Victorian Senior of the Year Awards

Nominations for 2024 Victorian Senior of the Year Awards have now closed.

For more than 30 years, these important awards have celebrated the contributions and achievements of older Victorians who share their skills, experiences, time, and energy with our community. These awards are presented annually each October as part of the Victorian Seniors Festival.

The theme of the 2024 Victorian Seniors Festival is ‘Explore. Engage. Evolve.’

The theme encourages older Victorians to stay curious and connected by exploring new activities, meeting new people, and changing how we think of ageing.

Award categories

The Victorian Senior of the Year Awards include six award categories:

Premier’s Award for Victorian Senior of the Year for an outstanding contribution by an individual to their local community and Victoria.
Promotion of Multiculturalism Award to an individual for a significant contribution to promoting the benefits of cultural diversity in their local community or in the broader community.
Healthy and Active Living Award to an individual for helping to create active and healthy communities through community involvement and as a role model.
Veteran Community Award to an individual for an exceptional contribution to the veteran community. The recipient of the award does not need to be a veteran.
Ageing Well Award to an individual who has worked to combat ageism, promote social justice and engaged with their community to support ageing well initiatives.
COTA (Council on the Ageing) Victoria Senior Achiever Awards for significant contributions to local communities and Victoria.

Eligibility

Senior of the Year Awards nominees must be:

an Australian citizen,
a resident of Victoria and
60 years or over,
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Victorians 50 years or over.

Self-nominations are not accepted.

Criteria

Nominees are assessed on the following selection criteria:
- Their outstanding contribution to their local community and Victoria
- How they create a difference to community wellbeing through volunteering
- Their exemplary standing in the community
- How their positive attitude to ageing inspires others
- How their actions create long-lasting benefits.
Nominees are assessed on the following selection criteria:
- Their contribution to helping create an active and healthy community
- Their role in creating or running initiatives in the community that encourage/facilitate others to be healthier and more active
- How they make a difference to community wellbeing through volunteering
- How their positive attitude to ageing inspires others.
Nominees are assessed on the following selection criteria:
- Their individual contribution to promoting the benefits of cultural diversity in their local community or in the broader community
- How they have inspired or created a difference to community wellbeing through volunteering
- The impact/benefits on the community they were supporting
- How their positive attitude to ageing inspires others.
Nominees are assessed on the following selection criteria:
- Their exceptional contribution to the veteran community
- How they have inspired or created a difference to community wellbeing through volunteering
- How they have achieved/created benefits for the broader community
- How their positive attitude to ageing inspires others.
Nominees are assessed on the following selection criteria:
- The work they have undertaken to combat ageism
- The work they have done to promote social justice
- How they have engaged with their community to support ageing well initiatives
- How they have inspired or created a difference to community wellbeing through volunteering.
Nominees are assessed on the following selection criteria:
- Their individual and significant contributions to local communities and Victoria
- How they have inspired or created a difference to community wellbeing through volunteering.