The Sunday Times in partnership with Community Channel's Do Something Brilliant campaign has launched The Change Makers, a search for the UK's social innovator of the year.
The competition aims to inspire people across the country to do something brilliant and to spark social change.
The Change Makers competition is part of Community Channel's Do Something Brilliant campaign, funded by the Big Lottery Fund. The campaign celebrates local charities, communities and individuals from different corners of the UK, to inspire audiences to do the little brilliant things that make a big difference to themselves or their community.
The Change Makers competition is run in association with SparkNews Impact Journalism Day, a global campaign to promote social action.
The winner of the competition will receive national coverage in the Sunday newspaper and be profiled globally through participating Impact Journalism Day newspapers in 40 countries across the world. The social innovator of the year will also receive communications support from The Sunday Times and Media Trust, be awarded £1000 and will be profiled on the Community Channel.
Eleanor Mills, Editorial Director, The Sunday Times, said: "It is so important to celebrate social innovation and those special individuals whose ideas have the capacity to change our communities and society for the better. The Change Makers competition will inspire lots of people to 'be the change'. It gives us great pleasure to champion and partner with the Community Channel's Do Something Brilliant campaign on this competition and we very much look forward to seeing the vision and creativity out there. In supporting such projects the media can really be a force for good. Best of luck to all who get involved".
Caroline Diehl, Chief Executive, Media Trust said: "The Change Makers competition is a great opportunity to celebrate an individual who has had a positive social impact. It could be someone who has created an ingenious app to tackle a social problem or someone who has found a creative solution to promote healthy living. It could be a local person who has found a clever way to help young people gain skills and experience for employment or someone that has found a great way to unite a divided community. By celebrating social innovators, we hope to inspire more people to sign up to Community Channel's Do Something Brilliant campaign funded by the Big Lottery Fund."
Peter Ainsworth, Chair of the Big Lottery Fund, said: "The Big Lottery Fund is keen to support people with bright ideas and the passion to make positive change happen. We are proud to fund the Do Something Brilliant campaign. The Change Makers competition is a great way to highlight inspiring projects and I hope that it will encourage more people to play an active role in making the places where they live better."
The Change Makers competition is open to UK residents aged 18 and over who have developed an innovative idea that has had a positive social impact in the community or society in the last five years. The simple idea must have had a measurable positive impact, must be replicable and must still be used today. Individuals can nominate themselves or nominate an eligible individual.
The Change Makers competition closes on 25 August 2014 and the winner will be announced on 14 September 2014. Entry forms and full terms and conditions can be found by visiting the website.
