UN Award Scheme

Health... Children... Livelihoods... The Environment... Social Harmony

The 2010 Gold Star Awards Ceremony is to be held on Monday 1st March as the flagship event in the Senedd of the National Assembly for Wales on St. David’s Day.

"Recognise the best, to inspire the rest..."

John Whitaker, BUILD Trustee and ex-Deputy Director of Oxfam

The UN Gold Star Communities Award is a 'beacon' recognising excellence in community linking; the framework developed for the Award scheme a 'roadmap' that can help community linking partnerships in planning, undertaking, monitoring and evaluating their development progress and activities for maximum impact.

There are three components to the Gold Star Award Framework:

1. The community link should complete three 'phases' of development: Phase 1, Forging a Link; Phase 2, Exchanging Understanding, Building Partnership; Phase 3, Linking for Life
2. The activities of the link should be making a difference to ordinary people across both linked communities, in one or more of the five Gold Star Award areas of Health... Children... Livelihoods... The Environment... Social Harmony
3. ...and through these activities, be contributing towards one or more of the eight Millennium Development Goals on poverty reduction

The Gold Star Framework: 3 phases of twinning development, up to 5 stars of activity focus, making a difference on up to 8 of the Millennium Development Goals. Click here to download diagram; click here to download the Framework Guide.

Excellent Community Linking is...

• inclusive of a broad cross-section of people and groups, encouraging social harmony and working together between and within both linked communities.
• working for the mutual benefit of both communities.
• based upon development of long-term friendships, sharing of ideas, resources, and understanding.
• sustainable within the people and resources of the link communities.
• making a difference towards the Millennium Development Goals on poverty reduction...
• ... through joint projects focused on improving each others communities in one or more of the ‘star award’ areas of :

Health... Children... Livelihoods... The Environment... Social Harmony

Award Principles

In establishing the criteria for making awards, the principles that are followed are

• The Gold Star scheme is founded on community activity and is not prescriptive.
• There should not be fixed tests or standards; criteria should be flexible.
• All partnerships are unique; the awards will accept variety and innovation in projects.
• Awards will be made on the basis of evidence and independent endorsement that convinces an expert panel.
• A difference must be made to both sides of the partnership.
• Activity and results are both important.
• Good partnerships will use commonly accepted good practise and demonstrate thought behind their linking activities.
• Partnerships will identify what is relevant to their communities in meeting Gold Star requirements.