Criteria for the

JOE BIDEN AWARDS FOR DEVELOPMENT EDUCATORS OF THE YEAR 2017-2018
from Africa, Asia, Australasia, the Caribbean, Europe (inc GB & Ireland) and North America

Development Educators worldwide are the natural pathfinders of the Co-operative Credit Union movement everywhere.  They see a societal need and endeavour to satisfy it.  Often their sheer natural exuberance and passion create a slipstream and they pull others along with them to fulfil a project.  This demonstrates leadership skillsets through example, far more potent than by authority alone.

Entrants or those nominating them must provide details of past, current or ongoing "sharp end" DE projects that have taken “ten hours, days, months or years” describing:-

• The objective nature of the project – that can include a change of objective
• Key tasks that were undertaken
• Difficulties encountered and overcome or not so.  There is no shame in failure, the failure is not trying.
• Outcomes:- that must be proven ones for a complete project or in the case of a “work in progress”, tangible evidence of advances made.

It has been found by the Awards Office that entrants often require further information and there has been a need to talk to someone about their entries, so as it plays no part in the judging process, the Awards Office can be contacted for this assistance at any time.  

All enquiries are welcome but here are a few guidance notes and answers to FAQs

• Entrants should provide details of all their DE qualifications.​
• Entries must be submitted online using the template entry form provided - in bullet form, no essays please!
• The narrative of every entry should contain enough evidence (facts!) – explaining what was done – and the aim of the project.
• Where possible, every entry should provide proof of success and where relevant - proven statistics, graphs, testimonials including from the media and other organisations, which can be uploaded as attachments to the Entry Form.
• To aid the Judging Panel, reference should be made in the texts to the title of any accompanying documents and visual materials being submitted.
• All entries must be original work by the entrant.

For obvious reasons, these Awards don’t count towards the Edward Filene Supreme Award for Social Entrepreneurship – Great Britain and Ireland.

Application Period

The period covered by the Award activities is from 1^st July 2017 to 1^st June 2018. This can include activities started before or within the time frame as well as ongoing or completed.  

The Winners from each continent

1. Will be notified in utmost confidence by no later than 30^th September 2018
2. Will be an honoured guest of the Trustees at the Awards Ceremony and Dinner to be held in Manchester (UK) on 17^th November 2018
3. Will have to travel to Manchester at their own expense (as a charity our funds are limited) but could be given assistance with accommodation on the nights before and after the Awards Dinner.
4. For those unable to attend, the Trustees will ask for a photograph or a video greeting to be shown at the Awards Dinner, of them accepting the Award. 
5. The Trophies and Certificates will be sent by courier/post to those who are unable to attend 

Films

1. When the independent Judges have made their decisions on the Winners, Runners up and Highly Commended, they will be notified and invited to make a film covering the activity described in their entry of no longer than 5 minutes duration, this will be edited professionally for showing at the Awards Ceremony. 
2. Full instructions on how to make this film and to whom it should be sent and by when will be provided.
3. These films will provide a backdrop as the successful partipants or their representatives come forward to receive their Awards.
4. An edited version of the Awards Ceremony will be posted on “YouTube”.

Do contact us at the Awards Office with any queries and guidance on the Awards criteria; to download an Entry Form, click on "Awards Entry Form" in the above menu.

Good fortune with your entries!