Youth Grand Challenges

1. Youth Grand Challenges

2. Youth Grand Challenges • The Youth Grand Challenges is a new competition for 11-to-19 year olds, asking young people to come up with innovative ideas about how science and technology can be deployed to tackle global health issues. The theme for 2016/17 is infectious diseases. • To participate in the Youth Grand Challenges competition, you must undertake a CREST project on a topic of your choice, that relates to the overarching theme of infectious diseases – such as mosquitos, sanitation, or vaccines, and then submit it for the competition.

3. No one wants to get ill • Think about the last time you were ill. • Was it a cough or a cold? Measles? What is the worst illness you have had? • Infectious diseases disproportionately affect developing countries. Almost one third of deaths in LEDCs are caused by lower respiratory infections, HIV/AIDS, diarrhoeal diseases, malaria and tuberculosis. Why do you think that is?

4. What causes infectious diseases? • Infectious diseases are diseases caused by microscopic organisms (bacteria, viruses, parasites and fungi) that penetrate the body’s natural barriers. • Think of all the different illness you know of, here and around the world and divide them into infectious diseases and non infectious diseases. Infectious Diseases Non-infectious Diseases

5. Is it a problem? • Infectious diseases are one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Each year, billions of people become ill with an infectious disease. About 10 million of them die. • The World Health Organisation estimates that these infectious diseases are responsible for 5 million deaths every year: • HIV/AIDS • Malaria • Tuberculosis

6. Global Grand Challenges • Lots of scientists and engineers around the world are working on finding new ways to protect people against infectious diseases. For example, the Global Grand Challenges is a programme that funds scientists, seeking new ideas tackling global health and development that are: • “off the beaten track” • “significantly radical in conception, and daring in premise” • We believe that young people can make a difference too. We are challenging you to come up with innovative solutions that have the potential to change the world.

7. Designing your project You can focus on any area of infectious diseases that interests you. You can either use one of our project resources, or come up with their your own idea for a project. Here are some ideas! • Research – you could investigate how bacteria spread diseases or what is being done eradicate disease. • Practical – you could design an experiment to test effectiveness of soap or build your own fridge to store vaccines. • Communication – you could design materials to convince others of the importance of good hygiene or an immunisation programme.

8. CREST Awards A Bronze award will be assessed by your teacher, a Silver or Gold by an external assessor. They will be looking for: • Planning – Do you have clear aims and objectives? Is there a wider purpose to your project? • Process – Have you done background research? How did you design your methodology? • Outcomes – Have you made logical conclusions? What are the wider implications? • Creativity and problem solving – did you make sensible decisions, how did you identify and overcome problems? Have fun and get ready to start your challenge!

9. Youth Grand Challenges - enter the competition • Once you have submitted your project for a CREST award you can enter it into the Youth Grand challenges competition. • Submit your entries at www.youthgrandchallenges.org by 26th September 2017. Remember! We are looking for projects that: • demonstrate good communication skills • show innovation and creativity • address a real-world problem Read the guidelines, do your research, get creative and have fun taking part in the challenge!

10. Enjoy your project!