The Youth Innovation Challenge 2024 by Global Environmental Education Partnership (GEEP) accepts applications. The opportunity exists for young people worldwide to contribute their innovative ideas to address the pressing environmental issue of marine debris, which has an impact on the ecosystems of our rivers, lakes, beaches, and seas. The Youth Innovation Challenge is the source of this opportunity (YIC). Marine trash is any human-made object that contaminates our rivers and has a purposeful or unintended negative impact on marine ecosystems.

Are you in the age range of fifteen to thirty, and do you have a solution for the regional, national, or local problem of marine trash? Finding answers to the issue of marine trash and encouraging people to actively participate in the protection of marine environments are the main goals of the 2024 Youth Innovation Challenge (YIC). They look for answers that you can handle on your own or in cooperation with other individuals or companies.

Quick Details:

• Organized by: Global Environmental Education Partnership (GEEP) & the Taiwan Ocean Conservation Administration (OCA)
  
• Application Deadline: 12 June, 2024
• Eligible Nations: All

Prize & Benefits:

There will be 15 YIC finalists chosen, and they will gain access to the following advantages:

• A verified roster of YIC honorees.
• Acknowledgment on GEEP, NAAEE, and other global partners’ websites and social media pages.
• Three YIC finalists will be selected from the group of fifteen.
• Every winner will also get a $1,000 award in addition to the perks mentioned above.

Eligibility Criteria:

• Any nationality may submit an application.
• Candidates must be between the ages of fifteen and thirty.
• Your innovative solutions must deal with the issue of marine trash, with environmental education playing a crucial role and fitting into one of the four main categories:

1. Monitoring and researching the quantity, variety, and dispersion of marine trash.
2. The removal of trash from the ocean’s bottom and any floating debris.
3. Create usable goods from recycled and reused marine waste.
4. Involving Communities in the Problem of Marine Debris.

Application Requirements:

• Respond to the application question:

1. Title of your solution (max 30 words)
2. What is your solution? (max 500 words)
3. Why do you think your solution is feasible? (max 300 words)
4. What is the relevant research or evidence that informs your solution? Share a summary of your background research and include your sources. (max 300 words)
5. In addition to funding, what additional partnerships, skills, or other resources would you need to implement this solution successfully? (max 150 words)

• Your Video Pitch (In 3 minutes or less, tell them about your proposed solution, max. 800 MB)
• Personal Information

How to apply for Youth Innovation Challenge?

Interested & eligible individuals with innovative solutions can apply online through the Apply Now button below.

Collaboration is strongly encouraged by the organizers. They request that only one person complete the application (perhaps the team leader or coordinator), but if possible, please note the other group members in your written responses and your video pitch. Also, ensure the submitter is between the ages of 15 and 30.

Apply Now

Applicants Webinar:

To learn how to make a strong proposal, register for the applicant webinar on May 22, 2024, at 10:00 AM U.S. Eastern Time.

Selection Criteria:

The 15 YIC finalists and 3 YIC winners will be chosen by the selection panel based on the following criteria:

• Environmental education (EE) is one of the essential elements of your solution and is aligned with at least one of the key focus areas. 
• Your approach is also knowledgeable, original, and workable.

For more information about Youth Innovation Challenge, refer to the GEEP’s website or read the FAQ.

These opportunities may also catch your interest:

• China University of Petroleum (Beijing) & Beijing Government Foreign Students Scholarship 2024-2025
• Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) Fellowship 2024 (Up to $15,000)
• Refugees Fellows Program 2024 ($15,000 Prize)
• AFS Global STEM Accelerator Program 2024 (Scholarships Available)