Applications Invited for Young Global Changers Recoupling Awards

About the Organization

The Global Solutions Initiative proposes policy responses to major global problems, generated through a disciplined research program, elaborated in policy dialogues, and addressed by the G20, the G7 and other global governance fora.

About the Event

Over the last four decades, we have been witnessing significant economic growth in most parts of the world. At the same time, we are seeing a rise in inequality, an exacerbating climate crisis and a rising sense of disempowerment. This trend can be described as the decoupling of economic prosperity from social prosperity and environmental sustainability. The Global Solutions Initiative aims to address this trend by generating proposals to better align economic and political activities with environmental sustainability and social prosperity. With the Young Global Changers Recoupling Awards we want to recognize and reward projects and initiatives by young people from around the world which embody this recoupling-approach.

Recoupling-projects must be guided by a people-centric approach, one that puts the needs and voices of their stakeholders, customers, workers and communities at the center. The jury will be looking for particularly novel, unique and original approaches or projects that address specific issues which have previously been neglected. Projects must be beyond the idea phase and can include social businesses as well as nonprofit activities. (You can find examples of previous projects here.)

The best entries overall will be presented on the Global Solutions website. Successful applicants will also become part of the Young Global Changers class of 2022 and join a global community of more than 350 young changemakers. Finally, 10 participants will be chosen to present their project at the 2022 Global Solutions Summit (March 28/29, 2022) in Berlin. A jury will select three winners. The overall winner receives a prize of € 5.000, the runner-up receives € 2.000, third place wins € 1.000

Eligibility

• Young entrepreneurs or innovators who have started or are involved in a leading role in a social enterprise that aims at aligning economic activity with environmental sustainability and social prosperity.
• Young business leaders aiming at changing “business as usual” from the inside (“intrapreneurs”).
• Young non-profit actors, community organizers, advocacy leaders, campaigners, or implementers of social, economic, or environmental change on a local, regional or even on the global level.
• The project, business or initiative that you apply with needs to aim at recoupling, i.e. a better alignment of economic or political activities with social well-being and environmental sustainability.
• The applicant should have a leading position in the project/initiative they are applying with. (e.g. founder, co-founder, project-lead, initiator or a similar role.)
• The applicant needs to be between the ages of 18 and 35.
• Applicants need to be willing and motivated to become active members of a global network which aims at bringing about lasting global change.

How to Apply

Step 1:

Complete the online application form and include all relevant information about your change project. There are no costs associated with the application. For a successful submission the following information and material will need to be provided:

• Personal information (name, email address, place of residence, date and place of birth)
• Project information (name of the project, project description, connection to recoupling)
• Upload of th following documents: 1. CV, 2. project description, 3. short video (max. 5 min)

Step 2:

The selection and evaluation of the projects will be done by a jury. Of all projects submitted, the best will compete in the semi-finals and will be presented on our website, 10  will be selected for the finals. After the semi-finals, all finalists will receive additional information about the next steps.

Step 3:

The 10 finalists will get the opportunity to present their projects in front of a live jury of experts and a global audience at the Global Solutions Summit 2022 on March 28/29 in Berlin. The pitch can be held digitally or on-site. (It will not be a disadvantage if one of the finalists is not able to attend the summit in Berlin in person.)

Assessment of the Application

Each applicant is required to write a short description of their project or initiative and explain briefly how their activities promote “Recoupling”. Applicants are also required to create a video version of their project presentation (5-minute maximum). The top presentations will move on to the semi-finals and will be presented on the Global Solutions Initiative website

From these projects, 10 finalists will be selected to present at the Global Solutions Summit on March 28/29 in Berlin. Projects will be evaluated based on the below judging rubric. Your project does not need to address all of the following categories in an equal manner. The jury may choose well-balanced projects that do well in all categories alongside projects that have a strong but well-founded focus on one or a few of the categories above.

1. Presentation

a) Two Short Project Descriptions

Each applicant is expected to provide two short, written description of their projects. The first one is about the project itself, its mission, what you are trying to achieve and how. The second description should address how the project or initiative specifically contributes to recoupling, i.e. to a better alignment of economic or political activities with social needs and environmental sustainability.

b) One Video Pitch

Each applicant is expected to submit a video (five minutes or shorter). The video should underline and visualize an interesting aspect of the initiative or project, this can be a re-statement of the core mission and your aims, but it can also be impressions from the day-to-day work that you do, a customer journey, testimonials, an interview, stakeholder viewpoints or other perspectives. Whatever you think will give the jury and the broader public a good impression of what it is that you do, what you are trying to achieve, how you are going about this and/or how you are contributing to recoupling. You can upload a pre-existing video, an image film or something you produce specifically for the application. You are welcome to use slides, bullet points, photos, animations or other pre-recorded material in the videos. Be creative!

2. Recoupling Approach

From the material that you provide the jury will assess how well your project contributes to a better alignment of economic or political activities with social needs and environmental sustainability. Projects can address both domains, the social as well as the environmental. However, you may choose to emphasize one over the other. As mentioned above the jury may choose well-balanced projects that do well in both domains alongside projects that have a strong but well-founded focus on only one of the two.

a) Social Domain (People-Centered)

How well does the project reflect a people-centric approach? How does it put the needs and voices of their stakeholders, customers, workers and/or communities at the center? What is the aspired and the actual impact on the lives of those who are affected by the project? Who is included/excluded? Which groups benefit, which don’t (different genders, races, and socioeconomic groups)? How well are individuals or groups empowered through the project?

b) Environmental Domain (Circularity and Climate Neutrality/Positivity)

How does the project impact the natural environment, in their communities, regionally and globally, immediately and over time? What is the negative/positive impact on air quality, sanitation, drinking water, waste management, biodiversity, emissions, climate change? Does the project include, promote or provide avenues to a circular production, or more broadly a circular economy?

3. Innovation, Impact and Importance

From the material that you provide the jury will also aim to assess the novelty, innovativeness and uniqueness of the project, its design, or its approach. The jury will also assess if and how the project addresses issues of broader political, societal or environmental importance.

a) Innovative Character

How novel, unique, or original is the project? Does it include new approaches to a known problem, or does it address a specific issue that has previously been neglected?

b) Applicability, Effectiveness and Design

Is the project well-designed to successfully address the problems it aims to tackle? What can we draw, learn from the project, its approach or design?

c) Importance of the Issues and Broader Implications

Does the project address an issue of broader political, societal or environmental importance? How well does it address systemic or structural factors?

Deadline

The deadline for submission is 05 January 2022.

To apply for the event, please Click here.

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