Frequently Asked Questions
VOTING PERIOD
How long does the voting period last?
The voting period is two weeks long and it runs from 9:00 AM EST on March 7, 2012 until 5:00 PM EST on March 21, 2012.
How do I vote for an entry?
On the competition page, there is a tab called ‘Voting’ (similar to where entries, nominations, resources, etc are listed). On the ‘Voting’ tab, all sixteen finalists are listed. To vote, click the green checkmark next to the entry that you like. You can vote using your Changemakers account or your Facebook account. With the Facebook voting widget, people will click the green checkmark next to the entry that they like. Facebook will then ask if it can pull their information to create a Changemakers account using that information (basic information like name and email). Once they do that, it will apply their vote to the entry.
How many times can I vote for the same entry during the voting period?
People only vote once per entry during the entire voting period.
How many ideas or projects can I vote for during the voting period?
People can vote for a minimum of one entry and a maximum of 3 entries during the entire voting period.
How were the Finalists chosen?
All 266 entries were reviewed by the Ashoka Canada screening/shortlisting team for the criteria of innovation, social impact and sustainability. The Initiative Advisors were part of the shortlisting calls to provide guidance. The top 30 entries of the 266 entries were shortlisted for the judges. Using the criteria of innovation, social impact and sustainability, the judges shortened the list to 16 Finalists.
What do the winners of the community vote win?
The entries with the most votes will win one of three Community Awards worth $5,000 (each) or one of two Donner Canadian Foundation Community Awards of $2,500 (each).
My entry is not one of the Finalists. Does that mean I will not win an award?
There is still a chance that your entry can win an award! For the Regional Awards within Canada and Awards for Specific Areas of Learning, the award sponsors and/or the Ashoka Changemakers team will select the winning entries. Please click on ‘Awards and Criteria’ for a full list of awards, the award details and the rules of this Initiative.
POST ENTRY-DEADLINE
I know that it is past the entry deadline but I still want to submit. What can I do?
Out of fairness to our 266 entrants, we can no longer accept any more entries for Inspiring Approaches to First Nations, Métis and Inuit Learning. However, Changemakers is currently running two other competitions that are still accepting entries:
The "Innovations for Health" competition is accepting entries until February 13, 2012. This competition is for "health care solutions from anywhere in the world that have the potential to be applied in other countries to improve health and health care".
There is also the "Activating Empathy" competition, which seeks entries that "create a world guided by empathy and collaboration, one led by empowered young people who succeed in the classroom and in every walk of life". This competition runs until March 30, 2012.
Can I correct any spelling or grammar mistakes in my entry past the entry deadline and will this impact my success in the Initiative?
No, entries cannot be edited past the January 27, 2012 deadline out of fairness to our other entrants. Rest assured that our review team pays attention to the content of the entry and spelling and grammar errors will not influence their decisions. There may be an opportunity for entries that are identified as finalists to correct spelling and grammar mistakes later on.
Can I add anything to my entry now that the deadline has passed?
No, entries cannot be edited past the January 27, 2012 deadline out of fairness to our other entrants. If you have extra content that you would like to add to your entry, we encourage you to add it as a 'comment' to your entry. Most reviewers look at this information (within reason).
I have already submitted my entry. What happens from here and when will I know if I won an award?
We are currently reviewing all 266 entries. For the Community Awards, a panel of judges composed of First Nations, Métis and Inuit leaders in education will choose the award finalists. On March 7th, finalists will be announced online and people can log in and vote for their favourite ideas or projects. The entries with the most online votes win the Community Awards. For the Regional Awards within Canada and Awards for Specific Areas of Learning, the award sponsors and/or the Ashoka Changemakers team will select the winning entries. All winners will be announced on March 26, 2012.
QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE ENTRY PERIOD (Entry period ended January 27, 2012)
I do not self-identify as First Nations, Métis or Inuit. Can I still submit my idea or project?
Yes, this Initiative is open to entrants from those both within and outside the First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities.
Is this Initiative open to entries from outside of Canada?
Yes! We accept any idea or project that supports learning for First Nations, Métis and Inuit people in Canada, including those from international entrants. However, many awards are only available to entrants from certain regions within Canada. Please check the Awards page for the eligibility criteria for all of our awards.
This Initiative appears to be for youth-focused projects. Do you also accept entries that support adult learners?
Yes, we accept entries that pertain to all levels of learning, from early childhood to adulthood. In fact, we offer 3 awards of $1000 specifically for projects related to adult learning and a further 2 awards of $500 for to the top entries from Quebec related to education and employment. . Please see the Awards page for a full list of awards.
What is the difference between "Nominating" an idea or project and "Entering" an idea or project?
Nominating an idea or project is similar to a recommendation. It helps us identify potential entrants and it also alerts potential entrants about the Initiative. However, entries that have been Nominated need to be formally Entered in order to be eligible for an award. To Enter an idea or project, you must click the "Enter an Idea" button above and fill out the online Entry Form, or you can download the Entry Form as a Microsoft Word document, fill it out offline and then copy and paste your responses into the online Entry Form.
I have filled out the online Entry Form and my entry does not appear online! What can I do?
The most likely explanation is that you have not published your entry. When you are on the online Entry Form, press the ‘Publish’ button on the right side of your screen.
Alternatively, you may have been directed to your profile when you validated your Changemakers account and fill out your profile instead of the entry form. Please make sure that you have filled out the Entry Form found on the Initiative’s website.
I am having a hard time adding videos to my entry. What can I do?
The platform only supports video from the major video sites (Youtube, Vimeo, etc.). If the video you wish to embed a video from an outside website, paste the link somewhere within your entry and our judges will definitely take a look!
Why can’t I access the entry form from my iPad, iPhone or other touchscreen device?
The online platform does not fully support touchscreen devices, so users of iPhones, iPads and other touchscreen devices may experience difficulties accessing the Entry Form. We suggest filling out the Entry form on a personal computer or you can download the Entry Form as a Microsoft Word document on your device, fill it out, and transfer the file onto a PC to put on the site.
What happens to my idea or project when I submit it?
With your permission, we hope to share your idea or project with potential funders, donors and other interested parties. This could help you form new partnerships to help get your idea or project off the ground. You will also be asked to agree to a Content License when you submit your entry, which grants Ashoka a limited and non-exclusive license to use the content that you post on the Changemakers.com website for the purposes of administering and operating the competition, promoting your project and ideas to others, promoting Changemakers, and advancing and better understanding the field of social change. You will retain all ownership rights to your content.
Where is my entry and is it published?
To see all your entries, log in and go to your user profile (www.changemakers.com/user). In the second half of the page, you will see an entries tab. There, you will see all your entries. If your entry has “(draft)” next to its title, it has not been published yet. All entries published before the deadline will be reviewed. No entry is visible to the public until it is published.
What can I do if I do not agree with the legal terms of the Initiative?
Please contact us if you have any concerns about the legal language.
My question does not appear here.
Please contact us if you have any other questions.