NEWS
30 JUN 2010
The People's Choice Award is a special award open to all finalists where the public is invited to vote for their favourite project. Winning the People's Choice Award is easy - all you have to do is get the most votes!
Every vote counts so make sure your project stands out above the rest and earns the title of People's Choice.
In the next couple of weeks IMPACT 2010 will publish a full list of finalists on the People's Choice Page. A short summary of each project will be available and the public will have the option of voting for their favourite one. Voting will remain open until the 24th September 2010.
So, how can you publicise your project so that your local community backs you all the way to victory?
- Make sure all your friends and family know about the awards and vote for your project - inspire them to get involved!
- Why not attract more support by making a YouTube video highlighting the star quality of your project?
- Perhaps set up a Facebook page for your project - you can post photos and updates, and attract all important friends and supporters. Link it to the Impact 2010 site and watch the votes pile in!
- Ask your local newspaper to write a story on your project, helping to spread the word throughout your local community.
- Why not contact your local radio station - the BBC has its own 'district journalists' covering stories in local areas.
- Send your story to the UTV and the BBC Breathing Places websites.
These are only a small number of ways you can gain the all important votes required to become the People's Choice. Getting your message out to the widest possible audience and selling the great work that you are doing will not only raise awareness of your project and the importance of protection of the environment and the planet, but of your school/college/community group's work in a wider sense.
At the same time, you will be helping to spread the word about Impact 2010: the more people who can see for themselves the value of taking action to protect our living planet, the more who will feel inspired to take up action too!
This is a chance to be innovative and have some fun - there are no judges for this award - so good luck chasing down those all important votes!
30 JUN 2010
Thank you to everyone who submitted an entry into the Impact 2010 competition. We would like to congratulate you for all your efforts in helping to preserve and protect the wonderful environment around us.
Special congratulations go to the 18 winners, drawn at random, of the W5 competition. We hope you enjoy the Nature Quest exhibition, as well as all the other exhibits in W5!
Botanic PS, Swifts Project
Campbell College, Eco Lake Project
Coagh PS, Creating a Learning Ecosystem in the School Grounds
Kilrea PS, Kilrea Eco-garden
McClintock PS, Garden of Life
St Catherine's College, Bee Beautiful
Killylea PS, A School Connected to its Community
St. Colm’s High School, Caring for our Community –‘The Greenhouse Gang’
Grosvenor Grammar School, Think Globally, Eat locally
Glenlola Collegiate School, A sustainable life – Connecting Learning and Living
Aughnacloy Primary School, Greens 4 U
Ballinderry Primary School, School Garden
Laghey Primary School, Laghey School Play for Kids
Straid Primary School, Investigating Solar Power as Sustainable Energy.
Ballyclare Primary School, Eco Project
Assumption Grammar, Pure Manure
Beechgrove Special School, The Big Spring Clean
Glenlola Collegiate, Mobile Phone Recycling
02 Jun 2010
Orla and Dearbhla Curry from Killyleagh in County Down are making a positive impact to their environment. They are making the effort to remind young people across Northern Ireland that they have until Friday 18th June to get entries in for the 'IMPACT 2010' Youth Sustainability and Environment Awards Scheme. Schools, colleges and youth groups across all of Northern Ireland are being encouraged to log onto www.impact2010.info for more information on this exciting scheme which aims to reward projects in our communities which have a real environmental and sustainable development impact.
PRIZE DRAW
W5 is offering 18 family tickets (2 adults and 2 children) to its amazing Nature Quest exhibition, as well as all the other exhibits in W5!
All entries to Impact 2010 will be entered into a free prize draw and a family ticket will be sent to a winner from each of the 18 award categories.
Winners will be notified by 30th June
ALSO
NIEA is offering a free entry for two to either Dunluce Castle or Carrickfergus Castle to all those individuals involved in any projects submitted to Impact 2010 by Monday 21 June.
Individuals will be notified by 30 June
19 May 2010
Departments call for ‘IMPACT 2010’ awards scheme entries
Damian Prince from the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister and Damien Campbell, Director of Corporate Services, Northern Ireland Environment Agency, today called for entries to the IMPACT 2010 Youth Sustainability and Environment Awards in October.
The awards ceremony will take place on the 6 October 2010 at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast. The award categories range from direct action on the local environment to action in taking advantage of opportunities in the sustainable development agenda, such as energy efficiency or community improvement.
Mr Prince, Head of Economic Policy at OFMDFM, said: “The Impact 2010 awards are an opportunity for young people here to showcase the projects that are making a difference in their community. We are proud of our reputation for innovation and quality in the fields of science, industry and medicine. Here is the chance to showcase not only the potential, but also the commitment that will lead to a new generation of entrepreneurs, teachers and scientists; the talent that will shape our country in the coming years.
“Impact 2010 is designed both to be a recognition of the hard work which is happening today in our community, and an inspiration for individuals and groups across society to see the opportunities available in improving the quality of life in our local areas – from the simple to the sensational. The Awards ceremony will be a high profile celebration of the projects that are making a difference, no matter how small, to their local community.
“Through Impact 2010 we hope to get a glimpse of the future – a responsible, innovative and exciting future, in which the best we have to offer improves our lives, boosts our economy, protects our environment, and makes best use of our resources. This is a real opportunity for our young people to show government how they engage with their surroundings now, and how they hope to utilise them in the future. That is what makes Impact 2010 such an exciting prospect.”
Commenting on the awards Damien Campbell, Head of Corporate Services at NIEA, said: “The Impact 2010 awards are an exciting and energetic celebration of the work being done by young people to improve the quality of their environment and the sustainability of their society. It is only right that we recognise and reward that work.
“Today’s launch is calling for a range of young people to enter Impact 2010 including school children, young adults in further and higher education, community groups and young entrepreneurs.”
Mr Campbell continued: “I would encourage students, teachers and parents to log on to the awards website, www.impact2010.info – I have no doubt that there is a vast range of projects already underway or completed in schools, colleges and community groups across Northern Ireland that would make the impact we are looking for.
“Here in Northern Ireland we have a real opportunity to become pathfinders in the fields of environmental protection and sustainable development. Our abundant natural resources provide us with the opportunity to develop new and renewable energy sources. In our schools, colleges and communities we have a generation of young people keen to show the benefits of living a more socially and environmentally responsible lifestyle. Through Impact 2010 we hope to recognise and celebrate that fact.”
15 April 2010
Are you aged 5 to 25 and involved in sustainability and/or the environment? Have you a project, business or research that you are really proud of and you believe deserves recognition at a prestigious awards event?
The Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) together with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) are jointly organising the IMPACT 2010 Youth, Sustainability and Environment Awards to recognise and reward the youth of today for their various environmental and sustainable initiatives.
Entries can vary in scale from small locally based projects such as raising awareness of the importance of ponds; a demonstration of co-operation between a youth group and a local business who have worked to achieve environmental or sustainable goals; a community project bringing life back into an unused space or building; or promoting sustainable tourism on a particular site.
From April 15, the Impact 2010 Awards will be open to receive applications. All applications must be received by 12 Noon on 21 June and finalists will be notified on 28 June. The competition will then culminate in a high profile awards event held on 6 October 2010 at the Waterfront Hall, Belfast.
Entries will be welcomed from school children (primary and post-primary), youth groups and individual young people from local communities, as well as college students, undergraduates, graduates and young business people up to the ages of 25. All entries will be required to provide evidence.
