Competition Will Recognize Entrepreneurial Youth Creating Positive
Change in Communities throughout the World
In a joint effort to recognize young people making a positive impact on
society, Ashoka, the world’s community of
leading social entrepreneurs, today announced the launch of the Staples “Youth
Social Entrepreneur” Competition. The online
competition, created on Ashoka’s “Changemakers.net”
platform, asks young people within the Ashoka global network to explain
how they are leading positive change and planning on making an impact
within their communities. For example, Ventures in the U.S. are
currently addressing social issues from providing art classes for
low-income students to connecting elderly people with youth through
community service projects.
Youth leaders who enter the competition have an opportunity to win a
global prize or be considered for a $1000 Youth Venture grant to advance
their projects. Four finalists, from entries submitted by applicants in
France and the United States, will be chosen by an elite panel of judges
for their outstanding impact, innovation and potential, and will be
flown to Boston, MA, to be recognized during a special ceremony in their
honor on November 20, 2008 at Staples’
headquarters in Framingham, MA. The Staples grand prize winning team,
which will be announced during the ceremony, will receive a suite of
Staples products to help run their Venture, valued at $5,000.
Youth Venture is an Ashoka initiative that is catalyzing and investing
in a movement of young changemakers all over the world who are taking
action by identifying problems and creating Ventures to create positive
change in their communities. Staples began its support of Youth Venture
in 2006 through Staples Foundation for Learning, a private charitable
foundation created by Staples, Inc. This grant helped Ashoka launch the
Youth Venture program in France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Canada,
Argentina and Brazil. To date, Staples has contributed $1.5 million to
build the capacity, visibility and reach of the Youth Venture program
throughout the world.
“The Staples Youth Social Entrepreneur
Competition allows us to highlight the power that youth can have to
change the world,” said Bill Drayton, chief
executive officer and chairman of Ashoka.
