As the deadline looms for submitting entries for the Caritas Award, we hope to receive around 500 submissions from schools across the country and a few from parishes where there are no Catholic schools.  Of course, some students have been facing the same deadline for other submissions for national examinations, so the pressures have been great. 

CONGRATULATIONS to all who have persevered to complete their final submissions and THANKS to all Caritas Co-ordinators, teachers, parishioners and others who have supported young people throughout their Caritas journey.

Caritas Awards website

We have launched a new website to provide information on the Caritas Award – www.caritasaward.org.  After this pilot year, this website will carry the resources which can be used to:

• encourage young people to enrol for the Caritas Award
• advise Caritas co-ordinators how to proceed at various stages
• inform parishes and faith organisations about the benefits and opportunities provided by the Caritas Award
• tell the stories of various Caritas candidates who have enrolled for the Award
• carry testimonies from candidates, co-ordinators, teachers and parish workers who have seen the value of Caritas.

Assessing Caritas Submissions

The evidence submitted by a candidate should demonstrate that he/she has fulfilled the Caritas success criteria, including completing the required hours for faith witness in school and in parish/faith community.

The final submissions will be assessed by the Caritas Assessment Board which is composed of experienced former Catholic school leaders who have undertaken training in the assessment process.  This will ensure a rigorous and fair assessment process which is independent of presenting centres.  By early May, results will be sent to Caritas co-ordinators for transmission to candidates.

Caritas Awards Ceremony – 2pm, Saturday 2nd June 2012

The Awards Ceremony, in the fabulous setting of the Clyde Auditorium (Armadillo), Glasgow, promises to be a joyful occasion for hundreds of young people, their families, friends, teachers and parishes.   Every successful Caritas candidate will be invited to the ceremony where they will be presented with a certificate and a medal which has been especially created for this award.  Each candidate will also be able to obtain tickets for up to 4 family members who can accompany them to the Awards Ceremony.

Candidates are asked to contact their Caritas co-ordinators for details of how to obtain tickets.