Nominations for the 2021 have now closed.

Winning and commended projects will be announced at our online Awards Ceremony at 6pm 28th January 2021.

You can view the information about the awards criteria below:

Who can apply?

Nominations across all of the categories are open to individuals, community groups, small charities, social enterprises and local initiatives or projects with an annual gross income of under £500,000.

If you have any questions please drop us a line and we’d be happy to discuss it with you.

Criteria

In order to be eligible for an award, projects and initiatives must:

Bring together diverse communities, at least one of which must be a migrant or refugee community.

We’re interested in projects that have brought migrant and/or refugee communities together with other more settled groups (including more established minority ethnic groups), particularly where those connections and relationships haven’t existed before or where they’ve been enriched by the resources within those communities. We’re particularly interested in work that has involved migrants or refugees in the design and delivery of the project, and not just as recipients. We define ‘migrant’ here as anyone with a migrant background who has come to the UK to live, work or settle. We define ‘refugee’ here as persons who have fled to the UK because of persecution, war or violence in his or her country.

The project doesn’t have to involve huge numbers or be representative of every group in the community. We’re interested in the quality of the connections that have been made and the way in which they have strengthened a sense of community as a result.

Have emerged or adapted in response to Covid-19 in order to meet a clear need in the community.

Projects should respond to an identifiable need in the community that’s arisen or worsened as a result of Covid-19. It could be a need to address isolation, deliver support, facilitate access to key services, raise awareness or protect vulnerable or excluded members of the community. We welcome both projects that have emerged in response to Covid-19 and those that started before the pandemic but which have adapted or changed to cope with the unfolding circumstances.

Actively promote social integration through stronger, more resilient communities.

We appreciate that this is a challenge at the best of times, so we’d love to hear about work that has managed to advance social integration during the pandemic by finding constructive workarounds (for example, changing a delivery model, drawing on new resources, or tapping into wider community support).

Give others hope.

This has been an extremely challenging time for communities up and down the country and we know that the integration sector has been hard hit by the crisis. We’re looking for work that inspires and reimagines what community can look like when traditional forms of support fail to materialise and ordinary people – friends, neighbours, strangers – step in to help. It’s not just support that is provided; new relationships are forged.

We’re not necessarily looking for impact in terms of numbers, reach or footfall. We’re want to hear about the difference your project has made to the people in your locality or neighbourhood and the strength of the bonds that have been forged between different groups.

Have been active in the UK in the past 12 months (can be ongoing).

Award Categories

Our Award Categories provide an overview of the kinds of work we’re interested in.

Connecting Communities

The pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated existing issues around isolation, loneliness and exclusion for those at the margins of our society. Given this, we are interested in projects that have strengthened social connections between different groups in their community. This could include any work that brings together communities in new and innovative ways while social distancing is in place. For example, work connecting different parts of the community (employers, faith-based groups or volunteers); work that builds friendships or that reassures those who are feeling anxious; arts-based projects that encourage connectedness or work that connects people via digital means. This is not an exhaustive list.

Safety for All

The crisis has impacted people differently. It has left some groups in society, such as those from minority ethnic groups or families on low incomes, more exposed to the impacts of Covid-19 than others. As such, we are interested in work that supports safety and wellbeing for people in the community in an inclusive way. This could include efforts to improve access to key health and social services; work to reduce health inequalities; projects that support wellbeing, mental health, or initiatives that focus on food security or access to medicine or personal protective equipment. This is not an exhaustive list.

Equality, Access and Rights

In recent years, many people have seen their right to equality, justice and opportunity eroded in a number of different areas, including housing, welfare support, immigration, detention, employment and criminal justice. The pandemic has exacerbated this situation by widening inequalities and hindering routes to redress these. It has also impacted people’s ability to access to support and the willingness of many vulnerable groups to come forward and seek advice. Given this, we invite nominations from any project or initiative that works to improve equality of opportunity or provide better access to justice or rights-based support/ advocacy. This could include campaigning or advocacy work to raise awareness of inequality and injustice; data collection to identify or target unmet needs; or any direct action to target specific issues, such as digital poverty. Again, this is not an exhaustive list.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can any size of organisation apply for an Award?

The Community Integration Awards invites nominations from any kind of group or organisation with an annual gross income of less than £500,000. For organisations with an annual gross income in excess of £500,000, who are doing great work on integration and who are interested in supporting the Community Integration Awards, there are several of other ways to get involved. We would love to hear from you so please get in touch!

Does it cost anything to enter?

No it is free to nominate.

What are the prizes?

Winners will be awarded £1,000 cash, the chance to make a short promotional film about their work and a bespoke package of support to take their work to new heights.

Can I nominate an individual? (or myself as an individual)?

Yes, you can nominate an individual but their work must involve others. Please refer to the criteria. A nominated project must bring together and involve diverse communities, at least one of which must be a migrant or refugee community.

I am from an organisation outside the UK, can I enter the awards?

Currently, the awards only assesses work done in the UK.

Can I nominate my own organisation, group or project?

Yes, you can.

How do I nominate?

To nominate complete an online nomination form here. You can do so between the 12 October and 30 November.

Can anyone nominate an organisation, group or project?

You don’t have to run the organisation or project, you can nominate an organisation that you are involved with (as a volunteer or member). We also encourage people to nominate organisations or projects that may have impacted or benefitted them as a member of that community or simply because they have seen a project doing great work in their local area.
We do require the person completing the application form to notify the nominee. This is because those running or involved with the project or group are likely to have information to add to the application form. Please also refer closely the our eligibility criteria and the application form.

When will the Awards Ceremony be?

The Awards Ceremony will be held virtually on the 28th January 2021.

What have winners of previous awards gone on to do next?

Previous award winners have gone on to gain further recognition by the likes of Forbes 30 Under 30, the Royal Historical Society, UNHCR and the UK Parliament as well as national media coverage in the Huffington Post and the Guardian, securing charitable status and further funding.

What is the entry deadline?

Nominations will be open from Monday 12 Oct until Monday 30 November 2020.

Can I withdraw my entry?

Yes, just email us at info@integrationawards.uk

What will happen if the Award Ceremony is not able to take place in person due to UK Government Covid-19 restrictions?

We are closely monitoring the situation regarding UK Government Covid-19 guidance. If an in-person award ceremony is not able to go ahead we will have alternative plans to hold the ceremony safely on a virtual platform.

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