Honour Council – Updated 2023

Rationale

The Honour Council process enables the New Zealand Literacy Association to acknowledge and affirm the achievements of councils and their efforts in enacting the vision and principles of NZLA.

Purposes
  • To identify and acknowledge the achievements of councils.
  • To enable councils to reflect regularly and set goals for their future direction.
  • To provide opportunities to share ideas and activities with other councils and the wider membership.
  • To create a digital archive for councils.
Guidelines

The Honour council criteria are available on the website.

  • Councils will decide if they wish to participate.
  • Councils will send the documentation and supporting evidence to the president, for consideration by the national executive at their April/May executive meeting.
  • The executive will consider all submissions.
  • Any council that fulfills the requirements shall be awarded Honour council status.
  • The president will acknowledge the achievements of councils during the national conference.
  • The Honour council year is annual i.e. January to December inclusive.
  • Special recognition will be awarded when council’s reach the following milestones:
  • Bronze – Three years
  • Silver  – Five years
  • Gold – Ten years
  • Platinum – Twenty years

For a working document on how to implement Honour Council Status scroll down.

This Honour Council Award Criteria document should be included in your presentation.

Reviewed June 2023
Next review – June 2027

Click here for PDF document

Honour Council Award Criteria
1. ADMINISTRATION –  Bold Compulsory ✓ IF COMPLETED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION/EVIDENCE
  • Develop an annual events calendar and upload calendar of events to NZLA website 
  • Upload event, description and links to Google Calendar
  • Ensure the following is returned to NZLA Secretary in a timely manner:
  • Directory information
  • Annual Meeting information
  • Delegate’s Annual Meeting report
  • Council’s End of Year Financial report (note date sent) 
  • Pay levies to NZLA Treasurer
  • Develop an annual / strategic plan and review annually
  • Strategic Plan reflects the cultural responsive values of Te Tiriti ō Waitangi
  • Obtain and sustain Charities Commission status (Recommended to do)
2. MEMBERSHIP INITIATIVES  (2+) ✓ IF COMPLETED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION/ EVIDENCE
  • Increase or promote individual and school membership 
  • Increase or promote international membership of ILA or ALEA
  • Encourage early career teachers to become members
  • Financially support at least one teacher to NZLA annual conference
  • Financially support at least one teacher trainee or a Provisionally Certificated Teacher to NZLA annual conference
  • Financially support regional council member/s to regional leadership workshop
  • Encourage and support council members to present at a NZLA National Conference
  • Encourage and support council members to present at an international literacy conference 
  
3. COUNCIL ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS (2+) ✓ IF COMPLETED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION/ EVIDENCE
  • Undertake a special project 
  • Introduce a new professional learning and development opportunity 
  • Provide professional learning and development opportunities
  • Provide support to another council 
  • Support members to initiate, undertake and publish research
  • Have at least 5% of council members attend national NZLA conference
  • Initiate or extend a programme or special event for children
  • Initiate or extend a programme or special event for parents/whanau and/or community
  • Make available for loan appropriate international publications
  • Participate in a national/international literacy event  
  • Involve other literacy associations (NZLA or other) in your council events
  • Initiate an activity or project that honours local iwi and/or cultural diversity
4. PUBLICATION & COMMUNICATION (Bold compulsory) ✓ IF COMPLETED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION/ EVIDENCE
  • Contribute council news to Literacy Forum NZ
  • Distribute regular council information e.g emails, newsletters, online newsletters
  • Upload event information and flyers for all events to website 
  • Have an online social media presence e.g Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
  • Upload an event report to NZLA website
  • Have at least one council event reported in local media
  • Communication includes culturally responsive practices
5. INTERNATIONAL INVOLVEMENT    (Bold +1) ✓ IF COMPLETED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION/ EVIDENCE
  • Have Council President as a financial ILA or ALEA member
  • Councils fund a Literacy Forum membership for an individual or school in the Oceania region.
  • Supply new high quality children’s books (fiction or nonfiction) to a school in the Oceania region
  • Assist in funding the attendance of an Oceania teacher to an NZLA conference
  • Support a council project within the Oceania region
  • Have at least one council member participate in an ALEA or  ILA annual conference
  • Partner with local schools and/or community, with Oceania projects

Criteria revised June 2023 at Annual Meeting