Name of the Event: Youth Innovation Challenge

Date: September 2024

Working language: English

Last Date of Application: 12 June 2024

Link to Apply:

In partnership with the Taiwan Ocean Conservation Administration (OCA), GEEP invites you to apply for the 2024 Youth Innovation Challenge (YIC): Advancing Marine Conservation! The YIC provides an opportunity for young people ages 15–30 around the world to share their innovative solutions to protect marine resources.

This year’s challenge explores how we can address marine issues, including loss of biodiversity, marine debris, lack of awareness, and other related issues, and support people of all ages to be engaged stewards to support marine environments. The YIC seeks solutions that are innovative, feasible, and informed by research.

Benefits:

A total of 15 YIC finalists will be selected and will receive the following benefits:

• An official YIC finalist certificate

• Recognition through GEEP, NAAEE, and other global partners' websites and social media pages.

3 winners from the 15 YIC finalists will be selected. Each winner will receive a $1,000 USD prize, in addition to all the benefits listed above, and will be invited to attend the YIC award ceremony at the Taiwan Ocean Conservation Administration’s marine debris conference in Taiwan in September 2024 (all travel expenses covered).

Eligibility:

The Youth Innovation Challenge is intended for young leaders and innovators aged 15–30. Your innovative solutions must provide a solution to one of the following key areas, using environmental education as a key component:

• Marine biodiversity and conservation: Managing, protecting, and/ or restoring marine biodiversity for its ecological, cultural, economic, and other values.

• Marine debris: Reducing and/or mitigating the effects of marine debris, including the monitoring, clean-up, and recycling of marine debris, and educating communities about how to address these issues.

• Public-private collaboration: Collaborating between the private sector, governments, and the public to protect marine environments. This might include ideas for cooperation between government and corporations to fulfil corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals, civic engagement opportunities for the public to engage with government programs and other initiatives that foster collaboration between the public and private sectors.

Solutions must be submitted online through Submittable

The Application:

1. Title of your solution (maximum 30 words)

2. Which of the key areas does your solution address? (select all that apply)

3. Video pitch

In three minutes or less, tell us about your proposed solution. Your pitch does not need to cover all the details of your solution, but it should be memorable, highlight what makes your solution unique, and address the selection criteria outlined above. Beyond that, you can be creative with the content of your video! See our tips on creating a compelling video pitch.

Video pitch parameters:

• Ensure that your video pitch is 3 minutes long or less. We will not review any content beyond the 3-minute mark.

• Your video pitch should be in English or have English subtitles or a transcript provided. If your pitch includes words that are not translatable to English, please write out the full spelling of the word in the subtitle or transcript.

• The file size limit is 800MB. See below for accepted file types.

• Any music or photos used in your video pitch must be free of copyright. Please provide links or other proof that any third-party content used in your video is copyright-free.

• Finalist and winner videos will be shared publicly. Please make sure you have made this clear to anyone included in your video and that you can prove they gave you permission to include them.

• Your pitch will not be scored based on your English proficiency, but rather on your ability to inspire and gain support for your idea and vision.

4. What is your solution? Be sure to specify: (max 500 words)

• WHAT - Your goal: how your solution is innovative and addresses at least one of the key focus areas. How is environmental education key to the success of your solution? If you are successful in launching your idea, what would the impacts be?

• HOW - Your activities or approaches: how your solution will achieve that goal, including how you will use environmental education (EE). Remember to consider all of the selection criteria in your design.

• WHO - Who will be engaged in your project? Describe the audience (e.g. community members, educators, young people, decision-makers, corporations) your project intends to reach and how you will tailor your approach to this audience.

5. Describe why you think your idea is feasible. In this section, you can consider the points below, but you only have to discuss the things most pertinent to your solution. (max 300 words)

• Your relevant experiences/skills (if you are working with a team, you can also include your team members’ experiences and skills)

• Key partnerships that will complement your expertise

• How you might address potential risks or challenges

• How you might ensure the long-term viability of your solution

6. What is the relevant research or evidence that informs your solution? Share a brief summary of your background research and include your sources. This could include research from books, scientific journals, websites, or other sources. Review the selection criteria for tips on finding credible sources. (max 300 words)

7. In addition to funding, what additional partnerships, skills, or other resources would help you successfully implement this solution? This will help the selection panel see that you understand what is needed to successfully implement your solution.

We are not the official organisers of the event. If you have any queries regarding the event, kindly contact the organisers at - GEEP@naaee.org