ECO-UNESCO are looking for groups to apply to the Young Environmentalist Awards 2019 taking place in May 2019. To enter the awards, groups come up with an environmentally-focused, action project that tackles a local environmental issue.

The deadline to register is November 30th 2018 and you can register online at www.ecounesco.ie

In May of this year, young people from Newpark Comprehensive, Blackrock won the Overall Senior Award at the Young Environmentalist Awards Showcase in the Mansion House, Dublin. Could you be part of the next local group to take a prize?

Who can enter the Young Environmentalist Awards?

There are three age categories for entering the awards:

1. Super Junior: 10-12 years
2. Junior: 12-14 years
3. Senior: 15-18 years

You can take part as a group within your school with the support of a teacher, or work with people in your community with a youth leader or community worker.

Benefits of taking part

There are a number of benefits to taking part in the Young Environmentalist Awards, including:

• Increasing your awareness and understanding of the environment
• Developing your skills in research, planning, teamwork, and leadership
• Learning about active citizenship
• Gaining confidence and an understanding of personal responsibility
• Gaining respect for the environment and for other people

Awards Timeline

There are three stages in the judging process.

Internal judging

Groups will submit their project portfolio outlining the details of their project for judging. Internal judging panels will review the project portfolios and create a shortlist of projects to move on to the next stage.

Semi-final ECO-Dens

The shortlisted groups will then move on to the semi-final judging rounds where they will pitch their projects to a panel of experts. The semi-finals take place in regional ‘ECO-Dens’, with dens in Connaught, Leinster, Munster, and Ulster.

Finalist showcase

Those who are successful in the semi-final will move on to the finals, where they can showcase their projects at the national YEA Final Showcase and Awards Ceremony. This is where the overall winners and the category winners will be announced.

Award categories

There are two overall winners of the awards:

• Overall Senior Winner
• Overall Junior Winner

Those entering the 12-14 or the 15-18 years categories will be able to narrow their project into one of the 10 categories:

1. Biodiversity
2. Climate change
3. Energy
4. Water
5. Transport
6. Eco-Art and Design
7. Waste
8. Eco-Community Development
9. Eco-Enterprise
10. Eco-Health and Wellbeing

For more information on the awards and to enter visit www.ecounesco.ie.