BT & Telephone Helplines Association Helpline Awards

STOP PRESS - DEADLINE NOW EXTENDED TO 26 JANUARY 2007!

Imaginative use of multi-channel working

We are pleased to announce that nominations are now open for the BT/Telephone Helplines Association Helpline Awards.

Award winners receive an engraved plaque and all winners and runners-up will be invited to a THA birthday party at the top of the BT Tower. Previous winners have successfully used a BT/THA Helpline Award to generate publicity and funding for their organisations. You need to nominate to win!

Aim of the Awards

The aim of the Awards is to highlight and share significant achievement by the Association’s members over the last 12 months. The Awards complement the THA Quality Standard in promoting quality and confidence for callers to helplines.

Theme of this year’s Awards

This year's theme is Imaginative use of multi-channel working. We would love to hear about your experiences of using technologies to:

• deliver services
• provide support to volunteers or employees
• fundraise
• advertise services
• recruit
• provide training
• get feedback
• involve users
• or use of technologies in any other aspect of helpline work.

We’ll be offering awards for imaginative use of each of the following technologies:

·        telephone-based services (teleconferencing, VOIP, VCCS)

·        email

·        text message

·        web-based services (chat, discussion groups, message boards)

·        moving images (webcams, video conferencing, video)

·        integrating multiple technologies to provide services.

As ever, we will also be asking for nominations for the popular Helpline Volunteer of the Year Award. This Award recognises the special contribution of volunteers on helplines, and will be voted for by THA Members and Associates.

    Judging the Awards

The nominations in all categories except Volunteer of the Year will be judged against the following criteria:

·        making a difference to the helpline

·        adding value

·        cost-effectiveness

·        transferability of learning.

How to nominate

We welcome self-nominations, or you can nominate another THA member helpline project or volunteer. You can download a nomination form here, or at the link on the top right of this page, or by emailing us at info@helplines.org.uk

Closing dates for nominations

Nominations must be received at THA by 4pm on 26 January 2007. We will then prepare our shortlists. 

Announcement of winners

All winners and runners-up will be invited to a THA birthday party event at the top of the BT Tower, on 12 March 2007, exactly 11 years to the day since our inaugural meeting. Award winners will be announced in a ceremony on the day. Runners-up will be presented with certificates and winners will be presented with engraved Award plaques. 

If you have questions about any aspect of the Awards please contact THA on 0845 120 3767 or email info@helplines.org.uk

Updated January 2007 by Marc Gillespie