Think someone in your club deserves to be recognised for their effort, leadership, or impact? A strong nomination can help make that happen — but it takes more than just ticking boxes and writing a few lines.
Here’s how to write a nomination that actually stands out — clear, thoughtful, and worth reading.
There are number of different awards that members can be nominated for including:
- Awards of Excellence
- Meritorious Awards
- SLSQ Service Awards
- Positional Long Service
- National Long Service
- Nation Patrol Service
- Choose the Right Person for the Right Award
Before you start writing, make sure you’ve chosen the right person — and the right award for them. Take a look at what each award is for, then ask yourself:
- What has this person done that’s genuinely made a difference?
- Does their contribution match the award criteria?
It’s not about nominating for the sake of it — it’s about recognising people who’ve really earned it.
- Talk to the Person You’re Nominating
A quick conversation with your nominee can make a big difference. Ask them about what they’ve done, what they’re proud of, and what they’ve been involved in. You might find out about things you didn’t even know they were doing behind the scenes.
It also helps you write with accuracy and confidence — you’re telling their story, so get the details right.
- Get into the Criteria (This Part Matters)
The nomination form isn’t just admin — it’s the only thing the judging panel sees. Make sure your responses clearly link back to the award criteria.
- Use specific examples.
- Avoid vague praise like “they’re amazing” or “they work hard” — explain how and why.
- If the form uses dot points, expand on them. Help the reader understand what the nominee actually did and why it matters.
If there’s something they’ve done that doesn’t fit into the set criteria, use the “other” section to include it — just make sure it’s relevant.
When showcasing a member, consider the questions below to boost the quality of your nomination:
- What relevant positions, roles or responsibilities do they hold?
- Have they done something in response to an identified need or problem?
- Have they done something new or different to achieve results?
- Have they inspired others to think or to do things differently?
- Have they had to overcome any challenges to make a difference or achieve success?
- Do they model positive and supportive attitudes, behaviours and actions?
When showcasing the achievements of a member, consider the questions below to boost the quality of your nomination:
- What was the motivation or research which drove the program/innovation?
- What were the aims and objectives?
- What did it look like (location, duration, resources required etc.)?
- How was it evaluated to ensure it achieved its aims and objectives?
- Were there any challenges which needed to be overcome to achieve success?
- Make It Easy to Read (and Hard to Forget)
Think about how to give the panel a clear sense of who this person is. Write in a way that flows and makes sense. If you can, aim for a balance between facts and personality.
How to approach a question
A good way to approach a question on the nomination form is to break it down and create a structure for your answer, don’t overcomplicate it. For example if the question is: “List the nominee’s involvement in Surf Life Saving during the current season e.g. on the beach, off the beach, patrol hours and awards etc.”
The first word in the question is “List”, so keep it simple and make use of dot points. Next, break it down into different areas of involvement, perhaps your nominee is involved in:
- Patrol
- Junior activities
- Surf Sports
- Camps
- Club involvement
- Awards
Using these as titles in your answer can help to create structure, making it easier for you and the panel that reads your nomination.
Now it’s just a matter of populating your answers, focus on short, sharp specifics. For example, under the Patrol heading include:
- Number of patrol hours completed – is it more than required?
- Patrolling role (e.g. Patrol Captain, IRB Crew, First Aid)
- Did they pick up extra patrols?
- Were they involved in additional water safety activities?
- Review Before You Submit
Once the nomination is done, don’t rush to submit it. Take time to review it:
- Re-read it after a break to catch any errors or missing info.
- Ask someone else to read it — ideally someone who also knows the nominee.
- Make sure everything is accurate, relevant, and clearly written.
Final Checklist
Before you hit submit, go through this quick list:
- The person’s contributions clearly match the award.
- You’ve attached required documents (e.g. SurfGuard extraction)
- A photo or club logo is included if needed.
- You’ve used the correct form and typed your answers.
- The writing is clear and free of errors.
- Enough background is provided to give full context.
- The nomination is endorsed by your club and branch.
- You’ve submitted it on time.
Writing a good nomination isn’t about having perfect writing skills. It’s about being clear, thoughtful, and making the effort to recognise someone who deserves it. If you take the time to write something genuine, you’re already doing it right.
If you need more help with your nomination, we’re here to help. Reach out to other members or the SLSQ Member Development Staff.
The criteria for each award as well as some examples of some great nominations can be found below: