The award winners are selected in a two-step scoring process that combines an:
- Expert Judging Panel
- Online Public Vote
Applications are first checked by ESN for completion and to ensure they respect the criteria. An expert judging panel then scores the applications and create a shortlist for each category.
The panel is selected based on their strong experience in social service management, planning, funding, provision and research. The composition of the judging panel aims to reflect the diversity of the ESN community by achieving a balance of gender, countries, areas of social services, sectors, levels of government, seniority, and expertise of the theme.
In order to reflect the nature of ESN as a platform for the wider social services community as well as a network of experts, an online public vote will be held for all shortlisted applications that will be combined with the judges scores to determine the winners. The final vote will be weighted as follows: 15% for public vote and 85% to the judges vote.
* During the evaluation process, ESN or the judging panel may decide to assign the application to a different category and will inform the applicant accordingly.