The Next Generation Foresight Practitioners Young Voices (NGFP-YV) Award, by partnering organizations Teach the Future and School of International Futures (SOIF), has reached new heights in 2024. With over 400 youth expressions of interest and 89 completed submissions, this year's youth edition has seen increased engagement from young visionaries worldwide.
Diversity in Projects and Themes
The 2024 Young Voices Awards feature 15 individual and 9 team projects, each addressing critical global issues through innovative approaches. Top themes align with key Sustainable Development Goals, including Climate Action, Quality Education, and Sustainable Cities. Some standout projects include:
Addressing climate change, promoting sustainable practices, and protecting biodiversity. For example, "Seeds of Hope" in Illinois creates seed libraries to restore native prairies, combating climate change and biodiversity loss. In India, "RoofScape" aims to build green roofs on Delhi government schools to mitigate air pollution and extreme temperatures.
Several initiatives focus on improving health outcomes and addressing social determinants of health. 'HepaEase' in India has developed a low-cost biosensor for early detection of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, making healthcare more accessible.
A couple projects leveraged technology to address social and environmental challenges. "SkyScouts" has developed a sensor solution to predict and detect wildfires faster and more accurately. In Kazakhstan, "DEMEU" creates an innovative home system for individuals with hearing disabilities.
One project The "Household Appliances Innovation Powered By Solar" aims to strengthen local communities and build resilience in Nigeria by creating solar-powered appliances from discarded materials to address frequent power outages.
The 2024 NGFP Young Voices Awards showcases impressive diversity and global representation of youth projects. The applicants range in age from 12 to 17 years old, with the youngest winners being four remarkable 13-year-olds.
Participants come from 12 different countries across 6 continents, reflecting a global perspective. Some countries represented include India, Peru, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Egypt, the United States, Pakistan, Kenya, Nigeria, Vietnam, Nepal, Botswana, and the United Arab Emirates.
Thank you to our Judges
A special thank you to our dedicated community of judges. This increase in engagement is in huge part thanks to our existing judges, funders, partners, sponsors and supporters, advocates and the extended community of NGFP, who helped to promote and share the news. Our dedicated Young Voices awards judges had their work cut out for them!
"The breath of ideas were invigorating every single young persons application I reviewed brought something special to the table" - Erik, USA
Join us in applauding these 27 remarkable young visionaries and their commitment to building a more just, sustainable, and equitable future for all.
What's next
The top winner will receive USD $1000, three runners-up receive USD $500 each, and six finalists will be honourably mentioned as being part of the top 10 projects. Additional seventeen youth projects will be honourably mentioned for their work on one or more of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Award winners are invited to join the Young Voices Network (YVC), powered by Teach the Future, offering a community of like-minded changemakers. This support will help catapult these young innovators' ideas into action.
About School of International Futures (SOIF)
SOIF is a not-for-profit collective doing strategy, planning, and policy for future generations. We create foresight with impact by putting at the heart of our design the respect for complexity, purpose, social justice, and participation. We facilitate learning, connection, and innovation for and with emerging foresight practitioners around the world. The NGFP Network and Fellowship are initiatives of SOIF. Initiatives: The NGFP Network and Fellowship
About Teach the Future
TTF is a not-for-profit movement that teaches futures-thinking skills to students and educators worldwide. We aim to bring futures thinking into classrooms to empower students with the skills to critically and creatively navigate change. By embedding futures literacy in schools, we encourage better decision-making and more active youth citizenship. Initiatives: Country Hubs and Young Voices Network