Support with citation writing
Discover the purpose of a nomination form, tips and examples.
Quick links
Nomination forms have two purposes
1. For those reviewing the nomination form, it's the only information that can be used to decide on whether to approve an award or not, so it's vital the form is accurate and includes all relevant information.
2. They support the individual who presents the award (if agreed) to make the event special by allowing them to recount accurate information rather than generic statements about the type of award being presented.
Filling in a nomination form as part of a Meritorious Conduct/Gallantry award or a Good Service award can appear daunting, however the nomination form questions are set out to help anyone filling it in to structure their thoughts and provide a full picture of the individual being nominated.
General citation writing tips
- Gather information about the nominee from others who know the impact their work has had.
- Get someone else, who doesn't know the situation, to read the information you've collated, to see if they understand it. If not, amend the details to answer their questions.
- Use the nomination form to structure all the points you want get across to the individuals supporting/approving the award.
- Fill out all sections of the nomination form with as much information as possible.
- Feel free to prepare the answers to all the nomination form questions before they are nominated via the membership system.
- You do not have to complete the nominations form all in one sitting, so feel free to save your work and comeback to it at a later date (if necessary) before officially submitting the nomination.
- Don't inform the nominee that a nomination is being made. When nominating a young person for a Meritorious or Gallantry Award, it may be necessary to approach their family in strictest confidence but make it clear that an award may not be made.
Specific tips for completing Meritorious Conduct/Gallantry award nomination forms
- If possible, include medical/emergency services evidence (where relevant).
- Make the nomination in a timely manner. The National Awards Advisory Group will usually only consider award nominations submitted within 12-18 months of the incident/issue.
Specific tips for completing Good Service award nomination forms
- Include examples/evidence of the nominees contributions and if possible, quantify the benefits of their contribution.
- It's vital that you capture what the nominee has achieved since the last Good Service award (if one has been awarded).
- Explain how their service is special and how well their duties have been performed. E.g. someone who has been running a good and lively programme, will almost certainly show an increase in membership or sustained full membership within their section. Explain how that differs from others doing a similar role.
- For someone who may be volunteering in a deprived area, the nomination form should mention how the nominee has managed to retain membership despite any difficulties.
Suggested citation enhancements
It's vital that nomination forms include all relevant information and the details are accurate so an informed decision can be made on whether to approve an award or not.
Quite often, not enough detail is given, which makes the approval process much harder.
The following lays out some suggested enhancements that could be made to a Good Service award nomination form to make the approval process easier.
Outline what this role involves and the time commitment the nominee puts in.
Example: 'John has been involved in the Scouts since 1986. His current roles are District Lead Volunteer, County Trustee and County Team Member (Beaver Scouts), to which he gives 110%.
Suggested enhancement:
- Provide supporting evidence of their effective contribution to each of the roles they hold.
- A list of their roles and dates is not required to be listed as this information will be automatically provided when the nomination is reviewed by individuals who've been assigned the Award Nominations Supporter accreditation for their location.
Outline what’s involved in any other roles in Scouts and the time commitment the nominee puts in.
Example: 'He has been a lead in numerous District and County events and puts in many hours of planning.'
Suggested enhancement:
- Provide examples of what he has done for each event and how well this has been carried out, e.g. outstanding/specially distinguished or exceptional service.
- Detail how many people benefited from the events and in what way.
Outline specific achievements and impact of the nominee since their last Good Service Award. Examples could include how they’ve: helped grow membership, raised funds, managed large projects or rebuilt their headquarters, etc. Please quote specific figures where possible.
Example: 'Since his last award, his commitment has grown and if anyone deserves an award, John does. I believe he should be awarded the Silver Acorn.'
Suggested enhancement:
- The first sentence can be used as an introduction, but then expand the information given to show specific examples of the hard work and commitment given.
Where a previous Good Service Award is held, please outline whether the nominee has continued to provide service at a similar level or whether you believe the quality/complexity of their service has substantially increased and why.
Example: 'At the beginning of 2008 he took on the role of County Team Member (Beaver Scouts), helping and supporting leaders in the Beaver section. Again John has not taken this job lightly and spends many hours visiting Colonies within the County, which has made him a reliable, worthy, respected and loved team member.'
Suggested enhancement:
- This paragraph highlights John's conscientiousness. Although we can assume that such qualities bring exceptionally good results, the information provided does not explicitly say this or point to supporting examples.
- Ideally an outline of the impact of such activities should be noted (e.g. better programme, activities, learning etc.) and any figures given where possible to show this impact.