Victorian Multicultural Awards for Excellence

Recognising artists, performers and organisations that develop and implement arts programs or initiatives that improve intercultural learning or social cohesion through participation and performance.

Eligibility

• Individuals, community groups, organisations.
• Multiple organisations working together are also eligible.
• Self-nominations are accepted.

Assessment criteria

• Promotes, supports and preserves cultural expression through the arts.
• Cultivates the talents of culturally diverse artists through participation and performance.
• Builds social cohesion and fosters intercultural understanding by creating opportunities for collaboration and performance.

Recognising businesses & employment pathways that provide outstanding service to Victorian multicultural communities and lead the way in building a culturally diverse and culturally safe workplace.

For newly arrived Victorians, workforce participation and easy access to culturally appropriate services are crucial to developing a sense of belonging and purpose.

For example, the nominee may have driven change through advocacy, training or programs that support people who arrived as refugees or asylum seekers.

Eligibility

• Businesses and organisations whose focus is the inclusion of cultural diversity in their workforce, products and/or services.
• Self-nominations are accepted.

Assessment criteria

• Develops innovative internal practices that demonstrate the benefits of multiculturalism.
• Implements effective business practices to increase employment for people with multicultural backgrounds.
• Uses innovative marketing and communications strategies to engage multicultural audiences with their service or product.
• Uses a multilingual workforce to engage the community.

Recognising people, units, clubs or stations working or volunteering for Victoria’s emergency services who promote and champion cultural diversity and address the specific needs of multicultural communities

Eligibility

Individuals, units, clubs and stations belonging to:

• Ambulance Victoria
• Australian Red Cross
• Country Fire Authority
• Fire Rescue Victoria
• Forest Fire Management Victoria
• Life Saving Victoria
• Marine Search and Rescue
• State Emergency Service

NOTE: Victoria Police nominations must be made under the Police category.

• Multiple organisations working together are also eligible.
• Self-nominations are accepted.

Assessment criteria

• Develops innovative internal practices that promote and support cultural diversity and inclusion in units, clubs or stations.
• Considers and responds to specific needs of multicultural communities through service delivery, communications or community engagement.
• Promotes the benefits of cultural diversity and builds social cohesion within local community through engagement and awareness activities.

Recognising local government authorities (councils) for major initiatives that meet the needs of their culturally, linguistically and religiously diverse communities. This category is open to Victorian local government authorities / municipal councils.

Eligibility

• Victorian local government authorities / municipal councils.
• Self-nominations are accepted.

Assessment criteria

• Responds to culturally and linguistically diverse communities with enhanced and culturally relevant services.
• Promotes inclusive participation and engagement of culturally and linguistically diverse communities in the civic life of Victoria.
• Promotes greater communication and access between culturally and linguistically diverse communities and local government.

Recognising outstanding reporting of issues of importance to culturally diverse communities and reporting that contributes to Victorians’ improved cross-cultural understanding.

Eligibility

• Individual journalists or media organisations for work that they published/broadcast between 1 July 2023 and 20 June 2024.
• Self-nominations are accepted.
• Proof of original work is required.

Assessment criteria

• Increases awareness and understanding of multicultural affairs in Victoria.
• Shows sensitive understanding of a relevant issue affecting or involving multicultural or multifaith communities.
• Reporting has a constructive impact on Victorians and builds or supports social cohesion.

Recognising mental health practitioners, researchers, volunteers and organisations that address the needs of people with culturally diverse backgrounds and/or provide outstanding mental health & wellbeing care, support or services to multicultural communities.

Eligibility

• Businesses and organisations who focus on delivering mental health awareness, mental health training, research, and or mental health initiatives that support and address the mental health needs of multicultural communities. 
• Self-nominations are accepted.

Criteria 

• Addresses the mental health & wellbeing needs of culturally diverse Victorians through culturally appropriate services or research. 
• Fosters cultural diversity and inclusion in the mental health & wellbeing healthcare system and increases cultural awareness within the workforce.
• Promotes or supports effective mental health & wellbeing messaging for culturally and linguistically diverse Victorians.

The Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll will recognise the efforts of individuals who have made exceptional and lasting contributions to multiculturalism in Victoria.

Eligibility

• Have a culturally and linguistically diverse background.
• Reside in Victoria.
• Can demonstrate an impact on the multicultural community in Victoria.
• Have made a lasting contribution to multiculturalism in Victoria.
• Self-nominations are accepted.

Criteria

• Impact of contributions in the Victorian multicultural community
• Lasting contributions
• Commitment to the Victorian multicultural community. 

Submission questions

• Why does the nominee deserve this recognition? Describe how the nominee’s activities and achievements have made an exceptional contribution to multiculturalism in Victoria. (up to 250 words)
• Which multicultural communities have been supported by the nominee’s activity? How has the nominee’s involvement directly contributed to making a positive difference to the lives of this community? (up to 500 words)
• How will the nominee’s achievements impact future generations? Identify lasting contributions that have widespread or long-term benefits to the multicultural community in Victoria, Australia or internationally. (up to 250 words)

Recognising outstanding contributions to multicultural harmony in the field of policing. Police categories include:

• Police Annual Multicultural Award
• Police Community Exemplary Award
• Police Multicultural Media Award
• Police Annual Protective Service Officer Multicultural Award

Police Annual Multicultural Award

Recognises a police employee who has established relationships with multicultural communities by developing innovative strategies.

