A National Innovation Challenge is looking for youth in the Province that are ready to turn their ideas into groundbreaking opportunities.
The Ingenious+ Challenge led by the Rideau Hall Foundation RHF), is offering over $250,000 in prizes and mentorship to youth 14 to 18 years of age across the country with prize money reserved for BC winners.
Amy Mifflin-Sills, Director of Innovation and Skills with RHF said they started this program 4 years ago with the goal to help support the next generation of change makers and innovators to help take their project to the next level.
“The program has 5 categories youth are invited to submit their projects in. Community and Civic Engagement. Climate Change and the Environment. Equity and Inclusion. Health and Well-being as well as Technology and Entrepreneurship.” Mifflin-Sills said, “It’s really for youth who are solving challenges in these areas so it doesn’t necessarily have to be a technology innovation it could be a community based project that they’ve launched to solve a problem that may be going on in their community.”
Mifflin-Sills said they have made this campaign available at every High School that’s publicly funded from Coast to Coast to Coast.
“We would love to have even more connections with High Schools across the country to make sure as many youth are aware of the possibilities of this program. Our goal is to reach as many young innovators as possible with financial and other support like expert mentorship.”
Up to 200 regional winners from BC and other areas will each receive $1,000 along with mentorship and learning opportunities, and a chance to move on to the national competition.
National finalists could win $1,000 or one of five national winner awards of $10,000.
“In BC so far we’ve supported 65 young innovators. Last year one of our national winners was from the Lower Mainland with a really interesting project,” Mifflin-Sills said, “Liam created a survival pack for people who fall in the water with a life jacket that happens to be heated to prevent hypothermia. A few years ago we had a winner that was creating a music program for children with Autism to serve a need that she found in her community and a youth in Newfoundland is working on developing adapted toys for children with sensory issues and other disabilities.”
Mifflin-Sills said they know these young innovators are solving pretty complex challenges and we (RHF) just want to give them a little help along the way to encourage them to continue with these fantastic ideas.
Applications for the Ingenious+ Challenge are available at ingeniousplus.ca and can be submitted until February 28,2025.
Winners will be recognized during Canadian Innovation Week May 26 to 30.
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