Prizes include:
- ALL EXPENSE PAID TRIP for up to two members* of each of the Five Selected Finalists** to travel to Boston, MA, USA, to attend the Staples Ashoka Youth Social Entrepreneur Awards ceremony and much more!
*Any Selected Finalist team member under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a chaperone of at least 21 years of age. The chaperone and accompanied youth would equal two members of the Selected Finalist.
**Selected Finalists must be represented at, and participate in, the awards ceremony. Selected Finalists not able to send two members to the awards ceremony will forfeit their standings in the competition. - The Youth Social Entreprenur Excellence Award (1 Selected Finalist):
US$5,000 Value - The Youth Social Entrepreneur Achievement Award (4 Selected Finalists):
US$500 - FREE Youth Summit Attendance: (ALL Selected Finalists)
FREE attendance and participation in the 2nd annual National Youth Venture Summit at Boston University & Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) – two of the world’s most well-known and respected universities. You’ll be joined by hundreds of your fellow changemakers while attending innovative workshops on skill-building, leadership and collaborative opportunities.
- FREE Project Management Consultation: (ALL Selected Finalists)
- All Selected Finalists will have the unique opportunity to consult with, and get advice from, high-level Staples executives at their global headquarters. During this informal question & answer session, Selected Finalists will briefly discuss their individual projects with a panel of experienced business and management professionals.
- All Selected Finalists will also meet with an Ashoka Fellow - one of the world’s leading social entrepreneurs. Ashoka Fellows are known for their unrivaled commitment to bold ideas and innovative solutions.
The Staples Ashoka Youth Social Entrepreneur Awards competition is open to Youth Venture Teams (worldwide) in good standing whose members are between the ages of 12-24.
Teams entered must be nominated. Ashoka’s Youth Venture® operates programs in 17 countries – and its global program staff will nominate Venture Teams from each country to participate and compete in this opportunity.
To be considered, Venture projects must demonstrate they have been providing significant and/or meaningful social impact on their community. A community can be defined as a local neighborhood, city/town, nation, or world.
Ashoka’s Youth Venture has launched over 3,000 Venture Teams worldwide.
All eligible nominations must be completed in English and submitted by 5 pm EST, Friday, April 17th, 2009, to be considered.
A panel of external judges will evaluate and rank the five Selected Finalists. Selected Finalists will be contacted by Youth Venture on May 18, 2009. The top ranked Team will be presented with the Staples Ashoka Youth Social Entrepreneur Excellence Award. The other four Selected Finalists will be presented with Staples Ashoka Youth Social Entrepreneur Achievement Awards.
To remain eligible, each Selected Finalist must be represented at the awards ceremony by at least one Team members. Any Selected Finalist team member under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult chaperone of at least 21 years of age. Travel costs will also be covered for the adult chaperone. The Chaperone and the accompanied youth would equal two members of the Selected Finalists.
Awards related travel arrangements will be made and provided at no cost to up to two member of each Selected Finalist. Travel will most likely occur June 26-30, 2009. Selected Finalists are responsible for the validity of all required travel and identification documents (passports, visa, etc.).
Selected Finalists unable to send a representative to the awards ceremony will forfeit their standings in the competition.
Selected Finalists agree not discuss their standing publicly until after all Selected Finalists are identified by the Staples-Ashoka press release on May 26, 2009.
Selected Finalists are required to provide Youth Venture with high-quality media (video, photos, audio, etc.) of their Team’s project by June 5, 2009. Media will be used by Youth Venture and/or Staples to produce an awards ceremony presentation.
Finalists should not assume any right of confidentiality for any data submitted on behalf of this competition.