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Presented by:
Renata Hall, 2022 Hamilton Winner. Education | Training | Development
Who is a Woman of Distinction?
A Woman of Distinction has made a commitment and a significant difference in her community by showing vision, creativity and initiative. She may have:
- Been a role model and inspired others through her leadership
- Broken new ground or old barriers, and been an agent for change
- Participated actively as a volunteer
- Made an impact in her chosen field or endeavor
- Assisted others to be successful in their achievements and/or pandemic response
- Inspired and encouraged women to take part in shaping the future of their own lives and their communities
- Shown an innovative approach to challenges facing women and the wider community
Who is eligible?
To be eligible to receive a YWCA Hamilton Woman of Distinction Award nominees must:
- Make their contribution in the City of Hamilton or the Halton Region
- Meet the selection criteria
- Not be a previous award winner
- Not be a current member of the YWCA Hamilton Board of Directors or employee of YWCA Hamilton
Note: Posthumous applications cannot be accepted
How to Nominate
Step 1:
Confirm that your nominee meets the eligibility criteria identified above. If they do..
Get ready to nominate by creating an account on our award platform! Returning nominator? Enter your credentials from your previous registration or try resetting your password.
Nomination submissions must consist of the following:
- Signed and completed electronic nomination form. Please provide only 1 nominator per submission. Only 1 submission will be accepted per nominee.
- Nominee profile (maximum of 120 words, approved by the nominee). Following review and editing, profiles will be made available to the media and published in the awards program.
- Testimonials of support, from sources other than the nominator (minimum 2, maximum 5).
Step 2:
Submitting your nomination:
Complete the online nomination form to include all required information. Upload all mandatory supporting documents mentioned above in the appropriate spaces. Click submit when complete or save your application to login at a later date to finish.
2023 Women of Distinction Awards
Award Category Update
As an organization, YWCA Hamilton is ever-evolving. We’re committed to reflecting the community as it changes – including how we recognize the fierce women and girls who make a difference in Hamilton and Halton.
That’s why we’re proud to announce that the 2023 Women of Distinction Awards are taking a more holistic and inclusive approach that will ensure that nominees are recognized for their own unique strengths, achievements, and contributions while centering our organizations core values of equity, self-determination, inclusion, community and accountability.
This year, the Women of Distinction Awards will have one pool of nominees, rather than individual award categories. This provides the opportunity for every nominator to highlight their nominees unique journey and impact, rather than boxing their diverse experience into one category.
We know that the leadership journeys of those we honour are complex, and we hope that this change will provide nominators the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate their nominee without bounds.
YWCA Hamilton will present four Women of Distinction Awards plus three special recognition awards:
Young Trailblazers Award (25 and under)
This award honours young person under the age of 25 who shows leadership at school, in the community, and/or in their workplace. A Young Trailblazer is an exceptional leader and inspiration to their generation. They challenge the status quo, understand and address community issues and inspires other to do the same. Nominees must fall within this age range by March 2, 2023.
Lifetime Achievement Award (55 plus)
This award honours a woman who is 55 years or older who has made significant and varied contributions to the community in any of the Women of Distinction award categories. She is a role model who has tirelessly contributed to the community in many ways, for many years, as an advocate, volunteer and/or mentor. She exhibits strength, wisdom and character that serve as an inspiration to those around her. Must fall within this age range by March 2, 2023.
Honourary Woman of Distinction Award
This award is provided to a woman or girl who has shown courage within her life, her journey and has uplifted others along the way. She is a woman who is dedicated to self-empowerment and to the empowerment of others around her. She has participated in or has been supported by a YWCA Hamilton program or service, or volunteers her time with YWCA Hamilton. She is dedicated to self-advancement and to the advancement of others in her community. This is an internal award chosen by YWCA Hamilton staff.
For questions regarding nominations please contact:
Cristina Lopes
Events & Community Fundraising Specialist
clopes@ywcahamilton.org or (905) 522-9922 ext. 171
