News release

Provincial Volunteer Awards Call for Nominations

Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage

Nova Scotians are invited to recognize the extraordinary contributions of volunteers in their communities by nominating them for the 2025 Provincial Volunteer Awards.

“Volunteers are the heart of our communities,” said Dave Ritcey, Minister responsible for the Voluntary Sector. “They step up quietly, consistently and with care – helping neighbours, supporting organizations and strengthening the bonds that make Nova Scotia such a special place to live.”

Nominations are now open in four categories:

  • Newcomer Volunteer Award, for a newcomer who demonstrated extraordinary outreach to and volunteerism in their new community
  • Youth Volunteer Award, for a volunteer aged 13 to 24
  • Family Volunteer Award, for a family of two or more people living in the same community
  • Nova Scotia Strong Award, recognizing resilience during a time of tragedy or struggle.

This is the first year for the Newcomer Volunteer Award.

Award winners will be recognized along with volunteer representatives from communities across Nova Scotia at the 51st annual Provincial Volunteer Awards ceremony in Halifax on September 29.

Quotes:

“Volunteerism in our small coastal community is a way of life. Helping your neighbours is what we do. Whether it’s volunteering with the fire department, medical first responders or raising funds for a new play park, every small act of volunteering has a positive impact on the community. Our family was honoured to have received the Family Volunteer Award in recognition of the many years of service to our community.”
— Anna Chetwynd, Lockeport, whose family received the Family Volunteer Award in 2024

Quick Facts:

  • nominations close May 30
  • a citizens’ selection committee will choose the recipients
  • each Nova Scotia municipality and Mi’kmaw community selects a representative from their community to receive a Volunteer of the Year Award; people can contact their municipality or Mi’kmaw community for details
  • more than 410,000 Nova Scotians volunteer each year, contributing almost 79 million hours
  • National Volunteer Week runs from April 27 to May 3

Additional Resources:

Nomination forms and more information: http://novascotia.ca/NonProfitSector/ProvincialVolunteerAwards

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