In this competition, we invite young people interested in journalism from across the European Union to showcase the transformative potential of activism by leveraging new media and innovative journalistic formats to educate and engage audiences on critical issues like mental health, ecology, and social engagement.
We believe that by harnessing the power of digital platforms and creative storytelling, individuals can make a significant impact on society.
About The Project
My Impact is international project aiming at strengthening the belief among Gen Z members that they really do have an impact on the real world and can act to change it if needed. We want to give a sense of empowerment to young people and highlight their actions.
Learn More about the projectCompetition
Be Active! Be Your Change!
Journalism for Amplifying the Activism: Innovating Social Impact through Media
Are you between 18-29 years old and want to win 5000 euros? Nothing simpler!
- Send us a link to your article, YouTube video, TikTok, or IG reel where you discuss topics such as ecology, equality, or mental health.
- Write a few sentences in English on how you effectively use online platforms to raise awareness about important social issues.
- You can do all this in a few minutes through our form.
There are 13 prizes totaling over 38,000 euros. More details can be found below.
Journalistic Activism in Action: Show how you utilize new media and innovative journalistic formats to educate and engage people on topics such as mental health and ecology. Show us how you've effectively leveraged online platforms to increase awareness and drive meaningful conversations around these issues.
Engaging Content Creation: Present strategies for creating compelling content on important social issues, emphasizing the importance of social engagement. Share your insights on crafting content that resonates with audiences, drives engagement, and inspires action.
Viral Impact: Share your "viral recipe" for spreading awareness and mobilizing support for important causes among young people. Explain why it's crucial to promote these issues in innovative ways and how your approach has led to tangible results or positive societal change.
Submit your project before July 14th for a chance to win your share of 38 420 euro prize pool.
Timeline
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April 30th – July 14th
Registration of Competitions Entry -
July 14th
End of the Competition -
July 30th
Winners Announcement
WINNERS
Romania
Ana Caldare
Thirsty for Solutions: Free Public Water Refill Stations at Henry Coanda International Airport
As part of the "Sustainable NGOs" project, the GEYC Community volunteers have launched a public campaign named "Thirsty for Solutions" aimed at installing free public water refill stations in public spaces across Bucharest. One key focus of this campaign is the implementation of 10 free refill stations at Romania's largest airport, Henry Coanda International Airport.
To raise awareness about the initiative we used all online platforms that GEYC NGO has.
For the website, we used the main article which provides well-documented content with numbers, fact-checks, and the impact on the environment and people's health.
The project focuses on the Impact of Plastic Waste: Henry Coanda International Airport serves a significant number of passengers annually. The high traffic underscores the substantial impact of plastic waste, as many travelers purchase and discard plastic bottles during their time at the airport. By introducing free water refill stations, we can significantly reduce this plastic waste, promoting a more sustainable environment.
In this project, we explain the adverse effects of dehydration on the human body during flights. Air travel can be dehydrating due to the low humidity levels in the cabin, making access to drinking water essential.
We're confident that by the end of this year, we will push Henri Coandă Airport to introduce free water refill stations due to their significant environmental and health impact. We also aim to bring the community together on sustainability issues, specifically water, and set a successful example. We hope our actions will motivate young people to take community-driven initiatives in the future.
Tangible Results: Content about the campaign is already posted online. We are in discussions with other NGOs that promote sustainability and want to activate others to support our campaign. More info is in the Word doc.
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Poland
Szymon Turcza-Jurczynski
Puchacz is an educational channel that provides knowledge for students from primary and secondary schools in Poland. Its primary aim is to teach the Polish language and history (culture, literature, and facts taught at school) in a way that is easy for teenagers to comprehend. The channel also aims to make people laugh through its owner, the teaching format, and the topics discussed. All the videos are free and available on YouTube.com. In 2024 alone, over 40 free educational videos were published, the channel gained over 10,000 subscribers, and reached an audience of over 500,000 users.
Puchacz's goal is not purely educational, as it also stands against stressful and pointless education. Multiple times during this year's publications, the channel addressed the issue of ads on social media targeting students before exams like the matura or 8th grade exam. Puchacz aims to fight against adding stress to people who are already stressed by the educational system and to highlight flaws within that system, such as the complete randomness of oral exams.
For all these reasons – creating over 40 free videos in 2024 and over 100 engaging, creative videos overall, tackling important social issues, and demonstrating a strong journalistic background in research – Puchacz proudly stands to win the #MYIMPACT award.
