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Nominations are OPEN for the PSS Shared Lives Carer Awards

Celebrating PSS Shared Lives carers

The PSS Shared Lives Carer Awards are officially open! This is your chance to say a big thank you to our brilliant PSS Shared Lives carers.

Our carers are some of the most dedicated, professional and kind people you could meet – and we want them to know what a big difference they make. If you use Shared Lives or if a member of your family does, if you’re a Shared Lives carer or if you work alongside a carer at PSS, why not say a big well done to the PSS carers you know? Now is the time to do it!

What are the categories and criteria?

This year, the six categories represent the impact that PSS Shared Lives carers are making in different aspects of their roles. No matter how long you’ve been supporting people as a Shared Lives carer, there’s a category for you:
  • PSS Pride Award: Celebrating someone who makes a difference in the lives of the people they support/fellow carers/PSS colleagues and is big hearted, determined, open minded, professional and genuine.
  • Shared Lives Advocate Award: Someone who spreads the word about Shared Lives. That could be through refer-a-friend, getting involved with media, pitching up in their community or something else!
  • Newcomer of the Year Award: A newcomer or “star in the making” who, in their first twelve months, has made a really big impact in their Shared Lives arrangement.
  • Independence Champion Award: Someone who has helped the person they support to be their most independent selves.
  • Transformational Care Award: Celebrating an act of service or support that has positively changed someone’s life, whether that’s the person they support, a fellow carer or a PSS colleague.
  • Lifetime Achievement in Care Award: For anyone who has been a Shared Lives carer for more than 15 years and have dedicated much of their lives to their role, making a difference as they go (no matter how many arrangements they’ve had in that time).

Who can nominate someone for a Shared Lives carer award?

Anyone can nominate a PSS Shared Lives carer for an award. You could be:

  • Someone who is supported by a Shared Lives carer
  • Someone whose family member is supported by Shared Lives
  • A fellow Shared Lives carer
  • A member of the PSS team
  • A commissioner of Shared Lives
  • One of our partners

Who decides the winners?

The winners will be decided by a panel of our experts by experience – volunteers who use our Shared Lives service. The people we support know what it takes to make a great carer – and there’s nobody better to make the decision. They will be accompanied by colleagues from several departments across PSS central services departments too.

When will the winners be announced?

Winners will be announced at an online ceremony, hosted by Director of Operations, Harriet Michael-Phillips:

Date: Tuesday 25th June.

Time: 3pm-4:00pm

(The link to join will be sent out closer to the time)

How to nominate

  • Tell us who you’re nominating and which Shared Lives service they’re part of (e.g. Midlands, Merseyside etc.)
  • Tell us which award you want to nominate them for. 
  • Tell us in detail how the person you’re nominating meets the criteria (see above). Remember, some of our judges probably won’t have met the carer before so the more detail and evidence you can give them the better.
  • There are three ways you can send your nomination in:
  1. Send your nomination in as a video (no more than three minutes) via WhatsApp to 07742767941
  2. Send your nomination as a voice note (no more than three minutes) via WhatsApp to 07742767941
  3. Send your nomination in writing (no more than 500 words) to [email protected]

(Important: if your nomination is the winning nomination, you’ll be asked to record your nomination on camera to be shown at our online ceremony)

The rules to nominating

  1. You can nominate as many people in each category as you like, but please separate each person into their own nomination – for example, best to steer clear from saying ‘I’m nominating Julie and Sarah from LOCATION’ – please do two separate nominations, one for each person you want to nominate.
  2. If you use a video nomination, please make sure your video is filmed with your phone on its side (in landscape).
  3. Nominations are open now and close on 7th May

Need a bit of support making your nomination?

If you’re having any trouble making your nomination get in touch with your development worker who’ll be happy to help!

What will the winners get?

There will only be one winner per category. Winners will receive a £25 Love2Shop voucher and a trophy. The winner of Pride of PSS will be awarded a £50 Love2Shop voucher and a trophy.