The planning profession has always faced huge challenges and the current global economic climate is particularly demanding for every planner in whatever sector or specialism they are employed. Today's and Tomorrow's Leaders’ Awards is a new initiative established by Martin Willey, RTPI President for 2009. It will spotlight and celebrate the achievements of planners in each UK Region and Nation who have shown outstanding leadership qualities or who have already demonstrated the potential for such leadership. The profession is renowned for ‘hiding its light under a bushel’ - these awards are intended to help increase the profile of planners and show how important they are within their communities. At the end of the Presidential year, each of the award winners will be invited to London to a special Today's and Tomorrow's Leaders’ meeting.

The awards are open to student, licentiate or chartered members of the RTPI. The Regions and Nations and Young Planners are all encouraged to join in the process to use it as a celebration of all that is excellent about the profession.

Today’s and Tomorrow’s Leaders’ Awards are generously sponsored by Peter Wilbraham and leading legal firm Cobbetts.

Who are the awards for?

There are two awards that individuals can be nominated for Today’s Leader or Tomorrow’s Leader. The nomination criteria for the awards are:

Today’s Leader
A chartered planner with more than 5 years of chartered membership who can demonstrate an outstanding contribution to leadership in the field of planning.

Examples of possible nominations:
A planner who has led an innovative or important project or development scheme; an academic who has completed a ground breaking piece of research or has successfully lead/established/grown a planning school; a leader in a planning department improving efficiency and service delivery; a private or public practioner leading good practice in planning; a planner leading engagement with the profession and other stakeholders.

This list is by no means exhaustive and is intended to inspire, you may have your own examples of outstanding leadership in this category.

Tomorrow’s Leader
A student, licentiate planner or a planner with up to 5 years of chartered membership who can demonstrate the potential to be an outstanding leader in the future in the field of planning.

Examples of possible candidates:
A student leading a substantial/complex group project; a student actively engaging with the community on a planning project; a planner showing innovation and development; a student or planner engaging more widely with the profession and other stakeholders, a student or planner who has developed a new initiative/set up a project/run a conference.


This list is by no means exhaustive and is intended to inspire you may have your own examples of outstanding leadership in this category.

How do you apply?

If you know of anyone who deserves this award or you wish to nominate yourself please fill out the attached nomination form and return it to Paula Nolan at the regional office (details on the entry form). You will need to include a 200 word supporting statement as to why the nominee should win and also a brief biography of the nominee’s planning career. Nominations have to be returned by Tuesday, 30 June 2009 and be supported by one other chartered RTPI member.

How are the winners chosen?

Once all the nominations are in, the Yorkshire Regional Activities Committee will shortlist 5 entries in each category and then the Yorkshire membership will be asked to vote on each of the 5 nominees via the Autumn issue of Root and Branch. The nomination form details will be uploaded onto the internet so that the members can read the supporting statements and biography and then vote for who they would like to win.

What happens if you win?

The winners of each category in each Region or Nation will be presented with an award certificate by the President and also invited to the Today’s Leaders, Tomorrow’s Leader’s meeting towards the end of the Presidential year in London.

For more details please contact:

Paula Nolan, Regional Administrator
RTPI Yorkshire
The Studio
32 The Calls
Leeds
LS2 7EW

e-mail: yorkshire@rtpi.org.uk
tel: 0113 204 2464
fax: 0113 389 9871