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Poland
Patrycja Radosz
I believe that agency is one of the most important qualities we have. An agency to influence the world around us, to change it, to cooperate with it.
And the power we hold only rises when we stand as one. When we are not only an individual but a part of something bigger. A part of a higher cause.
One of the most responsible choices we can make is to stand with those that we care about. While remembering and acting for those that can not stand for themselves. The biggest influence that we have lays in our understanding that we are the authority, we are THE people.
We take care of ourselves, of others, of their physical and mental wellbeing, of the world that we live in.
And a whole world can sometimes seem too big. Too abstract.
That is why I think the specific and tangible action is when we feel that we belong the most.
And the first step to our social involvement is to make a choice.
To make our voice loud.
To make our needs seen.
It is to vote. For us and all those who do not have that privilege.
Links
- https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGesR4g4K/
- https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGesRm75m/
- https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGesRAqdb/
- https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGesRMJJX/
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Lithuania
Eduardas Pontežis
Our project, Ukraine: A Glimpse of Reality, seeks to capture the lives and resilience of the Ukrainian people amid the ongoing war through video and photography. This initiative aims to preserve a factual and visual record of current events and their impact on individuals, offering a deeper understanding of the ongoing war.
We are a team of three Lithuanians (Eduardas Potežis, Tomas Jenkelevič, Antanas Čeponis) who have visited Ukraine three times since the full-scale invasion began. Our mission has been to deliver humanitarian aid to IDP centers and document life in Ukraine through video and photography. We have undertaken this work voluntarily, self-funding all our trips and activities.
Our first short documentary was presented to the international community at the Istanbul "Peace at Home, Peace in the World" conference in December 2023, which had over 120 participants. We are currently raising awareness in Lithuania and beyond. We organized an event in Vilnius titled "What's New on the Frontline?" which featured a photo exhibition and video presentation. Recently, our application to organize a photo exhibition and video presentation at the Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania was approved, and we will soon be working on it. We plan to hold similar events in various regions of Lithuania to show our work to the public and raise awareness about the war in Ukraine.
We are currently working on our second documentary after visiting Odesa and Mykolaiv and planning another trip to Ukraine in August to record more stories and continue our documentation efforts.
We believe in the power of storytelling to drive social engagement. Our goal is to create content that resonates with people, sparking interest and empathy. By documenting real-life stories and struggles, we hope to inspire action and support for Ukraine.
Although we are not professional journalists or documentarians, we are deeply committed to this cause.
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OTHER AWARDEES
Poland
Jakub Czerwiecki
Hey, Im Jacob Beauty Boy from Poland. My country is not easy to live and feel safety but i love my country and want to stay. I cover various topics about rights taken avay, abortion, bully, violence against women, homophobia. I dont have parents but i grew up to be a Good person and respect others I hope that the world will change someday
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Romania
Marina Roxana Corneliu
I am an activist for invisible disabilities and mental disorders. I am myself a person with disabilities: having bilateral perceptual neurosensory hearing loss, dyslexia and ADHD. All combined, I believe that they gave me the opportunity to see the world through a distinct perspective full of creativity and to develop my strong and optimistic personality so that I constantly embrace my authenticity and have the courage to get involved and evolve. For this reason, I chose to be active on my social media and build a safe space where people feel safe, heard, and seen when they are themselves. So, I want to inspire people from my community to step in their potential and have the courage to embrace beautiful opportunities that are there for them, as well as the rights and support they need. I aim to raise awareness regarding disabilities and the complexity of things that are not that visible or known around them, as well as the importance of mental health in the process.
My efforts and my awareness movement started to be validated. My Instagram community is growing rapidly. Now, I have over 4000 followers, for which I am proud because many people with disabilities find me comforting, so they address to me different issues or reach to me for empowering advice. I also did different collaborations on social media, but of course, the advocacy activities moved also outside of the small screen, in shape of conferences, workshops, or other non-formal educational events & activities.
My dream is to definitively change the way people relate to disabilities, both the way the community sees and treats these individuals, as well as the way the disabled person understands and appreciates himself. So, I use my platform as a way of sharing opportunities and information that helps anyone navigate in a more mindful way through life!
