Applications are now being accepted for the Global Environmental Education Partnership (GEEP) Youth Innovation Challenge 2024.
If you’re aged between 15 and 30 and have ideas to safeguard marine resources and address related issues locally, nationally, or regionally, this is your chance to make your voice heard!
They are particularly interested in solutions that you can implement independently or in collaboration with others.
Your proposal should align with one or more of the key priority areas listed below and incorporate an environmental education (EE) component.
In collaboration with the Taiwan Ocean Conservation Administration (OCA), GEEP is pleased to announce the 2024 Youth Innovation Challenge (YIC): Advancing Marine Conservation!
This challenge provides a platform for young people aged 15–30 from across the globe to showcase their innovative solutions aimed at preserving marine resources.
This year’s challenge focuses on tackling marine issues such as biodiversity loss, marine debris, lack of awareness, and other related challenges.
The YIC aims to promote innovative, feasible solutions backed by research.
About the Challenge
The Youth Innovation Challenge (YIC) is an initiative of the Global Environmental Education Partnership (GEEP), an inclusive learning network dedicated to promoting environmental education (EE) worldwide.
It is conducted in partnership with the Taiwan Ocean Conservation Administration (OCA).
GEEP is a collaborative effort involving the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Taiwan Ministry of Environment, and the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), which serves as the secretariat.
Benefits
- Official Recognition: All 15 YIC finalists will receive an official YIC finalist certificate.
- Global Recognition: Finalists will be recognized through GEEP, NAAEE, and other global partners’ websites and social media platforms.
- Monetary Prize: Three winners will be selected from the 15 YIC finalists, each receiving a $1,000 USD prize, along with the aforementioned benefits.
- Invitation: Winners will be invited to attend the YIC award ceremony at the Taiwan Ocean Conservation Administration’s marine debris conference in Taiwan in September 2024, with all travel expenses covered.
Eligibility
The Youth Innovation Challenge is open to young leaders and innovators aged 15–30. Proposed solutions must address one of the following key areas, integrating environmental education as a core component:
- Marine Biodiversity and Conservation: Strategies for managing, protecting, or restoring marine biodiversity, considering its ecological, cultural, and economic significance.
- Marine Debris: Solutions for reducing or mitigating the impacts of marine debris, including cleanup efforts, recycling initiatives, and community education.
- Public-Private Collaboration: Ideas for fostering collaboration between the private sector, governments, and the public to safeguard marine environments.
Proposals must be submitted online through Submittable, with only one proposal accepted per individual or team.
Submissions must be in English.
Evaluation will focus on the strength of the solution and the clarity of communication, rather than English proficiency.
Application
Applications must be submitted online through Submittable by Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at 11:59 PM U.S. Eastern Time. Winners will be notified by September 2024.
Deadline: June 12, 2024
For additional information, please visit the GEEP Youth Innovation Challenge.