My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
Yes
I am 18 years of age or above, by the application deadline.
Yes
My organisation is a registered UK entity and has a London-based address.
Yes
My organisation is a non-profit (e.g. school, university, or local authority) — not a for-profit, which can only join as a partner.
Yes
If there is a for-profit organisation as a partner in my initiative, they work on a cost-recovery basis only.
Yes
My solution is implemented at scale, or if not, I have a clear business plan, a minimum viable solution (prototype, pilot, or proof of concept), and evidence of work or impact in London within your coalition.
Yes
I am aware that, if I am submitting more than one application to a Challenge run by Ashoka and Go! London, only one of them is able to progress through the stages.
Yes
Are you an employee (and their children and grandchildren) of Ashoka or any of its respective affiliates and participating advertising and promotion agencies?
No
I have read and accepted the Challenge Terms & Conditions
1
First Name
Last Name
Pronouns
Email address
I would like to receive notifications and updates about Go London!, Ashoka, Ashoka Changemakers, and other Ashoka opportunities.
Are you an Ashoka Fellow?
Are you applying from an organization founded by an Ashoka Fellow?
If you are applying from an organization founded by an Ashoka Fellow, please specify the name and organisation of the fellow below.
Initiative Title
NextGen Games/NextGen Minds
Lead Organization Name
Nextgen Games Community
My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
1
Year that you started/ registered your organisation
2026
Website URL(s) or Social Media Handles
work in progress
Initiative Stage
Idea (You have a solid concept and are hoping to get started in the future)
Sectors/Themes: What topic does your project most directly relate to?
Children & Youth
Initiative Summary: Describe your initiative in one sentence
Our mission is to strengthen mental and physical wellbeing through shared challenge.
Challenge Focus: What topic does your initiative most directly relate to?
Climate action through awareness and engagement
The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve and who will benefit the most from your solution? How close are you to the problem and/or community impacted?
Mental Health in the community is the driver for my initiative with a focus on young people as they are the future of our communities, growing up I experienced mental health in many forms from my own challenges with mental health through loss of family members and observing family members and friends lost to drugs as a tool to deal with their own mental issues leading to loss of life, incarceration and children left without parents creating a never ending cycle of mental trauma. This is just a few of my living experiences which affect mental health for young people in my community which is just the tip of the iceberg with the challenges faced today by young people as highlighted below : 1 in 4 young people aged 16–24 in England now has a common mental health condition such as anxiety, depression or phobia — up from ~19% in 2014. Suicidal thoughts and self-harm rates are increasing, especially among females. 91% of 16–24 year olds use social media regularly, with many reporting links between social media use and anxiety, depression, poor sleep and cyberbullying. Evidence shows social media use is associated with increased rates of anxiety and depressive symptoms among teens. Widespread worry about climate change contributes to eco-anxiety, distress and feelings of powerlessness, particularly in younger age groups.
Your approach: How are you addressing the problem outlined above? How are you using the power of sport and physical activity to build awareness, shift behavior, and enable sustainable participation for all in response to the climate crisis? We'd love to know about the origin of your idea, and what was your "aha" moment" that led you to take action?
NextGen Minds and NextGen Games address rising mental health challenges among young people by using physical activity as a gateway to confidence, connection, and resilience. We recognised that many young people disengage from traditional sport and support systems, so we created an inclusive, challenge-based model that combines movement, teamwork, and wellbeing education to re-engage them in a positive, accessible way. NextGen Minds delivers structured school and community programmes that build emotional literacy, confidence, and coping skills through obstacle-based activities and reflection. NextGen Games then provides an aspirational event platform that reinforces participation, strengthens social bonds, and encourages long-term healthy habits. Together they form a pathway from first engagement to sustained involvement. Our activities are modular and portable, allowing delivery in schools, parks, and community spaces, which increases access and supports climate-resilient participation. We also integrate sustainability awareness and promote active lifestyles that benefit both personal and environmental wellbeing. Our idea originated from observing how many young people disengage from both sport and support systems at the same time. The “aha” moment came when we saw that the same activity—a physical challenge—could simultaneously build confidence, spark joy, create connection, and open conversations about mental health. That realisation showed us that sport, when designed intentionally, is not just recreation; it can be a powerful, preventative tool for wellbeing and social change.
Collaboration with young people and the community: In what ways does your initiative engage young people and community members closest to the problem? What role do they play in building the solution you deliver?
