Prize: ‘What do you think the government should do to improve life in the UK?’

By Ben Yeoh @ 2022-09-24T11:50 (+14)

Heywood Prize (2022): ‘What do you think the government should do to improve life in the UK?’

60K prize pool.  Link here: https://heywoodfoundation.com/contest/

With a closing date of the 31st December 2022, the Prize is seeking fresh proposals from all UK citizens who have innovative and impactful ideas with the potential to improve UK public policy.  Entries can be in audio, video or text formats and the winning ideas will receive the Foundation’s full backing for fast-tracking with UK government policymakers.

"Last year’s top prize went to a proposal to establish an NHS Reserve Force, a reserve ‘army’ of medically qualified volunteers to support the UK’s health service, and especially in times of health emergencies. This idea was quickly shared with government and has since been implemented by NHS England. The NHS Reserve Programme, launched in March 2022, already has more than 4,100 reservists who are providing tens of thousands of hours of care in UK communities."

Me: Could be one for UK EAs who have a good policy idea they would want to pitch. Some emphasis for those under 21, and younger generations.

More from blurb:

Maybe you have an idea for how to reduce inflation, possibly you’ve thought of a brilliant way to encourage sustainable living, or it could be that you’ve thought of an idea to ensure equal access to higher education for school leavers; you might even have thoughts on how to decrease bureaucracy in the civil service – whatever your idea may be, and regardless of its complexity, we want to hear about it.

Our question is very broad but given how far reaching the government’s input can be, this is your opportunity for you to tell us how the government could make life better for you, your family, your community or the population as a whole. Your answer might capture a simple policy detail or it could describe a big change in how we could live – or are living – our lives.

Credit will be given for the originality, practicality, and impact of ideas. Perhaps even more importantly, the winning submissions will be put on the desks of policymakers within the government, will attract wider debate, and perhaps will be enacted to make our world a better place.

Entries may be submitted from 00:01, Wednesday 7th September
2022 until 23:59, Saturday 31st December 2022.

Acceptable formats are:
• Text (up top 1500 words)
• Uploaded video (maximum of 3 minutes)
• Uploaded audio (maximum of 3 minutes)
• Images (maximum of 3) *may be submitted with text

Prize breakdown:

Main prize
• Top prize: £25,000
• Second prize: £10,000
• Third prize: £5,000
• 15 x runner-ups: £1,000 each

Youth prize (21 and under)
• Top prize: £5,000
• 10 x runner-ups: £500 each
*** Youth entries will all be entered into both the main prize and the youth prize.