Eligibility: Victoria Police employees

Police Multicultural Media Award

Recognises a police employee who communicates police/multicultural issues via ethnic and/or mainstream media outlets.

Eligibility: Victoria Police employee

Protective Service Officer Multicultural Award 

Recognises a Protective Service Officer who has established relationships with multicultural communities by developing innovative strategies.

Eligibility: Victoria Police Protective Service Officers

Police Community Exemplary Award

This award is open to police, a community group/provider or a community person/s. This award recognises the development of innovative strategies and initiatives that promote positive relations between Police and multicultural communities.

Eligibility: Members of Victoria Police, community groups/providers and/or the community.

NOTE: 

• Victoria Police independently assess the police award category
• All nominations for this category are still required to undergo screening as per other categories

For all information about how to make a nomination for the Victoria Police Multicultural Awards, please contact: Bruce Colcott, Priority & Safer Communities Division, Victoria Police by email at bruce.colcott@police.vic.gov.au 

Award Description

Recognising an individual or organisation that has made a significant contribution to increasing understanding, acceptance and cooperation between different faith and cultural groups.

The winner of this award will be selected by the Premier of Victoria following their assessment of eligible nominations. The eligible nominations shortlist will be pulled from submissions provided for this category or any nomination shortlist by the judging panel in any of the other Award categories.

Eligibility 

• Individuals, community groups, organisations, businesses, corporations and local governments.
• Those being nominated for paid or voluntary work.
• Self-nominations are accepted.

Assessment criteria

• Undertakes initiatives with multiple organisations, individuals or groups seeking to increase understanding and acceptance between cultural or religious groups.
• Leads initiatives that promote acceptance of other cultures and religions.
• Initiates community activities involving more than one cultural or faith group working together on a community project that demonstrates or promotes harmony

Recognising family violence practitioners, researchers, volunteers and organisations that address the needs of people with culturally diverse backgrounds and/or provide outstanding family violence services to multicultural communities.

Eligibility

• Businesses and organisations who focus on delivering prevention of family violence awareness, training, research, and or family violence initiatives that support and address the challenges of multicultural communities. 
• Self-nominations are accepted.

Criteria 

• Addresses the family violence needs of culturally diverse Victorians through culturally appropriate services or research. 
• Fosters cultural diversity and inclusion in the family violence system and increases cultural awareness within the workforce. 
• Promotes or supports effective awareness about family violence for culturally and linguistically diverse Victorians.

Recognising people and organisations that support or advocate for the rights and needs of newly arrived refugees and people seeking asylum, improves access to settlement services and/or employment pathways, and creates opportunities for participation, contribution and belonging. Refugee Award categories include:

• Achievement Award – recognition for outstanding achievements of those who personally or professionally excelled through study, work, entrepreneurship or volunteering
• Leadership Award – recognises those who demonstrated outstanding leadership within the community through study, work or volunteering
• Young Leader Award – recognises those aged 25 years old and under who demonstrated outstanding leadership within the community through study, work or volunteering
• Business Award – recognises businesses who support the employment, contribution and/or participation of those who arrived as refugees or asylum seekers

Eligibility

• Individuals, community groups, and organisations. 
• Multiple organisations working together are also eligible. 
• Self-nominations are accepted.

Criteria

• Effectively supports or advocates for the rights and needs of newly arrived refugees and people seeking asylum.
• Improves access for refugees and people seeking asylum to settlement services and / or employment pathways and opportunities.
• Creates opportunities for refugees and people seeking asylum to participate, contribute and belong.

Recognising people and organisations that develop and implement sporting programs that aim to build social cohesion and harmony across communities.

Eligibility

• Individuals, community groups, and organisations.
• Multiple organisations working together are also eligible.
• Self-nominations are accepted.

Assessment criteria

• Develops innovative internal practices that demonstrate the benefits of multiculturalism.
• Promotes cultural diversity within sport and fosters intercultural understanding and inclusion.
• Increases participation of Victorians from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in sport.

Recognising government department or agency that has ensured the needs of Victoria’s multicultural communities are prioritised in the design and delivery of services, programs or policy and/or outcomes for multicultural communities have improved e.g. utilisation rates, representation, etc.

Eligibility

• Victorian Public Sector (departments)
• Victorian Public entities (eg AMES, Development Victoria, Geelong Cemeteries Trust, VEOHRC)

Criteria 

• Addresses the health needs of culturally diverse Victorians through culturally appropriate services or research.
• Fosters cultural diversity and inclusion in the healthcare system and increases cultural awareness within the workforce.
• Promotes or supports effective health messaging for culturally and linguistically diverse Victorians.

Recognising the outstanding contributions of a young person, group or organisation that provides leadership, empowerment and support to young Victorians from culturally diverse backgrounds.

Eligibility

• Individuals aged under 25 years old.
• Community groups or organisations run by people aged under 25 years old.
• Self-nominations are accepted.

Assessment criteria

• Supports young people from culturally, linguistically and religiously diverse communities to participate and contribute to society.
• Successfully implements a program or initiative designed to resolve, or aim to resolve, an issue affecting culturally diverse youth in their community.
• Actively promotes and builds community understanding and engagement through volunteering or paid work.