Across the UK and beyond, children and young people are increasingly helping shape the places where they live, learn, and play.
If your organisation involves children and young people in shaping places and influencing decisions, these awards are for you.
We welcome projects where children and young people have contributed at any stage of the process—from early engagement through to participation in live decision-making.
Not sure which category is right for your project? Use our quick guide below.
What We Recognise
We celebrate projects where children and young people have made meaningful contributions to shaping the built environment.
Projects may involve participation at different stages—from early engagement and consultation through to direct involvement in design and decision-making. What matters most is the difference their involvement has made.
We are particularly interested in:
- How children and young people contributed to decision-making.
- The impact their involvement had on the project.
- How their contributions influenced design, delivery, use, or long-term outcomes.
Examples include projects where young people have:
- Shaped design ideas and proposals.
- Identified priorities that influenced project direction.
- Contributed to how a space is used and experienced.
- Helped inform how projects are managed and developed over time.
Emerging Practice
Not every project produces immediate physical change.
We also recognise emerging practice that demonstrates:
- A strong and thoughtful approach.
- Clear purpose and direction.
- Credible potential to influence future decisions and outcomes.
Who Can Apply
Entries are welcome from anyone involved in shaping the built environment, including:
- Architects.
- Urban designers.
- Landscape architects.
- Engineers.
- Developers.
- Local authorities.
- Organisations and not-for-profit groups.
- Clients and commissioners.
- Multidisciplinary teams.
Projects of all sizes, contexts, and stages are eligible—from early exploration through to established practice.
Project Categories
These awards recognise projects where children and young people help shape places.
Climate Change
Helping shape how places respond to environmental challenges.
Recognising projects where children and young people contribute ideas, priorities, and solutions that improve climate resilience and environmental sustainability.
Typical entries include:
- Biodiversity projects.
- Nature recovery.
- Green infrastructure.
- Sustainable transport.
- Climate adaptation.
- Environmental design.
- Resilience planning.
Culture
Helping shape the identity and experience of place.
Recognising projects where children and young people contribute to how places are understood, celebrated, interpreted, and experienced.
Typical entries include:
- Public art.
- Creative placemaking.
- Storytelling.
- Festivals.
- Cultural programmes.
- Interpretation projects.
- Local identity initiatives.
Learn More & Apply
Regeneration
Helping shape the future of changing places.
Recognising projects where children and young people contribute to the renewal, transformation, and long-term development of places.
Typical entries include:
- Regeneration projects.
- Town centre renewal.
- Estate renewal.
- Masterplanning.
- Placemaking initiatives.
- Community-led regeneration.
Learn More & Apply
Strategic Vision
Helping shape the future direction of places.
Recognising projects where children and young people contribute to long-term planning and strategic decision-making.
Typical entries include:
- Masterplans.
- New settlements.
- Planning frameworks.
- Regeneration strategies.
- Local plans.
- Vision documents.
- Long-term place-based planning.
Community
Helping shape places that bring people together.
Recognising projects where children and young people contribute to creating stronger, more connected communities and richer experiences of place.
Typical entries include:
- Community participation initiatives.
- Neighbourhood improvement projects.
- Social inclusion programmes.
- Public space activation.
- Community-led placemaking.
Skills Development
Developing skills through engagement with real places and projects.
Recognising initiatives that help children and young people build confidence, knowledge, and transferable skills through meaningful participation in the built environment.
Typical entries include:
- Design challenges.
- Place-based learning.
- Mentoring programmes.
- Youth leadership initiatives.
- Creative problem-solving projects.
- Participatory design activities.
Healthy Spaces
Helping create places that support wellbeing.
Recognising projects where children and young people help shape environments that support physical, mental, and social wellbeing.
Typical entries include:
- Play and recreation spaces.
- Active travel projects.
- Public realm improvements.
- Green spaces.
- Accessibility initiatives.
- Wellbeing-focused design.
Heritage (New)
Helping connect the past with the future of place.
Recognising projects where children and young people contribute to understanding, interpreting, and celebrating heritage.
Typical entries include:
- Heritage engagement projects.
- Local history initiatives.
- Conservation programmes.
- Interpretation schemes.
- Archives.
- Museums.
- Heritage-led placemaking.
Research & Materials
Creating knowledge, tools, and evidence that improve practice.
Recognising projects that develop resources, research, methods, and tools that support children and young people to engage with and shape places.
Typical entries include:
- Research projects.
- Toolkits.
- Publications.
- Guidance.
- Educational resources.
- Participation methodologies.
- Evidence-based practice.
Organisation Awards
These awards recognise organisations that are embedding children’s and young people’s participation into the way they shape places, projects, and decisions.
Whether participation is already well established or is an emerging area of practice, these awards celebrate commitment, progress, learning, and ambition.
Applicants should use recent projects to demonstrate how this commitment is being put into practice.
Development Company / Estate
Recognising development processes that enable young people to shape outcomes.
Typical entries include engagement across developments, estates, and long-term placemaking programmes.
Local Authority / Public Agency
Recognising how policy, planning, and service delivery enable young people to shape place.
Typical entries include:
- Youth engagement programmes.
- Participation strategies.
- Youth forums.
- Place-based initiatives.
University, School, or Department (Built Environment, Design or Planning)
Recognising teaching, research, and outreach that enable young people to shape place.
Typical entries include:
- Design studios.
- Research projects.
- Community partnerships.
- Knowledge exchange programmes.
- Participation-led teaching.
Built Environment Practice
Recognising professional practice that embeds children and young people in design and decision-making.
Typical entries include practices that:
- Develop engagement approaches.
- Test innovative participation methods.
- Embed participation across multiple projects.
Not-for-Profit
Recognising organisations whose participation approaches create meaningful outcomes.
Typical entries include:
- Place-based programmes.
- Community projects.
- Advocacy initiatives.
- Long-term engagement programmes.
Young Talent
Recognising emerging leadership in enabling young people to shape place.
Awarded to an individual early in their career who demonstrates exceptional potential in enabling children and young people to influence decisions about the built environment.
Individual of the Year
Recognising sustained leadership and lasting impact.
Awarded to an individual whose work has created significant and lasting change in how children and young people shape the built environment.
Key improvements made
- Removed duplicated text (for example, the repeated Community description).
- Standardised all category descriptions and headings.
- Made every category follow the same structure: Purpose → Description → Typical Entries → Call to Action.
- Corrected grammar, punctuation, and spacing throughout.
- Standardised terminology (e.g. “children and young people” instead of switching between “young people” and “children and young people”).
- Improved readability by reducing long paragraphs and using consistent bullet lists.
- Made headings and calls-to-action visually consistent across all sections.