Submission Guidelines
These guidelines provide a breakdown of the submission process for the YEA project. They outline the methods of accessing and editing the submission form, the submission requirements and the judging criteria used for the YEA.
Submission Folder
After registering, each group receives an access link to their own online submission folder. This is where you will complete and upload your project materials. This folder can only be accessed by members of your group via a secure link. The document can be edited in one of the three ways:
A) Online: The submission document can be completed online as it is a live document. All changes or edits are automatically saved if you are connected to the internet. Multiple members can edit at the same time.
B) Offline: Download the submission document, complete it offline (e.g. Word document), and then re-upload it to the folder.
C) Printed: Print the document, fill it in by hand, then scan and upload it back into the folder.
You may upload any additional files to your folder that support your project such as visuals, research, or campaign materials.
Note: There is no “submit” button. Whatever is in your folder by the submission deadline is what will be judged and accepted as your final submission.
Submission Requirements
- Group Submission Form (All age categories): This form is to be completed by the young people in the group. It’s where you tell the story of your project, what you did, why it matters, and what impact it had. We recommend updating this as your group progresses through your project.
- Mentor Submission Form (Super Junior Only): This short form is to be completed by the groups mentor and offers additional context and feedback from their perspective.
- 1-Minute Video (All age categories): Every group must submit a short video (max 1 minute). This is your chance to introduce your team, highlight your project, and bring your work to life for the judges. Use the time to show your passion, creativity, and impact your project has made.
Adjudication Process - How the projects are judged
All projects go through a three-stage adjudication process:
- Initial Review: After the deadline, all submissions are reviewed by an internal judging panel. A shortlist of standout projects are selected for the next stage, our ECO-Dens.
- ECO-Dens (Semi-Finals): Shortlisted groups are invited to pitch their project to expert judges in regional ECO-Dens. This is a chance to present your work in person (or virtually), answer questions, and showcase your teams knowledge and enthusiasm.
- Final Showcase & Awards Ceremony: Finalists are invited to the national Showcase and Awards Ceremony. Winners are chosen based on cumulative scores from each round and final judging on the day.
Judging Criteria
All projects are evaluated using our 6-Steps-to-Sucess Framework, the same one you follow throughout your project journey and in the YEA manual. Judges look for creativity, teamwork, relevance to environmental themes, community involvement, and real-world impact.
The judges follow the below marking criteria through each stage of the process:
