Application Sections

There are seven parts to the application. Most of these parts ask for information about you and what interests you about participating in the Time For Change Youth Challenge.

Eligibility Criteria

This section includes seven check-the-box statements to verify your eligibility for participating in the program. 

Primary Contact Information 

This part asks if you’re applying together with your class or individually/with a team. Depending on your answer, we’ll ask for more information about the primary contact, a parent/guardian, and school details. If a team is applying, we only need information about one team member.  

Primary Contact: The primary contact is the young person who’s leading this project. They are the main person sharing the project idea in the Time for Change Youth Challenge. This application is for the Primary Contact. 

Parent/Guardian: The Parent/Guardian is the adult responsible for the Primary Contact. This person will need to either sign a consent form or receive a notification form depending on the age of the Primary Contact. They must be a legal parent or guardian and cannot be a teacher or other adult. 

About Your Project 

This section is all about your idea and solution! This section asks four questions that you can respond to either with a video (3 minutes or less) or written response (with a 2,800 character limit that includes spaces). These questions ask you to share more about the problem, why it matters to you, your unique idea, how you plan to implement this idea, and your vision for the future. 

Why are you excited about the Time for Change Youth Challenge?  

This short section includes a few check-the-box statements and multiple-choice questions asking you about what you are looking to get from this experience and how you heard about this challenge. 

Attachments

You are welcome to attach images and files to your application! You can include up to 5 MB of content in any of the following file types: .jpeg, .jpg, .png, .tiff, .tif, .pdf, .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx, .csv 

Video Application Tips

Do you want to create a video instead of writing an application? You get to choose how you share your story!

• Start by writing down how you want to answer each question before recording.  
• When you’re recording, make sure you’re in a place that isn’t noisy. 
• Please make sure you speak up and that we can hear your voice in the video. Remember to answer all the questions.  
• You need to answer all required questions to finish the application.  
• Remember the video must be between 90 seconds and 3 minutes.  
• Once you have recorded the video, upload it to TikTok, Vimeo, Google Drive, Loom, IGTV, or YouTube as unlisted, and post the link to your video on the application form.  
• Please make sure the video is viewable without needing a sign-in or special permissions because that would mean we won’t be able to see it. 
• We are not judging your application based on the quality of your video (editing, video production, etc.). We’re just focused on hearing what you have to say (your story, your answers to the questions, etc.). 

Application Questions & Hints

The part of the application that will take the most amount of time is the "About Your Project" section, where you answer a few questions about your project either in writing or in a video. Answering these questions helps us understand your idea! We have shared some example tips and answers for each of these questions. 

Want to talk to one of us about your application or idea? Join an upcoming drop-in session for 1-on-1 help! 

What community is your project focused on supporting?

Hint: This could be your school, neighborhood, a particular group of people, etc.

Some ideas for what your community might be include:  

• Your School: Addressing issues within your school, such as bullying prevention, mental health support, or improving extracurricular activities. 
• Local Neighborhood: Initiatives to enhance safety, cleanliness, and community engagement in your neighborhood. 
• Environmental Community: Efforts to combat climate change, reduce pollution, or promote sustainable living practices. 
• Cultural or Ethnic Community: Celebrating and preserving cultural heritage, promoting diversity and inclusion, or addressing challenges faced by specific cultural or ethnic groups. 
• Senior Citizen Community: Programs to combat loneliness and support older populations, such as senior center activities or technology training 
• Immigrant or Refugee Community: Offering support services, language assistance, or cultural integration programs for newcomers 
• Gender or LGBTQ+ Community: Advocating for gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights, and creating safe spaces for marginalized individuals 
• Rural or Farming Community: Addressing rural challenges like access to education, healthcare, or sustainable agriculture practices. 
• Digital Community: Promoting online safety, combating cyberbullying, or raising awareness about digital literacy. 

What problem do you want to solve? Tell us more about how you discovered the problem and why it is important to you.

 

Hint: How do you know that this is a problem? Have you experienced it yourself? Have you seen it happen? Have you read any articles or done any surveys that show that this is a problem? Do you have any data that shows that this is a problem? 

There are lots of ways to discover a problem that affects a community you care deeply about. Here are some ideas:  

• Observe Your Environment: Pay close attention to your surroundings, both within your school and in your local neighborhood. Notice any recurring issues, challenges, or areas of potential improvement. 
• Engage with Community Members: Talk to neighbors, friends, family, teachers, and community leaders. Ask them about the challenges they face or the issues they are concerned about in the community. 
• Participate in Local Activities: Get involved in community events, volunteering opportunities, or neighborhood associations. This provides firsthand experience and insights into community needs. 
• Research Local News and Reports: Stay informed about local news and government reports. Local newspapers, websites, and government publications can highlight ongoing issues and concerns. 
• Use Social Media and Online Platforms: Join community groups and follow local organizations on social media. Engaging in online discussions can reveal community issues and interests. 
• Attend Town Hall Meetings: Participate in town hall meetings, community forums, or city council meetings. These gatherings often address local concerns and provide a platform for residents to voice their opinions. 

Explain your solution. What is your idea? How did you come up with that idea? What are your next three steps to carry your idea forward? Have you planned any upcoming workshops, events, meetings, or anything else you’re excited about?

Hint: Help us understand your whole idea and why you think it is a solution to the problem you identified. Think of what you need to do from now on, step by step, to solve the problem you found. Do you need to tell even more people about it? What supplies or resources do you need? Do you need to ask for help from the people around you? 

No idea is too big or too small! Here are some ideas for social projects that you might be interested in doing to make a positive impact on your community: 

Climate Change & Environmental Justice 

• Launch a recycling program in school and advocate for sustainable practices. 
• Organize a series of community clean-up days where students can pick up litter on their school premises or nearby public spaces. 

Literacy & Reading 

• Start a free little library in your neighborhood or school with used books for students to read. 
• Create a reading buddy program for older students to read to younger students once a week. 

Education Equity 

• Establish a peer tutoring program within the school, where older students can volunteer their time to help younger students with their academic subjects. 
• Establish a pen pal program between students from different schools or even across different communities. 

Racism, Xenophobia & Inclusion 

• Organize cultural awareness fairs to celebrate diversity and educate the community about diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

Homophobia & Queer Rights 

• Establish a safe space club or support group for LGBTQ+ students. 
• Collaborate with local organizations to raise funds for LGBTQ+ causes. 

Food Insecurity & Food Access 

• Start a school-based food pantry or organize food drives to support local families in need. 
• Create a community garden to grow fresh produce for donation to local food banks. 

Homelessness & Housing 

• Collaborate with local shelters to organize donation drives for essential items. 
• Volunteer at homeless shelters and initiate campaigns to end homelessness. 

Animal Cruelty & Animal Rights 

• Raise awareness about responsible pet ownership through informational campaigns. 
• Advocate for stronger animal welfare laws by writing letters to policymakers. 

Mental Health & Wellbeing 

• Conduct workshops or seminars on effective time management and self-care techniques for students. 
• Create a support network or buddy system to promote peer support and mental well-being. 

Do you have a team? If yes, tell us who the other members of your team are and how they are helping you. How will you make people who aren’t on your team pay attention to the problem you want to solve?

Hint: Sharing your ideas with other people is very important to grow your changemaker power. How many people have you talked to about this problem so far? What have they done about it?

Here are some roles young people and adults could play to put your idea into action: 

• Treasurer or Finance Manager: Works on budgeting, fundraising, and money management. 
• Outreach Coordinator: Responsible for generating awareness about your project and building relationships with community members. 
• Technology Expert: Manages the project's website, app, or digital tools. 
• Event Planner: Organizes and manages events related to the project, such as fundraisers, awareness campaigns, or workshops. 
• Communications Coordinator: Manages the team's communication strategy, including social media, email newsletters, and public relations. 
• Diversity and Inclusion Advocate: Promotes diversity and inclusion within the team and the project. 
• Design and Media Specialist: Handles graphic design, video editing, and other multimedia aspects of the project's communication strategy. 
• Adult Ally: Adults who can offer a different set of expertise, such as helping with logistics, mentoring team members, managing conflict, and networking.  

If you don’t have a team, how will you build one? Who would you ask to join you and why? How will you make other people pay attention to the problem you want to solve?

Hint: Creating change is a big job for one person to do alone. An important but difficult step to becoming a changemaker is convincing others of your idea. Think about what skills and teammates you need to make your dream a reality.

Let’s say your project is a series of community clean-ups. Here are some ways you can find people to help you put this idea into action: 

• Classmates: Talk to friends and classmates about the project during lunch or recess and invite them to join your team. 
• School Clubs: Visit school clubs that focus on the environment or community service and ask if members would be interested in helping. 
• Teachers: Ask teachers if they know students who might want to participate, or if they can help spread the word in their classes. 
• Social Media: Create a simple post on social media or ask a parent to help share it, inviting other students and community members to join the cleanup. 
• Family and Neighbors: Talk to family members or neighbors who might be interested in supporting the cleanups or know others who would be. 
• Community Centers: Visit local community centers or libraries and ask if you can post a flyer or talk to people there about your project. 
• Sports Teams: If you’re part of a sports team, ask your teammates if they’d like to help out, or if they know others who would. 

Application Examples

Project scenarios developed with support from Artificial Intelligence (AI). 

Example #1: Cleaning Up our Park

The Problem 

We have a huge issue with garbage in our local park. I first noticed it while playing soccer with my friends—we had to constantly move trash out of the way, and it made me realize how bad the situation was. It’s important to me because the park is a space where everyone in the community comes to relax, play, and enjoy nature, but the litter is ruining it. I’ve seen the litter get worse over time, and I’ve even noticed animals getting into the trash, which can be harmful to them. After doing some research, I found out that almost 80,000 tons of solid waste were generated in national parks alone and on top of that, the World Wildlife Fund has found that monitored populations of animals have seen a devastating 69% drop on average since 1970. This made me want to take action and clean up our own natural areas to restore it to a place we can all enjoy safely, including animals! 

The Solution 

My solution to the litter problem in our park is organizing large-scale community cleanup days, with the goal of inspiring other communities in my city to treat our natural areas better. I came up with this idea realizing that a one-time effort wouldn’t be enough; we need ongoing community involvement. My first step is securing the necessary supplies, like trash bags and gloves, by reaching out to the local government and businesses for donations. Second, we’re planning a volunteer meetup to go over the cleanup plan and assign roles. Third, we’ll host the cleanup day, followed by a small celebration to thank volunteers and reinforce the importance of keeping the park clean. From our first event, I want to start a database of clean-up volunteers that can be easily reached out to for future cleanups. I’m especially excited about our plan to partner with a local environmental group to offer educational workshops during the event, teaching people about the impact of litter on wildlife and the environment. 

The Team 

Yes, I’ve assembled a team to help with the community cleanup project. Alex is our creative lead—he’s designing the promotional materials, including flyers and social media graphics. Mia, who’s great at public speaking, is in charge of outreach. She’s contacting local businesses for support and volunteers. We’ve also recruited my younger brother and his friends to help distribute flyers around the neighborhood. To ensure people outside our team pay attention, we’re planning a social media campaign with before-and-after photos of the park to highlight the impact of litter. We’ve also spoken with about 30 people, including community leaders and teachers, who’ve committed to spreading the word and participating. We’re using these connections to build momentum and get more people involved in the cleanup.

Example #2: Reducing School Bullying

The Problem 

Last month, I saw a classmate being bullied during lunch, and I noticed how it affected their confidence and made them withdraw from others. This issue is important to me because I believe that everyone deserves to feel safe and supported at school. I’ve seen bullying happen multiple times, and it’s clear that it has a negative impact on students’ mental health and well-being. I also read a study from Pew Research that shows about half of U.S. teens (53%) say online harassment and online bullying are a major problem for people their age. It also reported that fewer than half (46%) of middle and high schoolers who were bullied at school in 2019-2020 said they notified a teacher or another adult about it. This made me realize that we need to do more to create a supportive environment where students feel comfortable standing up against bullying and helping each other out, not just in person, but online too. 

The Solution 

My solution to the bullying problem at our school is to create a peer support group called “Friends Helping Friends.” The idea came to me after witnessing how isolated students can feel when they’re bullied and realizing that having a safe space to talk and support each other as students could make a big difference. My next steps include: 

1. Meeting with the school counselor to get advice on how to structure the group and ensure it’s a safe and effective space.  

2. I’ll recruit members by reaching out to students who are passionate about creating a positive school environment and who can act as peer leaders.  

3. We’ll organize an initial meeting to establish goals and plan our first event, which will likely be a workshop on how to handle and prevent bullying.  

I’m excited about the potential to create lasting change in our school culture, and I believe that by empowering students to support one another through regular meetings in a judgment-free environment, we can reduce bullying and make our school a more welcoming place for everyone. 

The Team 

Text: I’m currently in the process of building a team to start a peer support group called “Friends Helping Friends,” aimed at addressing bullying in our school. To form my team, I plan to reach out to students who are active in leadership roles, such as members of the student council and club leaders, because they have a strong influence among their peers and a genuine interest in improving the school environment. I’ll also ask the school counselor to join, as their expertise in handling sensitive issues will be invaluable. To raise awareness, I’m planning a campaign that includes personal stories shared anonymously by students who have experienced bullying, combined with statistics and information on the effects of bullying. By making the issue relatable and real, I hope to encourage more students to join the group and participate in our efforts. Additionally, I’m considering hosting a school-wide event focused on kindness and inclusion, which will help draw attention to the problem and the solutions we’re proposing. 

Get inspired! 

Ready to Apply?

Apply Now!

Need Support?

Email us at [email protected] or text us at (571)622-1066. 

When is the deadline?

Apply early for a $50 gift card (eligible applications only) to support your initiative by  Wednesday, November 13, 2024 at 11:59 PM ET / 8:59 PM PT. Final deadline is Thursday, January 30, 2025 at 11:59 PM ET / 8:59 PM PT.