10 applicants will be selected to go forward and be judged for the Overall Award Winner. Each of the 10 selected applicants will receive an award.
A panel of experts and professionals from the sector will select the overall winner of the Early Childhood Ireland Innovation Awards 2013 from the 10 selected applicants.
The judges will have the knowledge and experience to assess each entry according to its objectives, available resources and budget.
The Judges’ decision will be final.
Selection Criteria
Award winners will be selected based on the following criteria.
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Innovative approach
Winning applicants will have demonstrated that they are pioneering a new approach/way of working or that they are bringing existing approaches to higher quality standards.The judges will need to know why, how and with whom the applicants have worked in developing this innovative approach, who it has benefitted and what it has achieved.
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Overall benefits of the innovation
Winning applicants will have clearly demonstrated how the innovation showcases their commitment to flexibility, versatility and their responsiveness to changing needs.This will have been supported by evidence of the work and its impact.
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How and when the innovation was implemented
Winning applicants will have clearly described how they have worked with stakeholders in their service to develop the concept, the challenges they have met and the obstacles they have overcome.Winning entries will illustrate a commitment to continuous improvement and innovation in their service.
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The ability to be a role model and influence others
Winning entries will be replicable and able to be used by others who wish to promote the innovation in their services. -
The ability to submit clear responses to the criteria requirements
Winning entries will have been well laid out and neatly presented.The winning applicants will have clearly described the innovation and linked it to one of the named themes of innovation.
Marking Scheme
For assessment purposes weightings will be allocated to each of the five criteria as follows:
| Criteria | Weighting |
| The originality of the concept of innovation | 30% |
| The overall benefits of your innovation | 30% |
| How the innovation was implemented | 20% |
| The ability to be a role model and influence others | 10% |
| The ability to submit clear responses to the criteria requirements | 10% |