NEXTGEN MINDS A School-Based Physical & Mental Wellbeing Programme Programme Length: 6–8 weeks Target Age Groups: Key Stage 2–4 (ages 9–16) Delivery Model: In-school sessions + final event day Group Size: 20–30 pupils per cohort Outcomes: Physical wellbeing, mental health literacy, confidence, teamwork, creativity, and climate awareness PROGRAMME OVERVIEW NextGen Minds is a multi-week school engagement programme built around the NextGen Games obstacle course concept. It combines physical activity, mental wellbeing education, creative problem-solving, and student-led design, culminating in a mini obstacle course competition designed and delivered by the students themselves. The programme provides young people with safe, engaging opportunities to move, talk, learn, and create — while connecting them to local and national mental health support services and encouraging positive attitudes towards wellbeing, resilience, and sustainability. Once the programme is completed the best designs created will be directly incorporated into the NextGen Games obstacle course event, students will be given opportunity to participate in the larger event not only as racers but in the overall operation in the delivery, this could be in sharing overall experience of the programme through developing promos/videos played out during the event or race day stewarding/Judging at the different obstacles.
Potential for/Evidence of Impact: How do you imagine your initiative will make a difference in raising climate awareness, shifting behaviors, or reducing environmental impact or harm? If you have already implemented it, what difference have you made so far? What is the impact your initiative has had¡, and/or what impact do you envision having in the future?
NextGen Games/Minds IMPACT & OUTCOMES Physical & Mental Wellbeing Increased physical activity and confidence Improved emotional awareness and resilience Reduced stigma around mental health conversations Education & Skills Teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving Creative design thinking Understanding of sustainability and inclusion Social Impact Stronger peer relationships Clear pathways to mental health support Empowered young people with a sense of ownership and achievement SAFEGUARDING & INCLUSION Fully risk-assessed activities Adaptable challenges for different abilities Trauma-informed delivery approach Strong safeguarding and referral pathways Evidence of NextGen Minds Scale and depth of Impact will be determined by KPIs & Evaluation Metrics The Overall Evaluation approach will use a mixed-methods approach combining: Participation data Pre- and post-programme surveys Teacher and facilitator observations Student reflections Attendance and engagement tracking All data will be anonymised and GDPR-compliant. CORE KPIs (ALL SETTINGS) Participation & Access Number of pupils engaged Attendance rate per session (target: 85%+) Completion rate (target: 90%+) SEND participation rate (tracked, with adaptations recorded) For Qualitative Evaluation Student Voice Short reflection forms or video feedback End-of-programme group discussions I believe this programme type has the potential to reach thousands of young people which differs from the typical in class interventions, providing the framework to be rolled to out locally, regionally and nationally.
Innovation: What is different about your initiative compared to other solutions that are already out there? How is your approach original and innovative?
Unlike traditional obstacle course races that prioritise endurance, spectacle, or extreme difficulty, this Challenge is designed as a next-generation competition sport. It integrates physical performance, cognitive decision-making, and psychological resilience into a fast, head-to-head format that rewards adaptability, focus, and teamwork as much as strength and speed. Built for modern audiences, the experience is short-format, repeatable, and highly engaging, making it accessible to a wider range of participants while remaining compelling to watch, share, and sponsor. By balancing intensity with inclusivity and embedding wellbeing at its core, the Challenge reflects how the next generation engages with sport: purposeful, competitive, social, and mentally demanding — not just physically extreme. This is not an endurance race. It is a designed sport format, engineered for scalability, media relevance, and long-term participation.
Roles and Responsibilities: Describe how responsibilities are shared among your team or partners.
At this stage I am the sole person driving this initiative however I am in meeting and reviewing who would be great to partners with the shared vision to bring on board this journey, I am currently working through feasibility and costing I have reached out to Event management companies for costing/quotes on obstacle course equipment and event management services, I have also reached out to AV companies for quotes for event day media (Audio, visual and sound) I have created framework for NextGen minds with next steps developing course materials and costs for delivery.
Viability and Scalability: How are you setting your organization up for success, and what is your plan to ensure operational sustainability of your solution and its impact? What are your ideas for scaling your initiative to the next level?
