Scotland’s Environment Website, an ‘innovative partnership between a wide range of organisations’, including the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), yesterday (18 February) launched a competition to help engage young people with their local environment.

The Youth Discussion Competition, open to 5-18 year olds, asks: ‘What needs to change in your local community that will make a difference to your environment, and what role can you play to make it happen?’

It asks entrants to suggest ways in which they can made ‘positive changes’ to their local environment through one of 10 categories:

• waste minimisation;
• litter;
• energy;
• health and wellbeing;
• travel;
• biodiversity;
• school grounds,;
• water;
• sustaining our world; or,
• food and the environment.

The prizes, sponsored by Scotland’s 2020 Climate Change Group, include £1,000 for the winning group entry, and £100 for individual winners of each age bracket, amongst others. Age brackets are: 5-7; 8-10; 11-14; and 15-18.

As long as they address the question posed, entries can take any form, including pictures, video, websites, essays or news articles.

Entrants will be judged on the ‘power of argument’, their ‘passion and flair’, how ‘informed’ they are, and how practical their suggested solutions are.

Should the competition be entered by groups from classrooms, the school could move towards being accredited as an ‘Eco School’.

Scottish Minister for Environment and Climate Change, Paul Wheelhouse, said: "Our environment is an invaluable natural asset for current and future generations. This is a brilliant opportunity to help and encourage young people throughout Scotland to engage in the environment and make a real difference.

"I'd urge young Scots between 5 and 18 years of age to make the most of this chance to get involved and contribute fresh ideas and solutions to an issue that affects all of us. Not only will you be helping the environment, but it can be great fun and you will earn Young Scot points, and potentially could win one of several great prizes."

Young Scot points reward young people for taking action in their local community or environment.

Tony Currie, Headteacher of St. David's Primary School in Dalkeith, added: "This competition encourages our young people to take pride in their local community and to take responsibility for improving local environmental issues. It encourages them to promote wider environmental issues to local decision makers thus enhancing the role they play through active citizenship. Engaging with the project allows our young people to be true ambassadors for Scotland's environment."

As well as this competition, entries may also be eligible for the Young Reporters for the Environment competition. This is a separate competition being run by Keep Scotland Beautiful.

Young Reporters for the Environment is an international programme for young people, aged from 11-21, which ‘empowers and encourages young people to investigate and report on environmental concerns and issues of sustainable development’.

The closing date for entries is 31 March.

Find out more about the Youth Discussion Competition.