Links
- https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4DnZhyI27u/?igsh=czZoNzVwNWtwbHly
- https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6uDEUOIYSM/?igsh=NTJiODI1bWlteW1h
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Poland
Sebastian Kulis
Roślinne Porady (ang. "Planty Tips") is an educational platform created 10 years ago. Main aim of RP is to educate about local biodiversity and how to increase it through eco/natural/sustainble/regenarative gardening. We show people how to grow vegetables, how to make native flower bed or pollinator meadow, how to help wildlife survive. We are queer landscape architects and gardeners that are trying to show that everything's connected. There's no eco gardening if you eat meat; we need biodiversity as same in our gardens as we need it in our societies. Everything's connected - even here it wasn't so clear if it's ecology category or maybe social engagement or LGBT - from our perspective it's the same story with different tags. But yes, it's natural ecosystem and helping it to survive is the base of our existence. We're happy that we're able to have an impact on young people in social media and showing them, that local plants, food and community are the key to thrive. It's amazing to see the process of posting some reels on IG and seeing it's impact; people tagging us and showing how they're planting trees, sowing meadows, take care of their veggies and what's is imported, they're talking with their parents and grandparents and converting their boring, sad lawns into biodivers oasis. It's very satisfying and giving us power to educate more and more.
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Poland
Jakub Święcicki
The inclusive exhibition Touching the City presents textile typhlographics dedicated to the theme of Kielce metalwork. The exhibition focuses on the downtown gates, depicted through machine embroideries and haptic graphics made from flock foil. It is dedicated primarily to blind and visually impaired individuals, while for sighted people, it serves as an opportunity to examine the artisanal architectural details in the city of Kielce, which are often unnoticed in daily life and unfortunately increasingly replaced by cheaper alternatives from building supply stores. It can become an alternative guide to the capital of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship.
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Poland
Igor Barciakowski
I'm a psychosexology student and transgender person at the same time. Despite the development of knowledge about transgenderism and the increasing acceptance of society, especially in generation Z, it is still a topic that requires attention and education of people, and is highly medicalized. My goal is to promote knowledge about transgender and non-binary people and the problems they face in the current, dynamically changing world. Of course, access to medical care, issues of diagnosis and gender dysphoria are still extremely important, but when transgender people are no longer on the margins of society and lead average lives, start families and start careers, it is worth focusing on the social and personal problems that indirectly relate to dealing with the fact of being a transgender person, such as problems with love, relationships, positive sexuality and enjoying life. I managed to publish one of my essays on the difficulties experienced by transgender men in the context of romantic and sexual relationships on the largest platform for sexual education in Poland, I was involved in volunteering in conducting sexual education workshops for young people, I am currently writing a master's thesis on sexual self-confidence of transgender and non-binary people and I would like to continue my scientific and activist work.
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Poland
Ali Kopacz
I have been running an instagram account for about 4 years, where I show the glories and shadows of my life as a non-binary person in Poland. I show younger people who are just starting to live in harmony with their identity that it is possible and that it is possible to be a non-binary person and live a peaceful, happy life.
My most important project is the binder campaign. Binders are special vests that flatten the chest and thus minimize gender dysphoria. The cost of such a binder is 144 zloty - a prohibitive price for most young people, especially those living in homophobic and transphobic families.
That's why, through my social media platform, I created a support network - between people who need a binder or other material support, and people who have money to fund it for someone. For the past four years, we have collectively helped more than a thousand people. In 2020 we helped 337 people, in 2021 300 people, in 2022 305 people, and in 2023 170 people.
For many people, this was the first time they felt that someone cared about them. The first time someone took their problems, their needs and their identity seriously. A breakthrough moment, after which individuals pursued their dreams with more courage or decided to engage in some form of activism.
An important part of my activism was also the fight for a data overlay for transgender students at the UKEN, where I myself graduated. Such an overlay existed for several years, and then, as part of a pre-election crackdown on transgender people, it was removed. I organized an open letter to the university's rector, a series of protests, and wrote an article for Contact magazine mapping the university's ties to the ruling party. In the face of my actions, disciplinary proceedings were pending against me, and more conservative lecturers threatened to deliberately not write me a credit despite meeting all its conditions. My TikTok account was deleted, attempts were made to expel me from the university.
Links
- https://milk.org.pl/en/53/nothing-about-us-without-us-transgender-and-nonbinary-people-have-and-can-have-abortions-as-well
- https://magazynkontakt.pl/trudne-studia-na-polskich-uczelniach-z-doswiadczen-osoby-transplciowej/
- https://www.ofeminin.pl/swiat-kobiet/to-dla-nas-wazne/14-lipca-dzien-osob-niebinarnych-splaszczaja-sie-tasma-folia-spozywcza/cjmh7lf
- https://www.instagram.com/queer__alice/
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Poland
Aleksandra Rakowska
4Habits is a project created by five young women, aimed at transforming the habits of Polish people. By leveraging podcasts, e-books and social media, we strive to answer two key questions in a simple and accessible way: Why and how should we incorporate healthy habits into our daily lives? Additionally, we provide guidance on where to find resources that make adopting these habits easier. By effectively utilizing online platforms, we are raising awareness about healthy habits and promoting a healthy lifestyle for our audience.
