Changemaker of the Year
Changemaker of the Year is an award that highlights young changemakers and their ability to bring about positive societal change.
![Graphic of young changemakers, one working at a laptop, one reading and thinking, and one solving a puzzle on the wall](/sites/default/files/2020-12/Graphic%20for%20Young%20Changemakers%20Page.png)
![Inspire Youth General Pic](/sites/default/files/styles/4_10_width_desktop/public/2020-03/Inspire%20Youth%20Pic.png?itok=CzuOx3AM)
Selection criteria
We are looking for someone who is:
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16-25 years old
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The founder or co-founder of a new social initiative that brings about positive social change linked to equality, health, climate or sustainability, and promotes youth participation and leadership.
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Although we believe a really good idea in the hands of an entrepreneurial mind is key to success, we are looking for teams that have already started to work on a solution – maybe you’ve also demonstrated early impact.
![Ismail Abdullahi](/sites/default/files/styles/4_10_width_desktop/public/2021-07/Ismail%20Abdullahi.jpeg?itok=9cNlvOl1)
What do we mean by Changemaker?
A Changemaker is someone who believes we can all bring about positive change and goes from idea to action in solving societal challenges, mobilizing others as well. We believe changemakers share these traits:
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Empathy
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Creativity
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Self-leadership and the power to inspire and lead others
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Critical thinking
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The ability to identify important social challenges and find solutions to them!
![nyc_bootcamps.jpg](/sites/default/files/styles/4_10_width_desktop/public/nyc_bootcamps.jpg?itok=HOtFNywd)
What do we offer to the Young Changemaker of the Year?
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Mentoring: professional support to develop and scale your idea from experts in our network
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Peer network of 40 000+ young changemakers all over the globe, from Argentina to the Philippines.
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Connections to Ashoka Fellows, leading social entrepreneurs, who have scaled their solutions and reached national or international impact.
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Visibility in Ashoka channels, events and the global community of changemakers that brings together young and more established actors, corporate partners such as Accenture and Ikea and our private partners.