VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION OVERVIEW The achievements of the Project Management Institute - Nova Scotia Chapter (PMI-NS) are made possible through the work of many capable and motivated volunteers who contribute to the enhancement of existing programs and new program development for the benefit of PMI-NS members. PMI-NS has developed a holistic, year-round volunteer recognition strategy to acknowledge and celebrate its devoted and loyal volunteers for their individual contributions in supporting the PMI-NS and its mission. Volunteer recognition opportunities have been improved, increased, and standardized to better highlight those volunteers whose accomplishments and contributions make a difference to PMI-NS and to the project management profession. The Volunteer Recognition Program is administered by the Volunteer Awards Administrator, who reports to the Director of Membership and Volunteers. PROGRAM GOAL PMI-NS, through the Volunteer Recognition Program, seeks to create a culture of appreciation and recognition within PMI-NS by honoring individuals who have made a significant impact and have demonstrated leadership and initiative while advancing the objectives of the PMI-NS. RECOGNITION OPPORTUNITIES Volunteers may be recognized via one or more of the following recognition opportunities:    

Spotlight Recognition Annual Awards National Volunteer Month Publication PMI-NS Recognition in Practice

SPOTLIGHT RECOGNITION Spotlight Recognition will recognize creators, builders, and supporters whose accomplishments and contributions make a difference to the Chapter. PMI-NS member or non-member volunteers may be nominated for Spotlight Recognition in one of three categories: 

Trailblazer - a creative, innovative, strategic thinker who is determined and able to build something tangible from nothing.

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Team Builder – a builder of strong and enduring relationships through excellent interpersonal and team building skills.

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Best Supporter – a behind-the-scenes worker who makes a significant contribution in a supportive role.

One volunteer per Spotlight Recognition category will receive the award at the end of March, June, and November of each year. Awardees will have their picture and short bio published on the PMI-NS website, PMI-NS LinkedIn group, and the monthly PMI-NS eblast in the month the Spotlight Recognition was awarded. Nominations Active PMI-NS members or volunteers may nominate individuals who have actively volunteered for at least 6 months with PMI-NS within any portfolio for any Spotlight Recognition category except where the volunteer has received the award for the same category within a 12-month period. To be eligible, nominees must meet at least one of the following criteria: 

Accomplished the assigned role exceptionally well

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Contributed significantly beyond the assignment

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Exhibited strong project management skills

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Exemplified outstanding interpersonal skills

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Showed motivation and innovation

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Demonstrated a commitment to PMI-NS and to the larger project management profession

A call for nominations will be posted on the PMI-NS website and communicated to PMI-NS members and volunteers via an eBlast announcement. Nomination forms are available on the PMI-NS website www.pmins.ca. Completed forms should be emailed to [email protected] by the 15th of the month in which the Spotlight Recognition is to be awarded. ANNUAL VOLUNTEER AWARDS Annual PMI-NS Volunteer Awards will recognize great leaders, contributors, and achievers who have advanced the project management profession by positively impacting and advancing PMI-NS activities and objectives. PMI-NS member volunteers may be nominated for an Annual PMI-NS Volunteer Award in the following categories: 

President’s Award of Excellence – also captioned as the Volunteer of the Year, recognizes an individual who has made the greatest contribution and impact on expanding or advancing PMI-NS Chapter objectives through enhancements in areas which may include, but not be limited to, membership, training/education, program creation, communications within the Chapter and/or in local communities, mentorship of Chapter

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members or aspirants to the project management profession, and involvement in Project Management Conferences or Symposiums. 

Award(s) of Excellence in Leadership – recognizes individual leader(s) who distinguish themselves through outstanding leadership and positive influence of peers and fellow volunteers in advancing activities critical to PMI-NS.

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Outstanding Service Award(s) – recognizes individual(s) with significant, sustained performance whose achievements contribute to the advancement of the PMI-NS Chapter and the project management profession.

To be eligible, nominees must be a PMI-NS member or Board member in good standing and have a history of compliance with PMI policies including, but not limited to, the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. Members of the PMI-NS Board Executive are not eligible to receive annual awards. An Award Selection Committee comprised of PMI-NS members will review, evaluate, and score nominations against the criteria for the awards. The deliberations of the Award Selection Committee and scoring of nominations will be confidential and will not be disclosed to nominators or nominees. The Award Selection Committee will evaluate nominations based on the following selection criteria: 

The contribution is significant in nature, offers a positive impact, and demonstrates the advancement, expansion and/or promotion of the project management profession and/or PMI-NS objectives.

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The contribution sustained a period of time involving significant effort made by the nominee and advanced the image and brand of PMI-NS and its local communities.

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The nominee demonstrated leadership, initiative, and influence above and beyond the role with the portfolio(s) recognized by the other members through their agreement to promote activities/improvements the nominee was responsible for.

Annual PMI-NS Volunteer Awards are announced and presented at the Annual PMI-NS Volunteer Appreciation Night event. Following presentation of the awards, awardees will be announced via PMI-NS communication channels which may include the PMI-NS website, PMI-NS LinkedIn group, monthly PMI-NS eblast, and external media. Nomination Procedures Each nomination package will be assembled and completed by a Lead Nominator and supported by not more than 5 individuals, all of whom are PMI-NS members and/or volunteers. The Lead Nominator must have worked directly with the nominee on PMI-NS initiatives during the year for which the nomination is being made. The Lead Nominator will ensure the nomination package is complete and all supporting documentation is included. In the event that more than one individual is nominated for the same contribution, separate nomination packages must be submitted. A call for nominations including the deadline to submit nomination packages will be posted on the

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PMI-NS website and communicated to PMI-NS members and volunteers via an eBlast announcement, typically in conjunction with the announcement of the Annual PMI-NS Volunteer Appreciation Night event. Nomination forms annual awards are available on the PMI-NS website www.pmins.ca and will only be accepted via electronic submission. The nomination (Reason for Nomination) shall detail the length of time and type of association the Lead Nominator has with the nominee, frequency of communication with the nominee during the nomination period, description of contribution or services of the nominee including any supporting documentation, and statement of recommendation for the award including the nominator(s)’ personal knowledge of the contributions made by the nominee. Completed nomination packages including any supporting documentation shall be emailed to the Volunteer Awards Administrator ([email protected]). Nomination packages which are incomplete or received after the submission deadline will not be evaluated. Confirmation of receipt of the nomination package will be sent to the Lead Nominator by the Volunteer Awards Administrator who will forward the nomination package to the Award Selection Committee for evaluation. The Lead Nominator will be notified of the status of the nomination at the conclusion of the evaluation process. NATIONAL VOLUNTEER MONTH National Volunteer Week, as a part of National Volunteer Month, is a time to recognize, celebrate and thank all of Canada’s volunteers. During this week, PMI-NS will recognize its volunteers by publishing a list of current volunteers and their portfolios on the PMI-NS website, communicating to PMI-NS members and volunteers via an eBlast announcement, social media, and call-outs. PMI-NS RECOGNITION IN PRACTICE As a key driver for volunteer retention and in addition to formal recognition programs, PMI-NS Recognition in Practice raises awareness around the importance of volunteer recognition and encourages efforts toward creating a welcoming space by keeping volunteers engaged year round through: 

Organizing informal group gatherings for volunteers (committee level)

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Communicating the impact of a volunteer’s contributions directly to the volunteer

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Thanking volunteers in person on an ongoing, informal basis

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Defining volunteer roles and soliciting feedback on how these roles could be improved as opposed to ‘volunteering on committees’

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Providing formal letters of reference or recognition from PMI-NS Board of Directors

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