Closed | Applications are closed

Congratulations to our 56 semifinalists and our 3 Early Entry Winners! Explore all our semifinalists here, and read more about our Early Entry Winners below. 

We are now in the refinement stage of the challenge and are excited to announce the finalists on the 3rd of October. If you have any questions in the meantime, please email us at [email protected], or message us on Instagram @ashokachangemakers.

Timeline

  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
May 6th 2024

Challenge Launch

June 3rd 2024

Early Entry Deadline

July 1st 2024

Final Entry Deadline

October 3rd 2024

Finalist Announcement

November 21st 2024

Winners Announcement

 

 

 

About this challenge

Our global innovation challenge: Together Towards Tomorrow, is a collaboration between Ashoka and HSBC, which invited changemakers from around the world with initiatives that unite people across generations to activate young people as leaders. We are now reviewing over 450 innovative solutions that promote equitable collaboration, connecting young minds with their inner purpose. Keep an eye on this page to learn about our winning solutions.

In partnership with:

Image
A black and white photo of a man wearing glasses and woman with black hair in a top bun posing beside each other, both have crossed arms. They are superimposed onto a graphic background, two vertical rectangles in lavender and dark blue splitting the square image in half, with the Together Towards Tomorrow logo in the top right.
Image
A black and white photo of a multi-generational, multi-racial group of four looking at each other smiling with their hands over each other's shoulders over a simple dark blue background. The Together Towards Tomorrow logo is in the top right.
Image
A black and white photo of two women, one black and one white, side-by-side speaking with eachother and smiling. They are placed over a purple background with the Together Towards Tomorrow logo in the top right.

Meet our Early Entry Winners

A graphic image with a black and white photo of a diverse group of people (diversity of ethnicity and gender and age) with their arms around each other's shoulders. They are looking at each other and smiling. Text above them reads "Congratulations to our Early Entry Winners".

Congratulations to our 3 Early Entry Winners, Youth x Youth, From Tradition to Tomorrow and Y-Ultimate. Read more about the winners below.

YouthxYouth

(YxY, “Youth by Youth”) is a global learning community of youth education activists and adult allies dedicated to transforming education systems. Their mission is to empower youth to create a world where learning supports collective liberation and well-being for all.

YxY achieves this through Global Action Circles and in-person Global Hubs, equipping young people to lead changemaking projects in areas like mental health, climate education, and vocational skills. They also offer a 10-month Weavership fellowship, where youth leaders learn to connect people, projects, and communities to build thriving learning ecosystems. These youth weavers engage about 100 peers each to co-create systemic change with local partners.

Every year, YxY brings their intergenerational community together for a 3-day Learning Festival around the International Day of Education. Read more here.

From Tradition to Tomorrow

From Tradition to Tomorrow is revitalizing the 200-year-old tradition of wooden toy building in Budhni, India, empowering artisans across generations. With younger artisans leaving the profession due to financial challenges, From Tradition to Tomorrow is addressing this through their Common Facility Centre, offering:

The project fosters intergenerational collaboration by creating spaces where experienced artisans train young people, who, in turn, mentor others. Leadership councils of young people ensure their voices are heard and community projects are born. Read more here.

  • Training and skill enhancement – blending traditional techniques with modern methods
  • Production optimization – providing modern machinery and ensuring quality
  • Market expansion – supporting marketing efforts to reach broader audiences
Y-Ultimate

Based in India, Y-Ultimate use the sport of ultimate frisbee to share life-skills with young people from underprivileged communities.

Ultimate frisbee is self-refereed, meaning that players call out their own fouls, and develop skills of respectful communication and collaboration through play.

At Y-Ultimate, young people who experienced the power of this sport go on to coach the next generation, developing skilled, responsible, and resilient leaders. By bringing people together across age groups, promoting fitness, teamwork, and effective communication, they help young people from underserved communities build the essential life skills they need to thrive. Read more here.

 

Who were we looking for in this challenge?

 

Enabling youth leadership for social impact:

Solutions that enable young people to take charge, actively identifying their strengths and passions. With this self-awareness, they lead the charge in effecting positive change within their communities.  

