Deadline: 13 March 2014
Ashoka Changemakers is inviting project entries from all organizations and partnerships that are providing young people with the skills and career opportunities to succeed in the 21st century economy for ‘The American Dream Competition : Developing Young People’s 21st Century Skills’ 2014. The American Dream Competition is designed with the aim to gather an answer to how the American dream can be attained?
The project entries should offer creative approach to the challenges (unemployment and under-employment) youth face in the 21st Century and innovative solutions to these challenges. The project impact must be in a broader social level and that must be sustainable. Project may supplement or replace formal education, they may focus on specific demographics of young people, or they may be geared toward specific careers. The solutions should specifically address questions pertaining to – What are the barriers to access, attainment, and/or retention of employment opportunities and how can they be circumvented? How can innovative localized solutions to successful talent attainment be scaled and replicated nationally? How do we re-frame the way that today’s talent is developed to more effectively meet the realities and demands of the 21st century workplace?
Prizes –
- Grand Prizes – total three each of $5000 cash plus $30,000 pro-bonus consulting support.
- Runner-Up Prizes – total three each of $ 3,000 cash.
- Early Entry Prize – a ticket valued $800 to the annual Ashoka U Exchange, a three-day, action-packed conference. Entry prize deadline is 23 January 2014.
Eligibility Criteria –
- Entrants based in US and outside the US are eligible to enter project but the project must have direct impact in at least one U.S. city.
- Solutions should reflect the theme of the challenge ‘the American Dream Competition’ supporting activities that help young people develop change-maker skills – entrepreneurship, teamwork, leadership, problem-solving and empathy skills, which allow workers to adapt and thrive in a workplace and economy that are defined by change.
- Entries must be in English and published in the Changemakers Competition page by the deadline.
- Preference will be given to solutions that have grown beyond the conceptual stage; demonstrated impact and sustainability; and placed unemployed/ under-employed young people into careers/jobs.
For more information, please visit The American Dream Competition Announcement page.
