News release

DO YOU WANT TO RECOGNIZE A YOUNG LEADER FROM YOUR RURAL COMMUNITY?

OTTAWA, ON, November 23, 2005 - Do you know a young rural champion in your region? Would you like to publicly recognize a young leader for the involvement and energy he or she dedicates to the development of your rural community? Now is your chance!

The Rural Secretariat is currently seeking nominations of young rural Canadians (18-29 years old) for the third Young Leaders in Rural Canada Awards (YLRCA). Nominations are for those who have demonstrated outstanding achievements and contributions to rural, remote and/or northern Canada, at the local, regional and/or national level.

A commemorative award will be presented in three categories. The Innovation category will recognize an outstanding contribution to a rural community through an innovative and trend-setting initiative. The Leadership category will pay tribute to an individual who encompasses the spirit of leadership. And the Partnership category will reward an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to building, fostering or strengthening partnerships. (See backgrounder for additional information on the three categories.)

Eligible nominations will be assessed by a Review Committee representing the National Rural Youth Network, the Advisory Committee on Rural Issues, a rural/youth organization and the Rural Secretariat. Submissions must be received/post-marked no later than Monday, January 30, 2006. Nomination forms and more information may be obtained by calling the Rural Secretariat’s toll-free number, 1-888-781-2222 or by visiting the rural Web site at www.rural.gc.ca.

The YLRCA, sponsored by the Rural Secretariat, were announced in May 2003 at the National Rural Youth Conference and have been presented twice since their creation. These annual awards were founded to honour the community development work of rural youth between the ages of 18 and 29 in each of the three categories: Innovation, Leadership and Partnership.

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For more information, media can contact:

Valérie Roy
Rural Communications
Rural Secretariat
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Phone: 1-866-406-1100 (toll-free)
E-mail: royvx@agr.gc.ca

BACKGROUNDER

CATEGORIES OF THE THIRD YOUNG LEADERS IN RURAL CANADA AWARDS

INNOVATION

To recognize an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to a rural, remote or northern community through an innovative and trend-setting initiative. Such initiatives may involve one or more of the following:

the development of a new approach or dimension to projects at the local, regional and/or national level;

the introduction of a novel approach to deal with a long-standing issue at the local, regional and/or national level;

the development of a novel method of drawing on the assets of the community.

LEADERSHIP

To pay tribute to an individual who encompasses the spirit of leadership. This may involve one or more of the following:

a demonstration of leadership through concrete outcomes or through a strong commitment and contribution at the local, regional and/or national level;

the undertaking of activities which have inspired people to develop, show initiative and exercise their potential;

the initiation or leading of activities which have had a local, regional and/or national impact;

the spearheading of groups to take up projects which have had a significant impact on a community and/or group of communities;

the effective use of personal/group qualities and community assets in achieving goals;

the effective use of non-traditional leadership methods that have proven to be successful in achieving goals.

PARTNERSHIP

To reward an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to building, fostering or strengthening partnerships. This may involve one or more of the following:

the creation of partnerships with or among community groups, the business community or other rural/urban stakeholders which have produced concrete outcomes;

the building of cooperative relationships between people which have strengthened the notion that teamwork is valued;

the fostering of cooperation between/among groups that had not previously worked together;

the productive use of groups that were not normally recognized or seen as contributing to the community;

the strengthening of social capital through the promotion of partnerships and new ways of working together;

the creation of opportunities for groups to initiate collaboration;

the development of creative uses of resources in a partnership to achieve a community goal;

the initiation of novel ways to cooperate and collaborate, prompting involvement of citizens and groups in rural, remote and/or northern Canada.

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