 

 

Promoting equitable intergenerational collaboration:

Solutions that promote equity by fostering intergenerational social connections, mutual learning and empathy, ensuring that young people have an equal opportunity to lead and effect change. This inclusive approach allows young people to access the collective wisdom and resources of all generations, amplifying their impact and sustaining their commitment to changemaking.  

 

 

Fostering agency in young people:

Solutions that foster agency among youth by catalyzing them to take ownership of their ideas, actions, and impact. As a result, young individuals develop the confidence and autonomy needed to lead changemaking efforts, ultimately becoming lifelong changemakers.  

 

Prize Packages - Awards and Recognition

A graphical image of an older man and younger woman standing back to back, arms folded across their chest and smiling towards the camera. Text behind them reads "Building alternative futures–Together. Applications open until July 1st 2024"

All eligible applicants will receive:
  • Receive feedback from Ashoka and/or HSBC representatives.
  • Have a chance to connect with a community changemakers through this challenge (by providing/receiving feedback, and meeting them through community events).
Early Entry Applicants will receive:
  • Those who get their application in by June 3rd 2024 will have the chance to be selected as Early Entry Winners.
  • All Early Entry Applicants will receive feedback ahead of the final entry deadline.
  • 3 Early Entry Winners will be awarded $1,500 each  
    • Note: Being selected as an early entry winner does not mean that you will be selected as a final challenge winner. 
All semifinalists and finalists will:
  • Get a chance to refine their applications based on feedback from Ashoka, HSBC, and their peers.
  • Have the opportunity to learn from Ashoka, HSBC, and its networks, and have additional learning opportunities as part of the journey.
Winners Awards:

We seek to ensure diverse representation in our winners, covering as many focus areas, ages, and geographic regions as possible. 

Prizes Structure:  

  • Up to 12 winners, will receive a minimum of $15,000 and up to $25,000.  
  • We will select a minimum of 3 winners at Early Stage (0-3 years since registration), and a minimum of 3 winners that are at an Established Stage (3+ years since registration).
  • The top winner in each of these two categories will receive a prize of $25,000.

    Evaluation Criteria

    Remember, we are looking for innovative and creative ideas at all stages of development, which means your initiative could be in its first year of implementation or a fully baked one! Each of the below 5 criteria will be considered equally in the evaluation of each application, following this rubric

    Connection and Commitment:

    Your initiative engages deeply with your community whilst valuing the voices and servicing the needs of young people.  

    Activating Young Changemakers: 

    Your venture enables young leaders to drive meaningful change and create a brighter future.  

    Impact:  

    As a standard working practice, you measure the impact of your initiative whilst prioritizing continuous learning and skill development.  

    Innovation: 

    Your venture actively pushes boundaries and explores new possibilities to address complex challenges.  

    Operational Viability:

    Your organization was created with a focused plan for secure long-term sustainability and adaptability in diverse local contexts. 

    Resources

    A graphical text image with a dark blue background that reads "Igniting Tomorrow's Leaders, Today" in small text above, then "To Connect, To Innovate, To Transform" in large block letters below. The Together Towards Tomorrow Logo is in the upper right corner.

    If you’re passionate about empowering young changemakers, supporting youth leadership, and fostering intergenerational collaboration to build a brighter future, we have something special for you. Explore our curated collection of top resources on intergenerational collaboration below. Dive in to find tips, insights, and inspiration on how to bring people together across generations and make a lasting impact. 

    Click here to read this challenge's full Terms & Conditions.

    Meet the team

    Andrea Nijssen

    Andrea Nijssen

    Challenge Manager

    View Profile
    Lulu McConville

    Lulu McConville

    Communications Manager

    View Profile
    Louisa Konchellah

    Louisa Konchellah

    Community Manager

    View Profile
    Aravind Kannan

    Jedidah Muthui

    Knowledge Manager

    View Profile

    People supporting the strategy, operations, and technology of the challenge:

    • June Wardé - Challenge Advisor
    • Jennifer Hartzell - Outreach Integrator
    • Rara Reines - Outreach Support