

• Courage: practice that advocates for service users, colleagues, and the social work profession

• Care: provides an inclusive service that makes a difference to individuals, families and communities

• Innovation: embraces a unique and vibrant approach to their work

The judging panels will be chaired by senior representatives responsible for promoting high standards of social work in Northern Ireland.  Panel members will include service users, social workers, social work academics and members of BASW NI. 

In all the awards categories, the judges will be looking for evidence of the individual's achievements.  The application must demonstrate what is excellent about the social work practice and the positive impact on individuals, groups or communities they work with.

Please ensure you have completed all sections in this application and submitted it online by midnight on Sunday 20 October 2024. 

Summary of conditions of entry (full details are provided in the Guidance Booklet)

1. Only social workers registered with the NISCC are eligible to enter the Awards. The only exception is social workers who are retired and are being considered for the BASW NI Outstanding Achievement Award.
2. Previous applicants are welcome to reapply.  Previous winners are only eligible to reapply if their application has a different practice focus. 
3. Entries must be endorsed by a senior manager authorised to act for the employing organisation. (Entries for the BASW NI Award do not require a managerial endorsement and can be submitted by the person proposing the individual social worker for the award.)
4. A project may only be entered for one category.
5. Organisations can enter more than one category, however, each submission must be entirely separate and on an individual entry form.
6. For all awards, the entry form must be supported by a submission of no more than 1000 words.
7. Supplementary material cannot be submitted.
8. By entering you agree to the rules and conditions of entry 
9. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.

10. By entering the Social Work Awards, entrants agree to take part in any publicity and to the contents of their submission being used in media releases.

Please note: You can preview responses on pages up to the point of submitting the application.  The 'back' button at the bottom of each page is activated once all required sections on a page are completed.