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Easter service changes

During the Easter period, some of our services will be operating slightly different hours. Our council’s bin collection schedule will change for one week starting on Friday 29 March to make sure everyone’s waste is picked up around the bank holiday.

See the full schedule and your amended rubbish and recycling collection dates and other service changes including parking and library opening times over the Easter period.

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Dignity in Care Awards

More on Islington's annual Dignity in Care Awards - celebrating the great work paid and unpaid carers do to support adults in the borough - including how to nominate someone, and announcement of the winners.

These awards recognise the quality of support that carers provide for people with care needs, with a focus on making sure that anyone receiving care can keep their dignity at a vulnerable time in their lives. They also offer an opportunity to recognise the enormous contribution care sector workers and unpaid carers make to our residents and the community.

2023 nominations

Nominations for 2023 are now open.

If you want to nominate a person or a team for one of the categories below, please do it before 20 July 2023.

Nominate a carer

  • All nominations will be reviewed by a judging panel, who will make a final decision about the winners. An awards ceremony will be held to celebrate our nominees and winners on Wednesday 13 September 2023.
  • Anyone can nominate a carer for an award.
  • These awards are for carers supporting adults across Islington. You can nominate a carer (paid or unpaid), social worker, nurse working in a care setting, occupational therapist, support worker, volunteer or a colleague.

Nomination categories

Use these descriptions and criteria to help you decide the best category for your nominees.

There will be one winning person or team for each category, except 'Carer of the Year' which will have four winners, one for each sub-category.

Carer of the Year

This category includes four awards - please tell us which one you are nominating for.

  • Domiciliary care and reablement
  • Resident, nursing care and extra care 
  • Supported living
  • Shared lives 

A person-centred individual who advocates for choice and control with the person they support and care for. They support the person to reach the goals that are important to them in a respectful and dignified way. They are always aware of the importance of being reliable and placing the individual at the heart of the care they provide. This person builds trust and instils confidence, demonstrating the value of human connection and relationships.

Judges will be looking for information about:

  • the positive impact that the carer has had on the person they care for 
  • the dedication and skill that the carer has brought to their role   
  • the value or improvement that the carer has brought to a service or organisation
  • examples of how the carer has provided person-centred care. 

Registered Practitioner of the Year

A social worker, nurse, occupational therapist or physio who has made a positive impact on the people they have been working alongside and who has made a difference to the life of individuals they care for. Someone who listens, commits to what they say they will do, respects everyone’s identity and background. They understand what is important to the people they support, help them reach their goals and have a better life through a strengths-based approach.

Judges will be looking for:

  • strong evidence of supporting residents to do more for themselves (strengths-based) and supporting individual needs (person-centred)
  • celebrating the individual's identity, what is important to them and promoting their voice
  • collaborative working across multidisciplinary teams
  • legally compliant practice balancing risks with human rights.

Family Carer of the Year

Someone inspirational who puts the person they care for first. Always willing to help, go the extra mile and empowers others through what they do. Someone who accepts people for who they are and makes people feel loved and cared for.

Judges will be looking for information about:

  • the positive impact that the family carer has had on the person they care for 
  • the dedication that the family carer has brought to their role
  • examples of how the family carer has empowered others through what they do.

Volunteer of the Year

This award recognises the important work done by volunteers in the social care sector in Islington. Volunteers give their time and skills unpaid to support our residents and to improve our services.

Judges will be looking for information about:

  • the positive impact the volunteer has had on individuals and/or the local community in Islington 
  • the dedication and skill the volunteer has brought to their role 
  • the value or improvement the volunteer has brought to a service or organisation 
  • examples of excellent collaboration and joint working with other volunteers, organisations, or service users and carers.  

Heart of the Community

People are at the heart of high-quality care, and our residents are at the heart of Islington’s local communities. This award recognises individual members of staff, teams, carers and volunteers who go the extra mile to ensure that our residents feel a part of their local area. The award also recognises those who have brought people together who have different backgrounds and experiences, creating a feeling of belonging and inclusivity for those who otherwise might feel lonely or socially isolated.

Judges will be looking for individual staff members, teams, carers or volunteers who demonstrate or deliver:

  • opportunities for diverse communities to come together and share their cultures and experiences
  • innovative ways of reducing loneliness and social isolation by bringing residents together, both those in care and those who live locally to services
  • creative intergenerational events or opportunities that support the emotional health and wellbeing of residents
  • outreach or in-reach services that bring service users closer to opportunities that value and celebrate their skills, experience, cultures and beliefs.

Outstanding Collaboration

You can nominate a person or team for this award. This award recognises people who are building collaborations across the council, health and care, and the community.

Judges will be looking for a person or a team who:

  • improves cooperation within different teams, across partners or with the community as one team to provide more joined-up services  
  • shares knowledge, skills, ideas and resources, and builds relationships and networks to improve services and deliver optimum results 
  • works with service users to co-design and co-produce services, trusting, sharing challenges, and inviting feedback and support.  

Special Recognition

This person has made an outstanding contribution to the care sector, built and sustained over a considerable period where people are benefiting now and in years to come. Someone who works tirelessly for the local community and who is a passionate advocate for Islington’s diverse residents. An inspirational individual who people look up to and admire whose commitment, drive and actions benefit and encourage others.

The judges will be looking for:

  • evidence of this person’s long-standing commitment to making Islington a better place for our residents
  • examples of how this person has advocated for our residents’ diverse needs, ensuring people can live the lives they want
  • the support this person shows to colleagues to promote collaborative working and sustainable change.

Contact us

If you have any questions please contact the awards team by email on: DignityInCare@islington.gov.uk.

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