NextGen Minds and NextGen Games are designed as scalable, sustainable initiatives that improve young people’s mental wellbeing through physical challenge, education, and community engagement. We are building strong foundations for long-term success by developing standardised delivery frameworks, facilitator training systems, safeguarding procedures, and evaluation tools to ensure consistent quality as we expand. Our sustainability model combines school commissions, sponsored events, partnerships, and grant funding, reducing reliance on any single income source while allowing surpluses to be reinvested to widen access. We are planning on piloting delivery, building partnerships with schools, youth organisations, and wellbeing providers, and collect measurable impact data to evidence effectiveness and refine the model. To scale further, we are seeking strategic partnerships, equipment investment, and support to grow delivery capacity. Our staged growth approach pilot, evaluate, refine, replicate, then scale ensures responsible expansion and long-term impact for the communities we serve.
Upcoming Milestones: Please provide an overview of the milestones that are required for your initiative to come to fruition/ to grow.
NEXTGEN MINDS(Schools & Community Programme Delivery) Phase 1 — Programme Setup Programme curriculum designed Safeguarding framework approved Delivery manuals created Partner organisations confirmed (mental health, youth services) Evaluation tools built Facilitators recruited and trained Milestone: 1. Programme fully delivery-ready Phase 2 — School Engagement Schools identified and contacted Agreements signed Timetables confirmed Consent forms distributed Baseline wellbeing data collected Milestone: 2. Schools scheduled for delivery Phase 3 — Programme Delivery Sessions delivered Workshops delivered Student design activities completed Participation monitored Feedback collected Milestone: 3. Cohort successfully completed programme Phase 4 — Impact Measurement Data analysed Teacher feedback gathered Student feedback gathered Outcomes measured Case studies produced Milestone: 4. Evidence of impact confirmed Phase 5 — Scale & Expansion Programme refined Additional schools onboarded Funding secured Delivery capacity increased Milestone: 5. Programme scaled to additional locations NEXTGEN GAMES (Obstacle Course Event Delivery) Phase 1 — Event Planning Venue secured Site plan approved Suppliers contracted Equipment confirmed Risk assessments completed Permits approved Milestone: 1. Event fully approved and build-ready Phase 2 — Operations & Logistics Staff recruited Volunteers recruited Build schedule confirmed Delivery schedule confirmed Registration system live Marketing launched Milestone: 2. Event operationally ready Phase 3 — Participant Acquisition Ticket sales opened School/community entries confirmed Sponsor activations secured Media outreach completed Milestone: 3. Participation targets met Phase 4 — Build & Delivery Site build completed Safety inspection passed Staff briefings completed Event delivered live Participants managed Milestone: 4. Event successfully executed Phase 5 — Post-Event & Growth Site cleared Data collected Impact report produced Sponsor reports delivered Next event confirmed Milestone: 5. Event converted into repeatable model
Capacity-Building Participation and Support Funding: If you were to make it as a finalist, you will be required to participate in an 8-week capacity building programme. If funding/ cost is a barrier to your participation, we may be able to offer up to 10,000 GBP of grant money available to support you. Please break down below, if it is the case, what costs you would incur and you would need covered. (Please note that there are restrictions on how the grant money may be used; please refer to the T&Cs for further details (LINK).
This funding would enable us to deliver early-stage implementation of both NextGen Minds (programme delivery) and NextGen Games (equipment development and pilot testing), ensuring safe, inclusive, and scalable rollout. I have split this over the 2 initiatives as follows showing cost approximations: NextGen Minds – Programme Delivery (£5,000) Deliver subsidised wellbeing programmes for young people in schools and community settings. Cost Area Amount Purpose Facilitator delivery £2,000 Qualified staff delivering sessions Portable equipment £1,200 Activity kit and challenge resources Travel & logistics £600 Transport to schools/community sites Safeguarding & compliance £500 DBS, training, insurance allocation Monitoring & evaluation £700 Data collection + impact reporting NextGen Games – Equipment Development & Pilot Testing (£5,000) Design, build, and test modular obstacle course stations to ensure they are safe, engaging, scalable, and suitable for different environments. Cost Area Amount Purpose Prototype obstacle materials £1,800 Timber, steel fittings, nets, grip bars Fabrication & build labour £1,200 Construction of test modules Safety testing & modifications £800 Padding, reinforcement, adjustments Transport & setup for testing £600 Moving equipment to test sites Pilot testing sessions £600 Supervised trial runs with participants
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