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Poland
Weronika Chmielewska
Dancing and elections. A combination a bit like cheese with jam, or even fries with ice cream. At first, it seems strange, but I tell you, it tastes the best!
And that’s probably why, 1.5 months before the European Parliament elections, I came up with the idea of organizing a European Ball.
On June 7th, 500 young people gathered at the Marriott Hotel in Warsaw. For what purpose? Firstly, to party together. Secondly, to promote the European Parliament elections and become a spark that will encourage others as well!
We particularly invited young people to the ball, whose turnout in the 2019 elections was only 27% (in the 18-29 age group). It wasn’t hard to encourage them. While promoting the event, we focused mainly on promoting the “party” at a prestigious venue, the Marriott Hotel in Warsaw. Elections had a secondary emphasis. Only at the event itself did we show their importance and the true purpose of the meeting.
In this clever way, we built positive emotions around such an important topic as civic engagement, in the most natural way for young people. :)
The main partners of the event were Marriott Hotel in Warsaw and European Parliament - Office in Poland. In addition at the event space, 6 NGO set up their stands with activities for participants related to the elections.
Only people who were selected through a recruitment process could attend the event. Their task was to answer the question “Why do you want to party with us?”. The answers varied… from the need to “dress up like the Bridgertons” to “love for the European Union.”
As you can imagine, it was very difficult to choose only 500 people from nearly 2000 who applied for the event.
Did the event achieve the goals we set? Definitely yes! I’m glad to be part of Generation Z and to be 20 years old. Because of this, I understand much better what the young generation needs. And that’s the key to introducing innovation and, consequently, positive social change.
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Poland
Alicja Bazan
I have got a profile on social media called Kobieta z ADHD (Woman with ADHD). I educate about neuroatypical people and mental health. With my friends Paulina and Katarzyna we found SpektrUJ (na organization on Jagiellonian Uniwersity for neuroatypical people, but it is young and we do not have an organization's profile. We have organised the first meeting (with pizza) last week after all exams. With Paulina I visited high school in Dębica and we had meeting with students about autism. On UJ with Paulina and Katarzyna we organized a few events, we collaborate with Centrum Dostępności UJ (the place where disabled and neuroatypical people find help).
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Judging
- Journalistic Excellence: The extent to which the entry demonstrates adherence to journalistic principles, including accuracy, objectivity, fairness, and thoroughness in reporting.
- Creativity in Storytelling: The level of innovation and creativity exhibited in the storytelling approach. Judges will assess the use of multimedia elements, narrative techniques, and interactive features to engage and captivate audiences while effectively conveying the significance of the social issue addressed.
- Ethical Standards: The demonstration of ethical conduct and integrity in journalism, including transparency, accountability, and respect for diverse perspectives.
- Innovative Approaches: The degree of innovation and originality demonstrated in addressing social issues through journalistic means. Entries will be evaluated based on the use of new media technologies, data-driven approaches, and creative storytelling methods to effectively communicate complex issues and engage audiences.
- Overall Presentation: The overall quality and effectiveness of the entry in conveying the importance and urgency of the social issue addressed, as well as the clarity, coherence, and persuasiveness of the argument presented. Judges will consider the overall impression and presentation style, including visual design, writing quality, and multimedia integration.
FAQ
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE
- This competition is open to all European Union countries.
- Individuals or teams who are at least 18 years old but not more than 29 are eligible to participate.
- You can submit your project either individually or as a team.
- Employees of WP Media, Delfi, Pro TV, Net Info, and Index HR are not eligible to participate.
HOW TO participate?
- To participate in the competition, you need to submit your project through the entry form.
- In case of any questions or queries, you can send us an email at my-impact@grupawp.pl.
What projects are NOT eligible for the competition?
- You must submit a description of a real documented action taken by you or your team to raise awareness of important social issues. Submitting only an idea of the project is not allowed.
What projects are NOT eligible for the competition?
- You must submit a description of a real documented action taken by you or your team to raise awareness of important social issues. Submitting only an idea of the project is not allowed.
Can I submit more than one project?
- Yes, you can submit up to five projects that you have implemented.
