Foundation calls for prairie youth entries in innovation challenge

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This article was published 25/01/2024 (682 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Rideau Hall Foundation, located in Ottawa, has put out the call for young people in the Prairies to take part in their Ingenious + innovation challenge. Over $160,000 has been set aside for young people who are making change in their communities, and a portion of that prize money is earmarked for winners in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

The challenge is open to 14 to 18 year olds anywhere in Canada and, in addition to prize money, provides mentorship opportunities. They can submit their projects in one of the competition’s five categories: community and civic engagement, climate change and the environment, equity and inclusion, health and well-being, and technology and entrepreneurship.

Young people who are interested can submit their ideas at ingeniousplus.ca, and if their ideas are deemed eligible, they could receive a regional $1,000 award and access to networking, mentorship and learning opportunities. Eligible ideas may also be considered for up to 13 national finalist awards in their region for an additional $1,000, or five $10,000 national awards in each category. The national awards will be held in May during Canadian Innovation Week.

The Rideau Hall Foundation is an independent and non-political charitable organization whose goal is to amplify the impact of the office of the Governor General as a central institution of Canadian democracy, the group’s website states.

And it’s not the first time the organization has shone a spotlight on innovation in Canadian youth, says Amy Mifflin-Sills, the foundation’s director of innovation and skills.

“We started with a program called the Governor General Innovation Award back in 2016, and we work really closely with the … government to celebrate great Canadian innovators every year,” Mifflin-Sills told the Sun. “We know that young people coast, to coast, to coast are solving challenges, whether they be local community challenges, or even bigger challenges and problems and they’re really, really creative solutions.”

A lot of young people can hesitate to call themselves innovators because they feel they haven’t done enough to earn the title, but Mifflin-Sills and her colleagues at the Rideau Hall Foundation disagree, she said.

“Part of our work is letting them know that they are making a positive change and coming up with projects and initiatives … and just getting around that terminology and recognition that they are innovators and their ideas really result in positive change.”

Past winners of the challenge from the Prairies include an initiative to collect shoes for students in need, a project to distribute period products in the community, and a mental health platform that promotes random acts of kindness.

“Within the five categories, there’s lots of room for different types of innovations, not just in the typical science, technology and engineering innovations,” Mifflin-Sills said. “It could be as simple as a community based program that solves a unique need for that particular community, and so there’s quite a bit of flexibility in terms of what we’ll support with this program.”

Applications can be submitted until Feb. 22.

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