Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, has launched a free programme to help young people develop ideas to benefit their community. The Mayor’s big ideas challenge is offering 16-25 year olds who live, work or study in West Yorkshire the chance to win prizes worth up to £625, if they can come up with an idea to make our region healthier and happier.
The Mayor is inviting individuals and teams of young people to share their initial ideas in writing, video or audio on a dedicated website here by Sunday 30 November 2025.
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire said:
“Our region is the home of innovation, and every idea here began with a spark from a young, bold mind.
“I want to empower young people as the architects of a healthier, happier future for West Yorkshire.
“I urge all aspiring innovators to stay curious, challenge the world, and to have confidence in your ideas – you never know where they might lead.”
The ideas don’t need to be fully developed at this stage. The Mayor is looking for entries that show a creative mindset and motivation to tackle challenges faced by young people.
Once the ideas have been reviewed, 54 teams or individuals will be selected as finalists and take part in a programme of mentoring, training and support from business leaders to help turn their idea into a reality.
Every finalist who takes part will receive:
- A minimum of £100 guaranteed for completing the programme
- Up to £625 in prizes for standout ideas
- A hands-on, creative learning journey to develop their ideas
- Mentoring from business and social enterprise leaders
- The chance to make a real difference in their community
- Exclusive networking and skill-building opportunities
The big ideas challenge offers young people the chance to make a real difference in their community, while building the skills, confidence and connections to help them on their journey to work or higher education. Through the scheme, young people will learn to:
- Identify problems they care about
- Use research and design to develop creative solutions
- Pitch their ideas confidently
- Build their CVs with new skills and experiences
The deadline for applications is Sunday 30 November 2025.
Finalists will be selected by Friday 19 December.
The programme of mentoring and training will run from January to March 2026 based in venues around West Yorkshire.
To make sure all young people feel welcome, they can:
- bring a trusted person for support
- opt-out of any activity
- go to the quiet spaces at in-person sessions if they are overwhelmed
The programme is free to attend.
Enter here: www.wybusiness-skills.com/MayorsBigIdeasChallengeForYoungPeople
Full challenge prospectus containing information for parents, teachers, youth workers and other trusted adults is available here: www.wybusiness-skills.com/media/h5dgrt4k/challenge-prospectus.pdf
For more information, email: BigIdeasChallenge@tpximpact.com
This post is based on a press release issued by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority
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