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Self-Advocate Leadership
of the Year Award

​​​​BC People First is proud to present the annual Self-Advocate Leadership of the Year Award. In celebration of self-advocacy and the power of self-advocates.


This award goes to someone in British Columbia who has shown leadership and knowledge throughout the past year in advocating for themselves and the rights of people with intellectual or developmental disabilities.  

 

Nominations are due November 15, 2026. A winner will be selected by a judging panel based on the answers given in the nomination forms. The winner will be announced after the selection process ends – announcement should be made by early December in our BCPF newsletter, website, and social media.

 

The winner receives a $250 bursary award grant that can be used in 2027 to host a learning or advocacy event in their area of the province. We can help the winner plan the event if they need support. The award bursary can be used for a speaker honorarium, room rental fee, snacks, or other costs for the event – paid for directly by BCPF Society. Or the winner can also use the grant to take a community college class or other course about leadership skills (or marketing or another skill that can support their advocacy work) Or, even to attend a leadership skills or self-advocacy conference in their area. There are options with what the grant can be used for, it just has to be related to building self-advocacy or leadership skills.


Do you know someone that should be nominated for the Self-Advocate Leadership of the Year Award?

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Nominee Eligibility Criteria:

  • The person being nominated must have completed self-advocacy and disability rights related work throughout the past year.

  • The person being nominated must identify as having an intellectual, developmental, or cognitive disability.

  • They must also be a resident of British Columbia.

  • And have not won the award in the past.

 

Nomination Guidelines: 

  • Nomination forms must be in by 11pm, Sunday, November 15, 2026 to be considered.

  • The Nominator must complete the nomination form and answer the nomination questions about the person they are nominating to win the award.

  • Please fill out the nomination form in full, including adding a headshot style photo of the Nominee. Ask them for a photo if you don't have one and get them to approve the photo you are using. 

  • Award winners and sometimes award finalists are celebrated in BCPF communications and by BCPF Community Partners or other by self-advocacy groups. We want to share news of the winner and celebrate self-advocacy!

  • The Nominator or Nominee may be contacted to verify information that has been given.

  • The Nominee should know about their nomination – the nominator should get permission to nominate them, just in case they don't want to be nominated. And the Nominator may need to ask the Nominee questions to help answer the nomination questions.

  • The Nominator and Nominee can work together to make sure information in the nomination form is right.

  • People can be nominated for the award by a friend, colleague, family member, support worker, or other community member. 

  • You cannot nominate yourself for the award – but don't be afraid to ask someone you know to nominate you! Especially if you have been hard at work doing advocacy for disability rights and helping others learn advocacy skills.

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Click the link HERE to find the nomination form. ​​​

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Please email us at hello@bcpeoplefirst.com if you have any questions about the nomination process.

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Before nominating someone, take some time to think about the questions in the nomination form. And think about what things the Nominee has been doing in the past year or so. You don't have to share any confidential information, just share what makes sense and what feels right.

Questions:

  1. How does the nominee advocate for their own needs or wants in their life? What self-advocacy work have they done this past year?

  2. Does the nominee volunteer at any organizations that do advocacy for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities? If so, how do they volunteer?

  3. Is the Nominee a Member of a BC People First Society? Or a Member of another self-advocacy group in their local area – if yes, which group?​

  4. Please describe how the Nominee supports the efforts of other self-advocates in their community?

  5. Describe how the Nominee has raised awareness about human rights or disability rights in their community (or beyond) in the past few years.

  6. Has the Nominee completed any workshops or training about self-advocacy skills or human rights or leadership skills in the past few years? If yes, please explain what they studied and if it helped in their self-advocacy work.

  7. What do you think makes this Nominee exceptional at self-advocacy and advocacy work?

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